More C7 Corvette ZR1 Details Arrive Online

More details on the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has surfaced from the December Car & Driver article.

Yesterday we got our first look at the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 from an image of the cover from the December issue of Car & Driver, which leaked early online. From that magazine cover, we learned that the new ZR1 is coming for the 2019 model years and when it arrives, it will have 750 horsepower. That was the extent of the information on the cover, but thanks to the folks at Corvette Blogger, we have a generous spread of additional information on the C7 Corvette ZR1.

The Engine and Transmission

According to the information posted online, the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will deliver its 750 horsepower from a new 6.2L LT5 V8 with pushrods. This new mill will also deliver 680lb-ft of torque, thanks in part to a new Eaton supercharger which provides 52% more air via a housing that is 2.9-inches taller than the Z06 unit.

To supply enough fuel for all of that compressed air, the C7 ZR1 will feature both port injection and direct injection, while 4 new heat exchangers will keep this monster V8 cooler during extended periods of high performance driving. This should help prevent ZR1 owners from worrying about the overheating issues that have plagued Z06 owners, even with the extra power.

All of that power is channeled to the rear wheels by means of the ZR1 buyer’s choice of a 7-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission – not the 10-speed similar to the Camaro ZL1.

This drivetrain is expected to help the 2019 Corvette ZR1 to dash from a stop to 60 in less than 3 seconds while running the quarter mile in less than 11 seconds. The information online also suggests that the new Corvette will have a top speed in excess of 210 miles per hour – which is astonishing for a car with this type of aero package.

Body and Chassis

The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will come standard with the Magnetic Ride Control system and a big Carbon Ceramic braking package, as well as front wheels that are a half-inch wider than the Z06 wheels. There will be a handful of aerodynamics packages offered, including the RPO ZTK package, which is shown on the C&D cover with the massive rear wing. The biggest wing offers 10 degrees of adjustment and a total of 500 pounds of downforce at speed, with the unit being anchored behind the rear hatch so that the aero loads are distributed across the rear bumper beam. However, the low-profile rear spoiler is standard, for those buyers who don’t need 500lbs of downforce or an adjustable rear wing.

In addition to the new front fascia with much larger cooling openings, the 2019 Corvette ZR1 will have a new hood that offers extra air flow and more space for the taller supercharger. This high-rise hood does not meet European requirements, so the ZR1 will not be sold in those markets, but American buyers will get to enjoy a similar removable roof system to that found on the Z06 and Stingray.

The downside to the many standard features is added weight, with the C7 Corvette ZR1 tipping the scales at 3,664lbs. That is 140lbs more than the C7 Z06, but the added power and improved aero will more than make up for the extra weight. During internal testing, the ZR1 was 2.5-seconds quicker than the Z06 around VIR, in addition to being quicker in the quarter mile.

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Finally, we learned that the 2019 Corvette ZR1 will have a starting price around $120,000, while adding things like the premium aero package and the other high-end options will likely drive the price up into the $150k range, but that upper number is purely speculation.

The C7 Corvette ZR1 will make its online debut on November 12^th, with its formal US debut coming later this month at the LA Auto Show.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com