Crabs

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1892161



HEIR APPARENT: 2009 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 RECLAIMS DOMINION AS THE ‘KING OF THE HILL’

New, Supercharged LS9 V-8 is the Heart of a Bedeviling Performance Experience

DETROIT – The rumors are true. The speculation ends. And the UFO sightings on desert highways were not of extraterrestrial craft – but they were of a low-flying object capable of seemingly otherworldly performance.

Chevrolet officially announced the 2009 Corvette ZR1 – an American supercar that not only establishes new benchmarks for production-based power and performance, but challenges global competitors with a world-beating driving experience that also comes with a world-beating price of entry.

“The king has returned,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “The new ZR1 upends the notion of what an American supercar can deliver, with performance that trumps exotics that cost two, three or four times as much – and does so with the driving ease of a daily commuter.”

Dispensing with the formalities and getting right down to business, here are the ZR1’s basic stats:

* All-new LS9 supercharged 6.2L V-8 targeted at producing at least 100 horsepower per liter, or 620 horsepower (462 kW), and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque (823 Nm)
* Six-speed, close-ratio, race-hardened manual transmission
* New, high-capacity dual-disc clutch
* Higher-capacity and specific-diameter axle half-shafts; enhanced torque tube
* Specific suspension tuning provides more than 1g cornering grip
* Twenty-spoke 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels
* Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires – P285/30ZR19 in front and P335/25ZR20 in the rear – developed specifically for the ZR1
* Standard carbon-ceramic, drilled disc brake rotors – 15.5-inch-diameter (394-mm) in the front and 15-inch-diameter (380-mm) in the rear
* Larger brake calipers with substantially increased pad area
* Standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control with track-level suspension
* Wider, carbon-fiber front fenders with ZR1-specific dual vents
* Carbon-fiber hood with a raised, polycarbonate window – offering a view of the intercooler below it
* Carbon fiber roof panel, roof bow, front fascia splitter and rocker moldings with clear-coated, exposed carbon-fiber weave
* ZR1-specific full-width rear spoiler with raised outboard sections
* Specific gauge cluster with boost gauge (also displayed on the Head-Up Display) and 220-mph (370 km/h) speedometer readout
* Only two options: chrome wheels and a “luxury” package
* Curb weight of approximately 3,350 pounds (1,519 kg)

Added More:
MORE THAN PERFORMANCE: CORVETTE ZR1’S CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION DELIVER A CONFIDENT, COMFORTABLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE

DETROIT – Its supercharged engine twists out more than 600 horsepower and nearly 600 lb.-ft. of torque. Its racing-inspired dual-disc clutch channels that power to a set of massive, 20-inch by 12-inch rear wheels, helping push the ZR1 to more than 200 mph (320 km/h). It also corners with the grip of a hungry Kodiak bear – delivering more than 1g of lateral acceleration – and stops with exceptional immediacy.

Yet for all its astounding performance attributes, the 2009 Corvette ZR1 has a refined driving experience that makes it a daily-driveable supercar.

“The ZR1 is a car anyone can drive confidently and comfortably,” said Tom Wallace, vehicle line executive. “From the very beginning, refinement, balance and compliance were targets that were as important as the car’s maximum performance.”

More than simply scaling wheel, tire and brake sizes to match the powertrain’s output, the ZR1’s engineers harmonized the chassis and suspension components to deliver a ride quality and driving experience that is unmatched by most supercar competitors. Enabling elements include standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control and new, Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires that were developed specifically for the car.

“The ZR1 corners better than the Z06, but has ride compliance more like the base coupe,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “Every element from the stabilizer-bar diameters to the composition of the tires was carefully matched to deliver a balanced driving experience – it’s a supercar that doesn’t sacrifice ride quality for performance.”

Stopping power is derived from a carbon-ceramic-based brake system that is lightweight, heat resistant and wear resistant. While delivering braking performance similar to a racecar, it helps reduce the unsprung mass that the ZR1 would have accrued through the use of similarly sized cast iron brake rotors.

“It wasn’t enough to achieve the braking requirements commensurate with the car’s performance – we needed to find a solution that minimized the impact on the car’s balanced feel,” said Juechter. “A larger brake package generally means more weight, but the carbon-ceramic rotors deliver excellent performance while also minimizing unsprung weight.”

guinnessdood

ya beat me to it by 2 minutes! LoL top speed in first gear is 64MPH...should have a blistering 0-60 time...3 secs flat?

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ook/index.html

Crabs

Uly:

I see!!

Like minds think alike.

Tom

bldavis11

Here are some pics.

DDSLT5

Too heavy. Mark me down for a new Z06!

Aurora40

Wow, that thing looks badass!! I thought the info was embargoed until tomorrow though? I guess it's tomorrow somewhere.

jmascharka

I'll take mine in Black! Nice looking car.

win1876

Great looking car, I think it will be a nice tribute to our cars......The real ZR1's.

32valves

I think the gray looks good but I wish they would have done an N/A 7L multi-valve setup (620HP shouldn't be a problem) and concentrated on weight loss with carbon-fiber buckets etc. Oh well.

Dominic Sorresso

Something tells me this is just the first note in a symphony Chevrolet is playing with the LS9. Why not a 427 with a blower?

bldavis11

I 100% agree with you on that. I think there will be more to come on this front. We'll see how things pan out, but I'm certain that most future Corvettes will be hit with the gas-guzzler tax. With that getting nailed down, the sky's the limit.

drd21968

i agree ,the 427 with a supercharger in that package! .....wow in spite of some opinions the new zr1 will only raise awareness of the originals

djpatrick35

WOW! Check out those brake rotors! I like what they did with the body work as well.

HOWEVER... I freaking hate that stupid engine cover!

It's nice to know that our Z's are the last ones without stupid *** plastic engine covers!

ArcticZR1

Yeah...I think the engine cover is kinda bad. Also...there was an article in Corvette magazine this month with the ZR1 and brand new Z06...the article kind of slammed our cars which kind of ticked me off. New ZR1 will probably help our cars big time...just like the GM said "the king is back"!

Crabs

If I were to win the lottery tomorrow I would order one in bright red with saddle interior to match my '90 ZR1.
No. I would not trade in my '90 ZR1 for an '08 ZR1.
Absoluetly f*ing not.
That's why I would need to win the lottery... I want them both.

I really like the way it looks.
It's got the big meat under the fat azz.
It's got a supercharged *monster* sitting under the hood.
OK, ok, so the motor is covered in plastic, show me a new car that isn't.
Sign of the times, I'm afraid.
It doesn't look like the standard model.
It's got extra scoops, flares, carbon fiber, clear hood panel and a spoiler on the azz (a little small, but a spoiler none the less).
The General got it right this time.
It won't take an expert to tell that it's a SuperCar instead of a regular ho-hum Sports Car.

threestar40

The new ZR1 is completely bad *** in every way.
I love it.
It should raise a little awareness of our cars but they are now "the old ZR1" "OH, I thought you had a new one".
Yeah, I don't like plastic engine covers either, but this car is not a pig like ours.
Or maybe it is according to this thread

I had an awesome idea, let's buy one and kick that one off concept VW off the hill for the 24 hour speed record!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a travesty of OUR record. I would love to reclaim it for America in this car.


Who's in?

Who want's to be the next Tommy Morrison?

I would love to be a part of something like that.

I know it would take a team.

Rick

Jeffvette

It's a pig and am let down on expectations of sub 3,000 lb weight. Need to track down Wallace and let him know.

Jeffvette

Reliability, and the possible lawsuit from som moron wrapping one around a tree 5 minutes off the lot with what would have been around 700 hp.

threestar40

I found more stuff...You only live once...can this new car pull it off?
I mean we are "visionary privateer corvette enthusiast's" and we all need new car's and projects...it say's it takes hundreds of people to pull it off. Is this car exciting enough to try it?

I for one would love to see it come back to US!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rick


Quoted from a ZR1 site
"On October 14th a prototype of Volkswagen's new W12 Coupe in the final stages
of development set the world speed record for distance covered in "24 hours".
The 440 kW/600 bhp twelve-cylinder sports car covered 7,085.7 kilometres
(4,402.8 miles) at an average speed of 295.24 km/h (183.45 mph). It thus
toppled the previous record by a margin of twelve km/h (7.5 mph). In the
Volkswagen W12 Coupe capable of 350 km/h (217 mph), which had not been
specially prepared for the long-distance record bid, the team of drivers also
set two other world records (over 5,000 kilometres and 5,000 miles) and six
international vehicle class records. The class record for "12 hours" had
already been broken in a trial run.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above report is credible.

I confirmed it this morning with John Heinricy, GM Director of Vehicle Development, and one of the team of drivers who set the previous record held by a 1990 Corvette ZR-1. The Corvette's record, set on March 2, 1990, stood for eleven years, seven months and 12 days.

At the "Gathering" event in May of 2000 at the National Corvette Museum which honored the tenth anniversary of the ZR1 Record Run, I had the honor of moderating a seminar by some of the drivers and a number of other persons associated with the Record Run. Here is an excerpt of a short speech I gave at the start of the presentation.

quote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ten years ago, a group of visionary Corvette enthusiasts took a slighly-modified, 1990 ZR-1 to a remote, tire test facility at Ft. Stockton Texas. Their goal was to reset the World, 24-Hour Speed Record. At the time, the "24 Hour" was the longest-standing, significant Speed Record for land vehicles. It had been set in 1940 at Bonneville, Utah by Ab Jenkins driving a purpose-built car powered by an aircraft engine and named, appropriately, the Mormon Meteor 3.

On March, 2, 1990, this group of Corvette enthusiasts and their ZR-1 were sucessful in not only setting the 24-Hour World Record, at 175.885 miles per hour, but also setting the 5000 kilometer record, at 175.710, the 5000 Mile Record, at 173.791, four other International records in class CA-G2-C10 along with a dozen or so other FIA, class records.

The ZR-1's World Record ranks as one of the greatest achievements in motorsports. Between 1940 and 1990, four, major manufacturers attempted to break this record: Ford in 1969, Mercedes Benz in 1976, Audi in 1988 and Chevrolet in 1990. Only Chevrolet, using a slightly-modified Corvette ZR-1, prepared and driven by a team of privateers, was sucessful.

Obviously, there were hundreds of people who had a part in setting these records. It would be impossible to list all of them. The key players were Tommy Morrison, who owned and managed the team, Tommy Roe who was the Crew Chief and a squad of eight drivers: John Heinricy, Scott Lagasse, Jim Minneker, Scott Allman, Don Knowles, Kim Baker, Stuart Hayner and Tommy Morrison.

So far, the ZR-1's World Records are standing the test of time. To my knowlege only one of those marks, the one-hour, has fallen. It was reset by Ferarri whose road car products, in spite of their hallowed reputations, clearly lack the reliability and durability necessary run longer than an hour at speeds above 175 mph. There have been other attempts, notably Oldsmobile with a purpose-built car, the Aerotech, which is on display in this Museum."

DDSLT5

Don't underestimate the morons - they'll wrap plenty around trees at 620 hp.