Motor Trend destroys the 2019 ZR1
10-07-2018, 05:34 AM
#1
Motor Trend destroys the 2019 ZR1
When the new ZR1 was introduced every car magazine hailed it as the Corvette that destroys Super Cars. At VIR it blew the doors off the lap time. It seems like every few weeks something negative happens to ZR1. MT is right, the car makes tons of Horse Power, but it can't keep the tires on the road. Last week I tested a manual ZR1. We finally got some cooler weather in Orange County & I headed to the toll road. The entrance was a straight road which takes you to the Tollway. I was accelerating in 1st, shifted into 2nd and stepped on the throttle and all hell broke loose. The rear of the car literally jumped up & the rear moved to the right. Then it jumped all the way to the left. The ZR1 was in Sport1 and the electronics saved the car from doing a 360. Even on the toll road when in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd the tires continued to break free from the road under hard acceleration. A powerful engine with a mediocre suspension at best.
Popular Reply
10-07-2018, 10:57 AM
Race Director
^^^^^
Indeed they are.
And the proof:
Even $2,000,000 worth of Italian engineering can't fix stupid.
Indeed they are.
And the proof:
Even $2,000,000 worth of Italian engineering can't fix stupid.
10-07-2018, 05:44 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Mar 2018
Location: The GREAT STATE of IOWA!
Posts: 7,075
Received 1,038 Likes
on
400 Posts
I've read and watched so many reviews of the ZR1 which say the horsepower is insane, and the fatal flaw of the car is not being able to control it on the road.
I'm just waiting for the first of the "product liability" lawsuits to begin over the ZR1 and some of these other cars with mega horsepower. You can be sure they will come, just like the McDonald's "hot coffee" suit did. Somewhere out there is a lawyer (Avennetti ?) just salivating at the thought of getting a hold of one of these cases.
I'm just waiting for the first of the "product liability" lawsuits to begin over the ZR1 and some of these other cars with mega horsepower. You can be sure they will come, just like the McDonald's "hot coffee" suit did. Somewhere out there is a lawyer (Avennetti ?) just salivating at the thought of getting a hold of one of these cases.
Last edited by Steve Garrett; 10-07-2018 at 03:53 PM.
10-07-2018, 06:01 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
Posts: 7,075
Received 1,816 Likes
on
1,084 Posts
The rearward weight bias of the M8 should help with this, as would all-wheel-drive.
The following 14 users liked this post by Warp Factor:
ASRoff (11-15-2018),
Ben@WeaponX (10-07-2018),
CorvetteBrent (10-18-2018),
devnull (10-10-2018),
Harbgrogan (10-18-2018),
and 9 others liked this post.
The following 40 users liked this post by krackenvette:
1ccrider (11-12-2018),
2019 ZR1 (11-05-2018),
3 Z06ZR1 (10-07-2018),
85USA1Coupe (10-17-2018),
ASRoff (11-15-2018),
and 35 others liked this post.
The following 3 users liked this post by Mcrider:
10-07-2018, 06:50 AM
#6
Race Director
Dont get upset now. When you buy a high HP vehicle, you need to learn to drive it. You dont just go out thinking you are all that and a bag of chips.
GMs cars arent Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis. You know, they put allot of engineering behind their cars, and amongst other things, pretty sophisticated traction control. .
GM, nothing. They put the minimum required, due to bean counters. The engineers are great, but, the company wont let them loose. Anyone can make power, getting it to the ground requires money.
Many test drivers have wrecked high end cars too..Not news.
Hardly a seasoned race car driver, General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development Mark Reuss ? ...lol
GMs cars arent Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis. You know, they put allot of engineering behind their cars, and amongst other things, pretty sophisticated traction control. .
GM, nothing. They put the minimum required, due to bean counters. The engineers are great, but, the company wont let them loose. Anyone can make power, getting it to the ground requires money.
Many test drivers have wrecked high end cars too..Not news.
Hardly a seasoned race car driver, General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development Mark Reuss ? ...lol
Last edited by Steve Garrett; 10-07-2018 at 03:56 PM. Reason: Merged Posts
The following 2 users liked this post by krackenvette:
GarryZR1 (10-11-2018),
Harbgrogan (10-18-2018)
10-07-2018, 06:57 AM
#8
Safety Car
this
When the new ZR1 was introduced every car magazine hailed it as the Corvette that destroys Super Cars. At VIR it blew the doors off the lap time. It seems like every few weeks something negative happens to ZR1. MT is right, the car makes tons of Horse Power, but it can't keep the tires on the road. Last week I tested a manual ZR1. We finally got some cooler weather in Orange County & I headed to the toll road. The entrance was a straight road which takes you to the Tollway. I was accelerating in 1st, shifted into 2nd and stepped on the throttle and all hell broke loose. The rear of the car literally jumped up & the rear moved to the right. Then it jumped all the way to the left. The ZR1 was in Sport1 and the electronics saved the car from doing a 360. Even on the toll road when in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd the tires continued to break free from the road under hard acceleration. A powerful engine with a mediocre suspension at best.
Last edited by irok; 10-07-2018 at 06:59 AM.
10-07-2018, 07:19 AM
#9
Race Director
Having a license to go around a track doesnt make you seasoned. I have an SCCA license for auto crossing, and have ran many years. Am I seasoned? Yep, I raced in the summer, winter, fall....
But when I drive my lowly 515 hp Corvette, I learned to drive it and respecting the fact I cant drive it at 100% of its potential.
Corvettes are posers for the most part. Until GM lets loose there engineers to actually compete with the fit, finish, QA, suspension, traction control and other thing European and Japan high end cars get to utilize, it will just be another high HP uncontrollable go cart with plastic buttons.
But when I drive my lowly 515 hp Corvette, I learned to drive it and respecting the fact I cant drive it at 100% of its potential.
Corvettes are posers for the most part. Until GM lets loose there engineers to actually compete with the fit, finish, QA, suspension, traction control and other thing European and Japan high end cars get to utilize, it will just be another high HP uncontrollable go cart with plastic buttons.
The following users liked this post:
Harbgrogan (10-18-2018)
10-07-2018, 08:14 AM
#10
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
Posts: 7,075
Received 1,816 Likes
on
1,084 Posts
Hmmm, they seem to get around a track pretty darned well, for a "poser". 
LOL, who is still using real metal buttons, and why would they? Familiarize yourself with the forums for any brand of car, and you'll find that they all have their problems.
The following 2 users liked this post by Warp Factor:
CorvetteBrent (10-18-2018),
Harbgrogan (10-18-2018)
10-07-2018, 08:15 AM
#11
Safety Car
What do you think will happen with 755 hp on street tires, on a cold unpreped surface? You need to respect that level of power and use common sense. A 500 hp car will do the same thing on a poor surface.
The following 4 users liked this post by bjankuski:
CorvetteBrent (10-18-2018),
Harbgrogan (10-18-2018),
John Micheal Henry (10-31-2018),
krackenvette (10-07-2018)
10-07-2018, 08:20 AM
#12
Race Director
And getting around a track is not a true test of awesomeness, reliability. And yes, Ferraris and other high end cars have some problems, but cheapness is not one of them.
Corvettes are like Glocks in a HK/SIG world. Yes they shoot, but you have to modify the crap out of them to shoot straight.
10-07-2018, 08:26 AM
#13
It's the tires not the car, watch any of my videos that car is more than capable on track. The MPSC2 have great grip when they are hot but like any near slick compound that have very little grip when cold and will step away quickly. It's tough to heat them up on the street in cold weather so just be careful or get a set of those new Michelin AS3+ tires. I have a set mounted in the garage but haven't put them on the car yet.
The following 14 users liked this post by Poor-sha:
Bad_AX (10-07-2018),
CorvetteBrent (10-18-2018),
DebRedZR1 (10-07-2018),
desmophile (10-08-2018),
DoctorV8 (10-15-2018),
and 9 others liked this post.
10-07-2018, 08:32 AM
#14
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
Posts: 7,075
Received 1,816 Likes
on
1,084 Posts
Under-engineered? How about all the steering racks that needed to be replaced on Mclarens, at a cost to the owner of 35 thousand dollars?
How about all the intermediate shaft bearings that had to be replace on Porsches, (if the failed bearing hadn't grenaded the engine first)?
The following 3 users liked this post by Warp Factor:
10-07-2018, 09:28 AM
#16
Come on now, we all know Corvettes are cheap compared to most exotics and under engineered for the HP.
And getting around a track is not a true test of awesomeness, reliability. And yes, Ferraris and other high end cars have some problems, but cheapness is not one of them.
Corvettes are like Glocks in a HK/SIG world. Yes they shoot, but you have to modify the crap out of them to shoot straight.
And getting around a track is not a true test of awesomeness, reliability. And yes, Ferraris and other high end cars have some problems, but cheapness is not one of them.
Corvettes are like Glocks in a HK/SIG world. Yes they shoot, but you have to modify the crap out of them to shoot straight.
ive never had to mod one to shoot it
and GM engineers,are as good as Ferrari/lambo engineers,and the corvette isn't ''UNDER'' engineered,
The following users liked this post:
serpent (10-09-2018)
10-07-2018, 09:42 AM
#17
Moderator
Member Since: Jul 2005
Location: West MI
Posts: 27,698
Received 3,621 Likes
on
1,740 Posts
CF Banner Relay Captain
West MI & JAX/NE Florida
Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17, '21
I’m far from an expert driver and have had ZERO issues launching or handling the power 
Carry on, the majority of the ZR1 buyers take ZERO interest in the lack of real info contained in these fake news threads and ridiculously biased mags.
Carry on, the majority of the ZR1 buyers take ZERO interest in the lack of real info contained in these fake news threads and ridiculously biased mags.
The following 9 users liked this post by DebRedZR1:
Glenn Quagmire (10-08-2018),
HTXSkydiver (10-07-2018),
keagan (10-07-2018),
Lavender (10-07-2018),
Monkey D. Luffy (11-08-2018),
and 4 others liked this post.
10-07-2018, 09:56 AM
#18
Car Magazine reviews are not why I buy a particular car. It's my personal preference..so whether Car & Driver, MT, or any other source has anything good or bad to say is irrevlevant to me. I think posts like this are more to get a rise and reaction out of people rather than provide any real substance. Carry on!
The following 3 users liked this post by D'ZR1 Messiah:
10-07-2018, 10:03 AM
#19
Pro
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: Flower Mound, TX
Posts: 674
Likes: 0
Received 232 Likes
on
96 Posts
I've always wondered why the Vette has trouble putting power down. My Z06 felt more powerful than it actually was because it was always spinning tire, and every Vette I've driven has felt the same. The Vette diehards say it's just a function of high power RWD cars, but my ACR has zero drama and very rarely breaks the tires loose, even when burying the throttle in 1st gear. My observation is the traction difference is night and day.
10-07-2018, 10:10 AM
#20
Race Director
When the new ZR1 was introduced every car magazine hailed it as the Corvette that destroys Super Cars. At VIR it blew the doors off the lap time. It seems like every few weeks something negative happens to ZR1. MT is right, the car makes tons of Horse Power, but it can't keep the tires on the road. Last week I tested a manual ZR1. We finally got some cooler weather in Orange County & I headed to the toll road. The entrance was a straight road which takes you to the Tollway. I was accelerating in 1st, shifted into 2nd and stepped on the throttle and all hell broke loose. The rear of the car literally jumped up & the rear moved to the right. Then it jumped all the way to the left. The ZR1 was in Sport1 and the electronics saved the car from doing a 360. Even on the toll road when in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd the tires continued to break free from the road under hard acceleration. A powerful engine with a mediocre suspension at best.
You take a 755HP car on COLD tires, put it in SPORT mode, and then you're somehow surprised that the car acts up?
And what dealer has a ZR1 in stock and will let you demo it?
If you are going to use car magazines to make yourself right, then, sadly, we can use car magazines to prove you wrong....Car and Driver LIghtning Lap
Last edited by jimmyb; 10-07-2018 at 10:46 AM.
The following 4 users liked this post by jimmyb:
