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I am new to the Forum as I just purchased my first Corvette, a Ceramic Matrix Grey ZR1 #1354. While I knew of the ZR1 from the launch and press, I did not order one from a Dealership back in 2017 or early in 2018, I found one that was in transit at a Regional Chevrolet Dealership and decided to purchase as somewhat of an impulse buy.
I should clarify, I bought a 2006 XLR-V and kept it for many years, so I had a Corvette Body (Northstar motor) and I bought a 2016 CTS-V with a Z06 motor, so I have been kind of Corvette owner twice. I had a chance to buy my schoolmates 1970 LS5 Covette when I was a junior in high school, but my wise father convinced me that this was not a good plan (I think you can guess the exact wording of that conversation)!!
So how many of you took the leap to the ZR1 on impulse? I can appreciate that many of you have had multiple Corvettes and that you are following the platform to it's highest level of performance...which renders me kind of unworthy I think. Did some of you buy your ZR1 as a limited production investment, never to see the light of day?
I had a fellow classmate at my recent trip to the Chevrolet sponsored Ron Fellows ZR1 Owners School that bought his just to use for Club Racing...replacing a Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo as his track car. He kept saying "I get a track car that is faster on the track than many full race cars PLUS a warranty from GM with parts available at the local Chevy Dealer". After my trip to Spring Mountain, my Cars & Coffee ZR1 is going to be introduced to as many track days as I can swing...
Since I am new to the forum, if this is a worn out topic, I apologize, I just am curious to hear your stories and motivations....I hope others are as interested as I am.
My story is I had bought my first Corvette in 2013. It was a 2013 60th anniversary edition Z06. I loved the car and added a few power mods to get it to aronnd 800HP. I thought it was fast until I traded it in on my 2016 Z06 that I added some power to. It made 900HP and I was really impressed with it. I sold it and and decided it was time to get a ZR1. I could of bought a 2013 ZR1 when I bought my 2013 Z06 but decided to buy another house and didn't want to spend the extra money for the ZR1. My ZR1 is at a shop getting Xpel and ceramic coating put on it. As soon as someone cracks the code and the ZR1 can be tuned I plan on getting this one over 1000HP..
If you had a C4 ZR-1 and a C6 ZR1 wouldn't you want to buy a C7 ZR1?
In 1990, the ZR-1 was in a very elite company of the world's most capable production cars.
In 2009, the ZR1 was in a very elite company of the world's most capable production cars.
In 2019, the ZR1 is in a very elite company of the world's most capable production cars.
In 2025, the ZR1 will be in a very elite company of the world's most capable production cars. *
I can't say that I bought on impulse. When I heard the ZR-1 was coming back again I placed an order with a dealer on Dec 2017 and was fortunate to take a fairly quick delivery in April 2018. It is my second Corvette. My first was an 85 that I had in the early 90s. I have a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V which I view as sort of a 4dr Z06. I've always liked GM cars that have a heritage to them like the 87 Buick GNX, 70 Chevelle LS6 and C3 body Corvette ZL-1, ZR-1, ZR-2, LS6, L88, & LT1. I like how the new ZR1 has the high hood reminiscent of the L88. I wouldn't mind having that LS5 you mentioned.
And my Buddy's LS5 spent its first 10 year on the coast and must have been parked in the driveway. Every time he punched the throttle he got a face full of sand...
I’ve had many corvettes. It started with a 02 Z06, then a 08 z06, 09 z06, then a 10 zr1. Everyone of them I’ve heavily modified. I was made a good offer on my 10 zr1 and decided to go with a 19 zr1. Every one of them has been great and each one improves on the previous. I chose this over a new turbo s Porsche and don’t regret one bit.
I have had a Porsche Cayenne Turbo since 2007 and have over 200,000 mile on it...I love it and use it almost everyday. I had a 76 911 Turbo from 1986 to 1990...256 horsepower...nothing in the that era was fast, but is sure seemed fast at the moment. I have never considered a newer Porsche Turbo, not because of the handling/performance that I remembered, which was scary bad (snap oversteer) but because Porsche commands such a premium for a well equipped car. It's not even about affordability for me...just lack of value for the performance.
If the C8 ZR1-ZR-2-Zora whatever it is called when it hits the market, with weight over the drive axle or all wheel drive and 800+ hp, there will be no comparison from any brand for performance vs value...in my opinion. I just am not sure how many years it is going to take to get there...I think I am going to have a similar experience with an upgrade in my future as well.
Why I bought it... Ollie Gavin said it best in his comments section when he chose my Wat Gln Gry ZTK for his favorite in the celebrity’s choice in Corvette Corral @ the
Road America IMSA event. “It’s a ZR1”... that says it all.
Last edited by Rinaldo Catria; 03-03-2019 at 06:31 PM.
I have never wanted a Corvette (except maybe a '67 L71 convertible), but always respected the designs. The few (C5 and C6) I have driven or ridden in at the track did not seem particularly well tuned to driver involvment and I didn't think much of the factory suspension. But things change. The mag (real word is too damn long and hard to pronounce!) shocks are a game-changer. GM's choice to target the E46-gen M3 for it's last CTS and ATS dynamics is exactly the mentality I want to see in a performance car division. And from what I've read that level of detail has been applied to the C7 as well. But the primary impetus for my potential puchase came from C&D - yeah you know the article. In it congealed several aspects that separated resonated with me.
- A shaker hood that is illegal in EU because the French can't drive safely and ruined car shapes for everyone. 'MERICA! Seriously. I really dig that a company would set a performance goal ahead of sales numbers.
- The last (check me on this) car EVER MADE that will be front mid-engined, V8, and manual (meaning the clutch). Which is exactly how I want my ideal fun/fast car to be laid out. (Another dream car for me is a Cobra Daytona Coupe for this reason)
- 755hp. My Z4 is lighter than the ZR1, and now puts out 500hp with a supercharger and some other mods. It's fast, damn fast. But I could have fun with more. And there is a distinct appeal to owning a vehicle SO powerful and balanced that it slightly exceeds my own driving ambitions. No more modding, wife will be happier, less stress...just get in a drive.
- Pushrods. Even though the in-block can has been technically obsolete for decades Chevy still manages to coax efficiency out of it. Props for that. I also appreciate the significant packaging benefit of an in-block cam and how this is used in the Corvette.
- It looks GOOD, really good. I have had some issues with styling details on the last three generations of Corvette (I'm an artist and can't help noticing imbalances and details). But many cars can suddenly look great with just one or two changes. Late-model Mustangs are this way to a remarkable degree. While I will say that the Z06 looks much better in person than in pics, there is a still an oddness to the rear proportioning that I don't care for in certain colors. The ZTK package transforms the look of the car, past the point where it is acceptable to the point where I think it is a beautiful balance of angles and shape weight.
- American! After buying German cars that suited my American tastes for practicality and freedom to communicate with the road there is finally an American car with the same/similar goal and quality.
- The C8. I do not want a mid-engined Corvette - ever! Build it to compete with Ferrari in the HP wars, sure, but call it something else! Respect the history of America's only surviving sports car!
If front engine/RWD and direct driver involvement go away I want to hold on to what's important even if no one else cares. And the ZR1 seems like the pinnacle of this idea in automotive history.
Last edited by Palantirion; 03-03-2019 at 10:52 PM.
I bought the ZR1 because I am retired (money burning a hole in my pocket and I can't take it with me), been modifying, racing and maintaining a C5Z for 15 years and saw that the ZR1 has just about everything already installed for the track. So, it saves me the time and trouble of preparing it myself for the track. Oh yeah, it is kind of fast, too.
03-03-2019, 10:37 AM
Why did you buy your ZR1?
