7 Things to Know About Corvette ZR1's Grand Finale

1. A First Glance

Work has been in effect on the C8 for a while now, and the countdown to the mid-engine game-changing Corvette is almost at zero. For the last hurrah of the C7, GM is putting out a maddeningly fast small-block V8 ZR1 spec.  The latest prototype of the car has been spied with a giant Viper ACR-esque wing on the back and massive tires fitted to the wheels. The car could be launched as an early 2017 model year and may carry a hefty selling price of $150,000. GM has used the RPO code of ZR1 three previous times in the history of Corvette and holds the moniker only for the top performance model in the Corvette slate. 

2. The Engine

If you are out of the loop on the development of the C8, the reason for the change in the platform is that GM has hit the wall with what is possible on the front engine rear-wheel-drive layout. The ZR1 is speculated to have over 700 horsepower courtesy of the possibly tuned version of the Z06's boosted engine. We're sure the number will be over the 707 horsepower that the Dodge Hellcats are putting out.   

3. Active Aero?

Spy shots and a bit of magnification have revealed something inside the rear hatch wrapped up in what could be bubble wrap. Could this be a wing that will deploy from the rear at high speeds for downforce and improved braking? The last ZR1 hit 205 mph, so this new iteration will surely have the necessary engineering to keep the mightiest 'Vette on the road. There are also wide air intakes in the fascia to keep things nice and cool. 

4. Heritage Brakes

The test car making the rounds is fitted with blue brake calipers that we saw last used on the Blue Devil C6 ZR1.  

5. Body Components

The doors on all of the test models so far have unpainted doors pointing to carbon fiber being used to save weight as needed. Also, there is an exposed section of the hood just under the windshield that points to another unpainted carbon fiber surface. This is all on, of course, the aluminum composite body we have seen on the C7 that it's based on.  

6. Powertrain

With horsepower cresting over 700, there will be a need of technology to help put the majority of those ponies down to the concrete and prevent the poor rubber suited with power negotiations from melting down. A possible bit of GM tech that could make its way to the ZR1 to help things along would be the 10-speed automatic. With a mid-engine replacement on the horizon and supercar numbers on the table, this Corvette could very well be the last time we see three pedals residing in the driver's footwell. A switch to F1 flappy paddles from the C8 on would make sense with shifts needing to be more precise and faster than any human could achieve.   

7. Everything After This Will Change

As been said before, this is the last hurrah for the Corvette platform that we've all come to know from GM. However, the changes that will come with the C8 affect more than just the bow-tie brand. There is talk that this new mid-engine platform could also make an appearance as a Cadillac riding under a code name of "Emperor" as a sort of luxury alternative to the more hard-nosed Corvette, and will debut as early as 2019. Once the Corvette hits the scene, the whole layout under GM will no doubt be shifted a bit for the next handful of years.  

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