Daily Slideshow: Autoblog's 2019 C7 ZR1 Review is All Thumbs Up
Autoblog's Jason Harper recently had an opportunity to wring the neck of the new ZR1 around the famous Road Atlanta circuit, and boy is it good!
The Razor's Edge
Jason Harper has a dream job of sorts in that he gets to travel around and test some of the greatest cars produced by various manufacturers. This time out he got his hands on the 2019 C7 Corvette ZR1 for a day of hot lapping at the 2.5 mile Road Atlanta road course. In short, Harper reports the ZR1 to be staggeringly fast around the racetrack where it has a place to stretch its legs. So fast in fact, that he believes it can give a number of supercars a run for their money.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
'SuperVette'
For those not from this universe, the new C7 ZR1 is the baddest, most violent Corvette ever produced with its 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque erupting from its supercharged small block LT5 V8. Word has it that the ZR1 was never intended to see production because GM execs felt that the Z06 was more than capable of taking on the world's best, but as we stretch further into the C7's production cycle, they bought into the temptation of building a no holds barred supervette.
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The Best of The Best
American manufacturers seem to have the market cornered on big horsepower muscle cars that are excellent in straight line speed, but Chevy wanted something a bit more exotic that could carve corners as well. As a result, the ZR1 is much more than a Z06 on steroids as it features numerous carbon fiber aero enhancements that exert close to 1000 lbs of downforce when fully dressed. The list of goods continues with bits like the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, widened wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, a rev-matching 7-speed manual transmission (or 8-speed paddle shift auto), and that monstrous supercharger to name a few.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
Feel In The Wheel
All of these awesome performance parts sound great on paper, but how does the car drive? Harper explains that the car still feels incredibly analog with tons of driver feedback despite the numerous electronics that are in play. His first impression was that the turn-in of the car was especially brisk with no noticeable body roll. The front-end remained very planted, likely aided by the enhanced aerodynamics and sticky rubber. Overall, the car feels as if it is much smaller than it actually is and gains grip the harder you push it.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
Deceleration Domination
Harper absolutely raves about the braking capability or the ZR1. GM engineers and Bosch co-developed an electronic braking control system for this car to make the most of those 394mm ceramic rotors and massive 6-piston monobloc calipers. Harper mentions that the brakes are not extra grabby at slower speeds and have a nice linear buildup, but mashing the pedal is like slowing down in a reverse warp speed kind of way.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
Plenty of Extra Oomph
And then there is the power. Harper tells us that the car has tons of grunt coming out of corners and basically pulls like a freight train. He likens the power delivery to be on par with that of the Ferrari F12 and McLaren 720S. Yes its that good, but what else would you expect out of something that can do 215 mph with all that aero attached? In his track test, Harper used the 7-speed manual and opted to try the auto rev-matching function which is said to work flawlessly and obviously helps drivers tremendously during corner entry.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
The Track Is Its Home
Harper's test was conducted on a closed circuit, which he feels is the natural home for the ZR1. That is not to say that it makes for a particularly bad streetcar, but driving this thing on public roads is like locking a cheetah up in a small enclosure without it ever having the opportunity to run full stride. In general, a Grand Sport can do everything the ZR1 can on the street and perhaps has the edge in comfort and drivability, but if you want to hound supercars at the track that cost two to three times the price of your Corvette, the ZR1 is the clear winner.
>>Join the conversation about Autoblog's ZR1 review right here in Corvette Forum.
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