Chevrolet later this year will introduce the ZR1X Corvette, a track-worthy hypercar with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain producing 1,250 hp with a top speed of 233 mph (375 km/h), a 0-60mph (0-97 km/h) time of less than two seconds and a quarter-mile time of under nine seconds.
The move positions General Motors to directly compete in earnest in a prestige segment traditionally dominated by European automakers like Ferrari and McLaren, and to establish greater exclusivity for a Corvette derivative the automaker hopes trickles down to the rest of the lineup. Built on the eighth-generation Corvette platform, the first mid-engine ’Vette in the model’s history, its potential for taking European-brand customers may be better than ever.
The ZR1X performance comes from blending the ZR1’s LT7 engine with an all-wheel-drive and hybrid setup designed to optimize track performance.
Exterior Bits
Exterior design of the car is meant to set it apart within the Corvette lineup, as well as contribute to performance. “No detail is frivolous,” says Vlad Kapitonov, advanced design manager for Corvette.
A large opening in the hood of the car works in conjunction with tall Gurney lip channels (the vertical lip added to the trailing edge of the car’s hood) that accelerates air flow through three large heat exchangers in the front of the car, improving cooling as well as lowering lift on the front end. The side intake ports are larger and functional compared with past Corvette models. Carbon fiber air intakes feed air directly to the engine and help the coupe achieve maximum power, says Kapitonov.
On top of the car are unique graphics that expose the carbon fiber roof and flow into a feature not seen on Corvettes in six decades: the split rear window. Not just an homage to the 1963 Stingray, but also, says Kapitonov, the three angle blades on the window contribute to funneling hot air out of the engine compartment. There is also a new Corvette logo featured on the side of the car.
Hitting the Brakes
With all that power, a superior brake system is required. The ZR1X has a new ceramic brake system supplied by Alcon that is now standard on the new speedster, as well as the rest of the Corvette range of trims. The front brakes are 10-piston and the rear brakes are 6-piston with both front and rear having 420-mm rotors. “On the racetrack, you never have to worry about fade, and you have got the consistent pedal and precision control at every stop,” says chassis engineer Cody Bulkley.
On the inside, Chevy designers went for a more premium and spacious setup for driver comfort, even while strapped in on the track. There is a three-screen layout, and the screens’ data and readouts can be reconfigured. The driver faces a cluster display screen through the steering wheel. The 12.7-in. (32.2-cm) center screen is for the infotainment system and a third 6.6-in. (16.8-cm) left-side auxiliary screen has been added to hold specific data from the track on which the car may be driving. That screen conveys information like Track Performance Management (TPM) launch control data, a G-force meter and more.
Chief Engineer Josh Holder says the gas-electric hybrid setup is key to the car’s performance. The team, he says, increased the usable battery energy to achieve more power from the front-drive motor; 125 lb.-ft. (169 Nm) of torque, for example, increases to 145 lb.-ft. (197 Nm) and another 26 hp is added for a total of 186 hp on the front axle, combining with the rear axle and motor to produce the 1,250 total hp.
The hybrid powertrain is a nod to the unknown status of whether the EU or U.S. will sustain a proposed ban on internal-combustion engines by 2035. Political winds are shifting against such a ban, but automakers are not taking any chances and are preparing for the most stringent regulations.
“The ZR1X brings learnings from the team’s development of the ZR1,” says Holder. “The ZR1 caused us to rethink ways in which we achieve performance; it must have ultimate traction, blistering acceleration, be balanced on the racetrack and give the driver ultimate confidence when moving at such high speeds.” Curb weight of the ZR1X is about 4,100 lbs. (1,860 kg), which is about 180 lbs. (81.7 kg) more than the standard ZR1.
According to Bulkley, the driver of the ZR1X will realize 1.3 Gs of longitudinal acceleration, meaning the driver feels a force 1.3 times their body weight pushing them back in the seat, nearly what astronauts feel during a rocket launch or what people feel on extreme roller coasters.
The car has different driving modes. “Endurance” mode, for example, is a hybrid discharge strategy employed by the engineering team to give consistent performance across the time to consume a tank full of gas or extended lapping on the track. Another mode is “Qualifying,” which deploys the energy in the best possible way to get the best single lap pace possible, even on a lengthened lap on a circuit such as Nürburgring when the driver has competition and wants to unleash all 1,250 horses at once. There is also a “Push-to-Pass” feature, a button that gives you all the horsepower at launch from a standing start.
ZR1X also has a newly tuned Traction Management and PTM mode called “Pro,” specifically designed to get maximum AWD traction. “When you’ve got immense power and unbelievable straight-line speed, you need to be able to stop as well as go,” says Bulkley.
The tire packages available are similar to the ZR1 – Michelin Pilot Sport 4s, which are specifically tuned for wide-body Corvettes. It is a high-performance summer tire known for superior grip and braking in both dry and wet conditions. There is also a tire package for ultimate lap-time performance on racetracks.
What is the Market?
The global hypercar market, typically encompassing vehicles priced over $1 million, was valued at $17.5 billion by Marketresearch.biz in 2023 and is projected to reach $24.9 billion by 2033. As the number of individuals with wealth of $100 million and up rises each year, demand for luxury and exclusivity increases, as does investment in small-batch vehicles expected to rise in value.
Corvette ZR1X will compete against vehicles including Ferrari SF90 Stradale, McLaren Speedtail, Bugatti Chiron and SSC Tuatara.
Chevrolet executives said during a media briefing that the hypercar, as well as the Corvette line, are profitable. Pricing of the ZR1X will be released closer to launch in the fourth quarter, and Chevrolet is not yet divulging what the ceiling is on production. But the car’s starting price is expected to be less than $300,000, far cheaper than Euro rivals. The price ladder of the ZR1 goes from $174,995 to $195,995.
Rival automakers playing in the supercar track-worthy segment have shown profit growth, fueling interest in the category. Ferrari, for example, posted a €1.36 billion ($1.57 billion) profit in 2024, a 16.7% increase from 2023, per company reports. Lamborghini posted a €835 million ($962 million) operating profit last year, a 15.5% increase.
Automakers have been fostering interest in super-performance cars by sponsoring track days for owners and serious prospects. Chevy says customers increasingly want performance they can really experience and not just admire on the spec sheet.
