Chevrolet have released what many consider to be the "last hurrah" of American muscle cars:
the fastest, most powerful Corvette ever - codenamed the ZR1.
If the specifications released by Chevrolet are correct, they’ve
created a Corvette that in no uncertain times thrives on nothing but fire and brimstone.
Fittingly unveiled in Dubai, Chevrolet said this Corvette was unequivocally "the king" of all sportscars.
"I’ve never driven a Corvette like this before, and nobody else has either, because there’s never
been one like this before," said VP Mark Reuss.
"Its unprecedented performance puts all other global supercars on notice that the ZR1 is back."
With a supercharged Lotus V8 under the bonnet, it boasts a staggering 750 brake
horsepower and a top speed of more than 330 km/h.
The 6.2 litre V8 now comes with a dual-fuel-injection system that Chevrolet says will actually
help the car run cooler – quite infamously the previous Corvette model was so powerful it
overheated faster than coolant could push its way around the engine block.
The Corvette's designers were so worried about heat soak from the rip-roaring engine that four
extra radiators were added to the car, bringing the number of total coolers up to 13.
As is custom on a Corvette, the ZR1 comes with an enormous rear spoiler that Chevrolet say can
add up to 430 kilos worth of downforce when the car is accelerating. Without the wing the vehicle
could potentially be travelling so fast – and the rear wheels spinning so rapidly –
that you could lose purchase on the road.
Corvette's head of design Kirk Bennion said his team extensively tested the new ZR1 in several
wind tunnel scenarios to ensure the vehicle would slice through the air.
"As the highest-performing Corvette ever, the ZR1’s design supports its capability in every way," said Bennion.
"The new wings, for example, help generate more downforce without adding drag, enhancing road holding and top speed."
The Corvette ZR1 – unofficially being labelled as the last front-engine Corvette ever –
will go on sale from the middle of 2018 and will no doubt have many red-blooded Americans
crunching the numbers to see if their bank accounts have room for a 750-horsepower monster.
