Corvette ZR-1 unveiled

[InfernalVortex]

After being around enough dual duty street/race cars... I can appreciate how much power this is putting out and staying a streetable car. They could tune that supercharger a little, put a different cam in it, and easily get 1000hp no doubt, but it would be almost impossible to drive on the street like that and get .5 mpg.

This thing is shaping up to be a more practical car than any of the hypercars it's targetting already. THe Corvette isnt practical compared to a Caddy CTS, but it's practical compared to an Enzo or Murcielago, and this new ZR1 has enough under the hood that it just might give them a hard time. I'm anxious to see.

I like the car except for that stupid hood window. If it showed you some exposed steel it would look cool, but no one wants to see molded plastic under a window. Pointless and tacky. Hopefully they reconsider that.

 

[nist7]

I like the car except for that stupid hood window. If it showed you some exposed steel it would look cool, but no one wants to see molded plastic under a window. Pointless and tacky. Hopefully they reconsider that.

That is probably the biggest complaint. I and alot of other posters and real life friends agree that the windowed hood is very tacky.

But it won't be long before aftermarket companies offer up more visually appealing solutions.

 

[Viper007Bond]

Agreed, IMO the Viper, even the new 600HP version, is in serious trouble. May the horsepower war continue!

True, but this is supercharged. Supercharging > 2 cylinders.

 

[Clown]

Zomgz!!! It makes 100hp/L!!!

Um... its supercharged.
100hp/L a litre isn't much in a forced induction engine.
The Evo FQ400 makes 200hp/L.... something to think about while you shag your cousins.

 

[TC]

True, but this is supercharged. Supercharging > 2 cylinders.

2 cylinders + 2.2L displacement > Supercharger

The LS7 could easily make 650hp with a cam and exhaust. But it would ruin fuel economy and decrease reliablity.

 

[BlaRo]

The Evo FQ400 makes 200hp/L.... something to think about while you shag your cousins.

...on those rare occasions when it doesn't need an engine rebuild, sure!

I'd write a more witty response but I'm too busy getting some from my 2nd cousin, twice removed, in my trailer park. Ma! When are the grits gonn' be done?!

 

[amdforever]

Why they would put bling-bling wheels on this car just blows my mind.

 

[Redliner]

They could tune that supercharger a little, put a different cam in it, and easily get 1000hp no doubt, but it would be almost impossible to drive on the street like that and get .5 mpg.

I doubt it would be so "easily"...620hp to 1000hp is a BIG difference, and as you said it yourself, "it would be almost impossible to drive on the street like that and get .5 mpg".

Also, (and don't think I am bashing the ZR1 or anything) why didn't they modified the cams , exhaust, etc, on the LS7 instead of supercharging? Judging by what people said in other threads, +600hp is easily achieved in the Z06 with those mods.

 

[janstett]

I have to conclude the clear window hood was their answer to the clear engine covers of the mid-engined exotics. But sorry FAIL, it doesn't work, please offer an opaque/painted version.

As for mods, a simple underdrive pulley (common trick for all those supercharged Mustang Cobras and Ford Lightnings) should yield big and reliable horsepower gains, probably another 100 hp.

Hmm, I don't think the C6 Z06s can even be had with the magnetic suspension....? But yes, you are right in that they did manage to make the magnetic suspension work for the ZR1. I know the base C6s can be had with the magnetic suspension.

Also, I believe there is no "leafspring" anymore on the ZR1?

The base car can be had with magnetic shocks (Z51) I believe they have been for several years, even going back to the C5.

Magnetic shocks were not considered for the Z06 because at the time they couldn't get magnetic shocks that could stand up to heavy track duty. Now, obviously, they can. Probably thanks directly to Ferrari's development of the 599.

The specs posted by nist7 show teh l33f spr1ngz are still there. AFAIK the C6R is converted to coil overs however.

 

[chaos386]

I like those gear ratios. 60 mph in first gear @ 6k RPM! Should make for some low 0-60/62 numbers. I'm also going to have to disagree with everyone who doesn't like the window over the engine. The R8, F430, Veyron, and Ford GT all have visible engines; the only difference is this one's in front instead of in back, and I quite like how the supercharger looks.

Um... its supercharged.
100hp/L a litre isn't much in a forced induction engine.
The Evo FQ400 makes 200hp/L.... something to think about while you shag your cousins.

Yes, the Evo FQ400 makes 200 hp/L, 3 hours after you press the accelerator and get past the turbo lag.

In all seriousness, though, 100+ hp/L isn't impressive, 620+ hp is. But if you absolutely obsessed with high specific output, you can buy naturally-aspirated two-stroke engines that make 700 hp/L.

 

[InfernalVortex]

I doubt it would be so "easily"...620hp to 1000hp is a BIG difference, and as you said it yourself, "it would be almost impossible to drive on the street like that and get .5 mpg".

Also, (and don't think I am bashing the ZR1 or anything) why didn't they modified the cams , exhaust, etc, on the LS7 instead of supercharging? Judging by what people said in other threads, +600hp is easily achieved in the Z06 with those mods.

Why not cam the LS7? Because it would ruin drivability and practicality of the car. Have you ever rode around in a street/strip car or a purpose-built track car with a big cam in it? They dont make any torque below 3,000 RPM (depends on the cam, you can get cams in every size and shape you want which would affect the torque curve through an entire range), are on the virge of stalling with stock torque converters, and you have to wind them out to 5,000 RPM just to get going from a complete stop at an intersection, and it ruins fuel economy. Not to mention exhausts quiet enough for the street are always restrictive.

There are things that people like you or I or anyone else can and will do to their cars aftermarkiet to make them faster that would just not be acceptable to the vast majority of people that buy these cars from the factory. They have to put conservative, streetable engines in these cars because that's what people expect. For the vast majority of people driving a car with a big cam is a huge hassle and not much fun due to the sacrifices you have to make to do it.

Superchargers and forced induction in general are great ways to make more power out of less cubic inches. This means that at low boost you have the fuel economy advantages of the smaller motor, the weight advantage (if applicable) of the smaller motor, and the size (physical) advantage of the smaller motor. And at high boost you get some of the advantages of a cammed bigger displacement motor (higher peak hp).

And this hp/liter stuff is just engineering masturbation. No one cares how many liters a motor is, they only care how heavy it is and how powerful it is. There are definite situations where a physically larger motor will not fit into a given car, where you'd want to get more hp/liter and more hp/pound and the decreased fuel mileage of having the motor turn 4 cams isn't a big deal. And there are cases where you dont have to worry about space limitations in some ways. Remember, a Ford DOHC V8 is too tall to fit into a Corvette. The pushrod setup actually makes for a more compact motor that is lighter with a lower center of gravity. I emphasize pushrod motor, because pushrod motors have a hard time making 100 hp/liter. The thing about pushrod motors is that they have a better BSFC than OHC motors. They get more gas mileage per horsepower since there's not as much parasitic drag on the motor. They are also lighter, and they are shorter which makes for a lower CoG.

Pushrod motors have major limitations, but they have advantages also. It just depends on the application.

Consider that the Ferrari V12 used in the F50 weighed 437 lbs and made 513hp. The LS7 weighs 458 lbs and makes 505 hp. Now keep in mind how much cheaper the LS7/Z06 was compared to the F50 which is truly a supercar when you comapre them. They have roughly similar numbers, the difference is that the Ferrari was 4.7 liters and the LS7 is 7.0 liters. But since they weigh almost the same and the power output is almost the same... does it really matter what the displacement is? If you can get 2 more liters out of an engine and make up for the weight and power disadvantage of a DOHC motor... why not? It's just a different way of accomplishing the same thing.

You dont win a race and then get points off because your cylinder bores were bigger, it doesnt matter. Period.

The only times it matters is when you ahve a class restricted by displacement by the rules, then teh tricks to get more hp/liter come out. But for anyone on the street it doesnt matter.

And here is a 1000 hp supercharged LS1 Camaro:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rZUopkACR0o

If you can get 1000 hp out of an old LS1, you can easily get it out of this ZR1 motor. The problem is that there are sacrifices involved to do it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Um... its supercharged.
100hp/L a litre isn't much in a forced induction engine.
The Evo FQ400 makes 200hp/L.... something to think about while you shag your cousins.

Yeah 200hp/liter is quite impressive, way more than the standard Z06's measly 72hp/liter. Although the Z06 did run around the top gear test track a humiliating four seconds faster than the FQ, but Hp/l is still far more important.

 

[jetsetter]

Why they would put bling-bling wheels on this car just blows my mind.

Chrome wheels are an option. Look at the grey car, it has silver wheels. But get over it.

Oh, hp/L is a meaningless number.

GM: Emission Law May Hamper Muscle Cars

DETROIT (AP) ? When General Motors Corp. pulls the cover off a new supercharged version of the Corvette at the Detroit auto show next month, it will unveil a performance car designed to rival or better even the fastest, most expensive exotic cars from Europe. But the Corvette's chief engineer says the 2009 Corvette ZR1 may be the last in a long tradition of Detroit performance cars, endangered by stronger federal fuel economy regulations and limits on carbon dioxide emissions.

The standards will take quite a while to implement. Also, GM may just be able to pay a fine and still build the car. That is how Porsche, Ferrari, etc do it in Europe to get around the laws.

 

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Yeah 200hp/liter is quite impressive, way more than the standard Z06's measly 72hp/liter. Although the Z06 did run around the top gear test track a humiliating four seconds faster than the FQ, but Hp/l is still far more important.

:lol: Win.

 

[Twerp128]

I've never been and never will be much of a Corvette man. My grandpa worked at GM for 35 years, my dad has always been a Oldsmobile man. I know the Z06 is a great car, the C6.R is becoming quite a legend, and I'm sure the Z1 will scare the shit out of you faster then a meal at White Castle.

The crux of the problem has always been the Corvette community. This past year I was at the Detroit Grand Prix and they had a plot with hundreds of Corvettes, as I walked through the rows upon rows of 'Vettes I could of counted the number of stick shifts on one hand. They were all automatics, these people didn't by them to fill their passion for speed, they're bought so they can take them out once in a blue moon, have a evening of fun cruising and playing big shot, then back to the garage.

Even if your car does 200 mph, makes 500 hp, and goes like a vampire bat outta hell with a class V rocket up his ass. All that doesn't matter if you don't take it to the limit every now and then. On toppa that, when the odd Corvette owner does open the taps they ramp the railroad tracks and fly into the roof of a house, as happened to a local doctor and his new C6 a few months ago out here in Indiana.

**End of Rant**

Anywho this thread reminded me about this video I saw a while back

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su8F4OA-5yA[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRfAxsJCwvY[/YOUTUBE]

And this thread chronicles the build

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1757230

 

[sonza68]

The base car can be had with magnetic shocks (Z51) I believe they have been for several years, even going back to the C5.

They have indeed. The first to get them was the '03 50th Anniversary cars.

 

[thedguy]

In Australia it will be significantly more expensive than a GT3.

I'd be surprised if GM plans to make it RHD for your market anyhow.

As for mods, a simple underdrive pulley (common trick for all those supercharged Mustang Cobras and Ford Lightnings) should yield big and reliable horsepower gains, probably another 100 hp.

Not sure how they are doing it on the ZR-1 but on the stang and cobalt SS the coolant used in the water-to-air intercooler was just the engine coolant. Another possible gain would be to do what they do and put in a separate heat exchanger to cool the intake charge more.

The crux of the problem has always been the Corvette community. This past year I was at the Detroit Grand Prix and they had a plot with hundreds of Corvettes, as I walked through the rows upon rows of 'Vettes I could of counted the number of stick shifts on one hand. They were all automatics, these people didn't by them to fill their passion for speed, they're bought so they can take them out once in a blue moon, have a evening of fun cruising and playing big shot, then back to the garage.

Even if your car does 200 mph, makes 500 hp, and goes like a vampire bat outta hell with a class V rocket up his ass. All that doesn't matter if you don't take it to the limit every now and then. On toppa that, when the odd Corvette owner does open the taps they ramp the railroad tracks and fly into the roof of a house, as happened to a local doctor and his new C6 a few months ago out here in Indiana.

Thats always been a problem with Corvette's. Those people usually only buy the base model or a convertible thankfully, probably because the z06 is so harsh on public roads. I don't think GM even offers an auto in the Z06, and I have yet to hear anyone mention an automatic for the ZR-1.

The same can be said for Ferrari's though. Look at what JC even said, the Ferrari's stomping ground is not the race track, but the garage under some rich guys house with a over over it most of its life. Porsche's are driven by men who need a badge to get vag. And Lamborghini's have been in a similar boat as Ferrari's till the the Audi take over.

 

[static]

Why do you only hear the people on the losing side say that?

F430 Scuderia = 1350kg + 510hp
ZR1 = 1519kg + 620hp

Knowing that weight is a killer on track nobody can really say which is the fastest around corners. In drag race ZR1 will win but that's not what Scuderia is built for.

 

[tigger]

I like the ZR-1 on a general level but it's not nowhere the same level as sophisticated and evolutioned as current Ferraris.

Right, it's nowhere near as "evolutioned" :lol:. Please, do tell me how a Ferrari is "more sophisticated" than the ZR1. Because it costs a few times as much?

Um... its supercharged.
100hp/L a litre isn't much in a forced induction engine.
The Evo FQ400 makes 200hp/L.... something to think about while you shag your cousins.

Yeah 200hp/liter is quite impressive, way more than the standard Z06's measly 72hp/liter. Although the Z06 did run around the top gear test track a humiliating four seconds faster than the FQ, but Hp/l is still far more important.

Well played starfox07, well played . I was going to go on a nice little rant about how the ZR1 still completely rapes the FQ400 regardless, how engine packaging (size, weight, output, reliability) is vastly more important than the always silly hp per liter argument, and so on and so forth. Not to mention the atypical ricer "while you shag your cousin" remark shows that Clown has little appreciable knowledge of anything but Pep Boys mufflers and the newest Honda bodykits. But you summed it up pretty nicely.


Anywho, what was this thread about? Oh yes, the ZR1. Mechanically, this thing is a monster, and truly boner inspiring. 620+ hp, nearly that much torque (probably 400lbft off idle ), steamroller tires, scary brakes all rolled into a relatively svelte little package. But the shiny chrome wheels (thankfully optional), the exposed carbon fiber and that hood, Jesus-tap-dancing-Christ ... that hood is terrible. But I'll manage to get over it. I can't wait to see how it stacks up against the competition.

 

[Twerp128]

The same can be said for Ferrari's though. Look at what JC even said, the Ferrari's stomping ground is not the race track, but the garage under some rich guys house with a over over it most of its life. Porsche's are driven by men who need a badge to get vag. And Lamborghini's have been in a similar boat as Ferrari's till the the Audi take over.

All true, still though the same race they had a place for Ferraris, Dodge vipers, and Porsches. They let them all on the track for a few laps, and while the Corvette people treated it as a parade. The Porsche and Viper people meant buissness, they were Hell bent to make the best of their few laps. Just an observation.