Home » The Corvette ZR1X Just Made Hypercars Obsolete With Drag Strip Numbers That Don’t Even Sound Believable

The Corvette ZR1X Just Made Hypercars Obsolete With Drag Strip Numbers That Don’t Even Sound Believable

Corvette Zr1x Generating Tire Smoke At Drag Strip. Preproduction

It feels like every new bit of tech and trim added to the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette since its debut in 2019 has been leading up to the ZR1X. The top-level, most expensive ‘Vette ever is a greatest-hits mashup of parts from other trims, combining the 1064-horsepower twin-turbo V8 from the normal ZR1 with the electric front motor and battery from the E-Ray.

The result is an all-wheel drive supercar that makes a combined 1,250 horsepower and doesn’t need to fight for grip. With 3,914 pounds to push around, the ZR1X was always going to be an absolute rocketship in a straight line. Just how much of a rocketship, though, no one really knew. When the ZR1X was announced, Chevy claimed a 0-60 time under 2.0 seconds and a quarter-mile time of under 9.0 seconds. But no exact figures were revealed … until now.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

The company announced today that the ZR1X is capable of going from zero to 60 mph in just 1.68 seconds, onto a quarter-mile of 8.675 seconds, all on the stock Michelin PS4S tires. That’s quicker than pretty much every street-legal hypercar ever, all for a fraction of the price.

Don’t Think You’ll Be Doing This On Your Local Side Street

Chevrolet released a short documentary of its two-day test run, which it held at US 131 Motorsports Park, a dragstrip in western Michigan. The video, hosted by Bob Sorokanich (who, coincidentally, was my former boss when I worked at Road & Track years ago), reveals that engineers used a prepped surface and even waited for the temperature to be just right to squeeze the most power out of the 5.5-liter V8. Here’s the full video:

That means the 1.68-second 0-60 run and that wild 8.6-second quarter-mile probably aren’t very repeatable unless you get yourself into a very specific scenario. Chevy does note it was able to at least stay consistently close. From its press release:

The car was equipped with ZR1X’s standard aero configuration, standard Michelin PS4S tires, and available carbon fiber wheels. This acceleration was not a one-off, either – the vehicle used for testing completed multiple back-to-back quarter-mile runs all under 8.8 seconds.

Official Track Slip From Corvette Zr1x Testing At Drag Strip.
Official track slip from the ZR1X testing at drag strip. Source: Chevrolet

Chevy also notes that if you choose the more aggressive ZTK aero setup, your straight-line performance will suffer due to the aero drag – but it’ll still be insanely quick. The company tested a ZTK-equipped car on an unprepped surface just to see how quick it could go, and engineers managed to squeeze out a 0-60 time of 1.89 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 8.99 seconds.

Here Are All The Cars It Beat, And The Cars It Didn’t

Corvette Zr1x Completes The Quarter Mile In 8.675s At 159.57 Mph.
Source: Chevrolet

In the press release, Chevrolet claims the ZR1X is America’s quickest production car. But that’s only half true. Before this announcement, the quickest American car currently in production was the Lucid Air Sapphire, with its 1.89-second 0-60 time and 8.95-second quarter-mile time. But the ZR1X still wasn’t able to best the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, which, according to Dodge, was able to do the sprint in 1.66 seconds.

The Demon 170 isn’t in production any longer, but it’s still quicker. So I’d argue the title of America’s quickest production car still belongs to the Dodge. But for cars currently in production, the ZR1X takes the crown.

Front 3/4 View Of Corvette Zr1x On Drag Strip. Preproduction Model Shown, Actual Production Model May Vary.
Source: Chevrolet

The ZR1X is, by my math, the third-quickest-accelerating production car when it comes to 0-60 timing. It’s quicker than any Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, or Pagani. The Rimac Nevera R, the all-electric Croatian hypercar making 2,107 horsepower, still has it beat, with a time of just 1.66 seconds, matching the Demon. There’s also the McMurtry Spéirling fan car, which can do 0-60 in just 1.4 seconds, besting even top-level WRC cars. But I don’t really consider that a real production car.

When it comes to the quarter-mile, the ZR1X has the Demon 170 beat by nearly 0.3 seconds. But the Rimac can do the sprint in a dominant 7.9 seconds, which I don’t see being beaten by any combustion-powered car any time soon. Its sister car, the Pininfarina Battista, can run the quarter in 8.55 seconds (though its 1.79-second 0-60 time is slower than the ‘Vette’s).

Corvette Zr1x Generating Tire Smoke At Drag Strip. Preproduction Model Shown, Actual Production Model May Vary.
Source: Chevrolet

Whether you put any value in acceleration numbers like this, you have to admit the ZR1X’s times are impressive. For any gas-powered production car to hang with the quickest modern electric vehicles in a straight line is a monumental achievement, much less a Corvette that costs less than any of them.

Top image: Chevrolet

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CTSVmkeLS6
CTSVmkeLS6
1 month ago

Freaking awesome. Add a set of DOT legal street drag tires and this is unreal. Forget the 0-60, that trap speed tells you everything you need to know.
Kudos Chevrolet – nice job. Truly next level that you can putt around town with and dominate a street or strip.
The mid 10s Dakota RT (LS3 NA swap on 100 shot) my brother and I built last summer seems slow in comparison.
We’re adding a single 88mm turbo E85 this year but it’s far from a putt around vehicle with this capability.

Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago
Reply to  CTSVmkeLS6

I’ve gotten to the low 11s in my Camaro 6g Zl1 and yeah I thought that was fast too. Now I feel slow tho I also suck at launches with a manual transmission. Slow reaction being a noob. What year Dakota RT? I have a 98 sport 6 cyl manual and it’s getting crusty but I’ve had this silly idea to put something stupid powerful in it and leave it looking beat up. LS swap difficult? My Dakota in northern Mi as a summer truck so rust isn’t too terrible – yet.

CTSVmkeLS6
CTSVmkeLS6
1 month ago

Hey TDC low 11s is FAST and that’s after ZL1 is a bad ass car, very nice. This vette is simply otherworldly and quite the high water mark.
Heck my V is best high 12s after the cam, headers, etc. Not a drag car with the fragile as glass diff and manual. It’s simply fun to grab gears and rip it around.
The RT is a 98. The swap was not too bad, these came with a V8 so there is room. Worst was fabbing up motor mounts, and trans cross member cause nobody makes swap parts for this. Had to dimple the driver side header to clear steering shaft and other small stuff. Glad my brother is good at welding and engineering simple solutions.
RT came with a beefy rear end not sure the sport would handle big power. Welded the diff and added caltrax bars to hook up.
Of course ditch the stock boat anchor iron motor and trans.
Custom driveshaft was needed, stall converter etc, and used Holley EFI to make it all happy.
The spray was not really needed but it’s cool.

Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago
Reply to  CTSVmkeLS6

Thanks! Yeah mine is mostly stock, very mild tune and intake. Also was on the stock Goodyear supercar 3 tires. Going any faster turns into a real fiasco of upgrading exhaust, headers, cam, but then a new fuel pump and back seat out this and that and oh yeah suddenly $10K or more. As it passes about 750HP, I believe the Tremec 6060 and rear diff start to get stressed as well, I know theirs 1000HP guys running stock stuff but that to me is a gamble.

So since our Dakota is a V6 and is not an RT I’m sure the transmission and axle would likely grenade, plus would need to fab mounts. I know nothing about welding tho have friends who can, but in the end might not be worth the hassle on it as frame rust and cab mount rust are there and in a few years will be a problem.

Those Dakota RTs are cool, I’d love to see it come back as a mid sized with the HO Hurricane 6 or even hellcat motor, but one can wish…

Last edited 1 month ago by Top Dead Center
Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago

Impressive, for the track. Where the ZR1 and ZR1X will beat a demon is standing mile, high speed pulls. All at very illegal speeds on road, but I’m sure some “influencer” winners will post that on some social media platform…

Drive By Commenter
Member
Drive By Commenter
1 month ago

There’s a place in Nevada, I’ve heard. Some organized events that legitimately close down a highway. With insurance and all. Or the salt flats.

Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago

That sounds fun actually. Salt flats kinda seems terrifying and oh yeah salt all over your chassis too…

Drive By Commenter
Member
Drive By Commenter
1 month ago

Undercoat the car beforehand. Not a big deal. Some Fluid Film will spray the critical stuff.

Shooting Brake
Member
Shooting Brake
1 month ago

Impressive, most impressive.

Alpscarver
Member
Alpscarver
1 month ago

Impressive. Do we know if the figures are from standstill or rolling?

Manwich Sandwich
Member
Manwich Sandwich
1 month ago

combining the 1064-horsepower twin-turbo V8 from the normal ZR1 with the electric front motor and battery from the E-Ray.”

Ifway itway isway usingway echnologytay romfay hetay E-Ray, ouyay owknay ityay isyay oinggay otay ebay eatgray.

Eggsalad
Eggsalad
1 month ago

Makes me miss my 1977 Mercedes 240D with 4-speed stick.

The quarter mile time was faster than the 0-60, because the trap speed in the 1/4 was 57mph.

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  Eggsalad

Awesome! My Subaru GL wagon hit 66 in either 19.6 or 18.6 secs, I forget now, but it was the same for both runs I did. To the car, it was no different than merging onto the highway from a stop except for the people cheering ironically. I’m pretty sure I held up the next pair of racers.

I’m trying
Member
I’m trying
1 month ago
Reply to  Eggsalad

diesel vanagon westfalia has entered the chat. 0-60 = na. Probably took a full 1.98 seconds for the slack in the throttle and clutch cables to take up.

Drive By Commenter
Member
Drive By Commenter
1 month ago

That’s ridiculous. Under 2 seconds for a car that (in theory) Aiden Richdudebro could walk into a dealer and drive away 2 hours later in. Can’t wait to hear about how these will get locked away in bubbles in a climate controlled storage unit because “it’s one of seven in blurple with the blackout package. I know what I got.”

Ricardo M
Member
Ricardo M
1 month ago

This might be just in reach for Angus Softhandsbrother who makes $300k/year doing Hardcore Welding 120 hours a week. He still has *just* enough life left in him to launch his slipped discs into low-earth-orbit with one of these.

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago

Probably better than them trying to show off that performance in public.

Hillbilly Ocean
Member
Hillbilly Ocean
1 month ago

One of one build, hoss!

Ben
Member
Ben
1 month ago

As someone who doesn’t follow drag racing, how does this compare to purpose-built drag cars?

I’m also curious how it compares to launch-style roller coasters. The one I’ve ridden is around 3 second 0-60, and that’s scary even when it’s literally on rails. I’m sure there are faster ones, but are there any this fast?

ChetRiply
Member
ChetRiply
1 month ago
Reply to  Ben

The current NHRA top fuel record held by Brittany Force is 3.645sec @ 343.16mph. Now, NHRA runs 1000ft. instead of a full 1/4 but that’s to provide adequate shutdown room.

Rallispec
Member
Rallispec
1 month ago
Reply to  Ben

I had to look this up –

the Do-Dodonpa (Japan) could accelerateto 180 km/h (111.8 mph) in 1.56 seconds. In 2021, the ride was closed down indefinitely after multiple complaints of riders sustaining broken bones were raised.”

I’m not sure how 0-111 in 1.56 compares to 0-60 (other than a lot faster) – but holy damn!

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  Ben

I haven’t followed it much in a long time, either, but a few decades back, IIRC, these numbers would have put it in the ballpark of cars being notable for being considered stock enough to still have opening doors (maybe that was the 7s?). I remember seeing fairly heavily modded N/A big block street cars with drag radials struggling to get out of the 10s. Either way, it’s nuts for a fully emissions compliant street car with street tires.

Renescent
Member
Renescent
1 month ago

Your move Ford.

Manwich Sandwich
Member
Manwich Sandwich
1 month ago
Reply to  Renescent

Ordfay ancay onlyay atchmay hetay histay ifyay heytay ringbay ackbay hetay GT… updatedyay ithway ybridhay echnologytay.

hattau isyay hetay onlyay ayway otay atchmay ayay orvettecay ithway echnologytay romfay hetay E-Ray.

TheDrunkenWrench
Member
TheDrunkenWrench
1 month ago

Someone is gonna throw some slicks on it and hurt feelings in the 8.50 bracket class.

StillNotATony
Member
StillNotATony
1 month ago

Maybe throw in a lil’ tickle of nitrous and take it on some drag-n-drive events. There would be some seriously hurt feelings there, too.

A. Barth
A. Barth
1 month ago

Not without a full roll cage; no track will let a car this fast run without one.

TheDrunkenWrench
Member
TheDrunkenWrench
1 month ago
Reply to  A. Barth

If you can afford this car, you can afford to have it 8.50 caged. It’s not like you need a funnycar hoop for 8.50s.

A. Barth
A. Barth
1 month ago

Okay, but what I’m picturing is someone buying one of these and heading directly to the track, then getting their own feelings hurt because they ignored the cage requirement 🙂

TheDrunkenWrench
Member
TheDrunkenWrench
1 month ago
Reply to  A. Barth

I have a feeling that has happened to a LOT of people over the years, in various cars.

Or they do the ‘ol “whoospie” one & done and head home after getting booted.

Phuzz
Member
Phuzz
1 month ago
Reply to  A. Barth

The NHRA have been changing the rules around more modern cars, although something this fast will still need another rule change to allow it to run at full speed without modifications:

2014 and newer OEM model-year production cars [are allowed] to run as quick as 9.00-seconds and/or 150-mph (5.65-eighth-mile)

JDE
JDE
1 month ago

This is the reason I kind of prefer the std E-Ray over the Z06. you cannot debate the benefit of AWD. the 20-30 miles on electric alone for a commute is just a side benefit.

V10omous
Member
V10omous
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

The electric Vettes can’t drive anything like 20-30 miles on battery. It’s more like a mile at most. Pure performance enhancement, not an environmental or gas saving measure.

MustBe
Member
MustBe
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

Won’t do battery-only commuting, not accurate. Just a few miles of lower speed <45 mph driving, at best. It’s a hybrid for the performance, not a PHEV.

Last edited 1 month ago by MustBe
Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

Someone in our sub owns an ERay, old guy who seldom drives it. Anyhow yeah he can use EV mode to get to the main road about 1/2 mi from his house, that’s about it he said, and you have to be light on the throttle at that. He wants to be quiet in sub when leaving for car shows at 6am in the summer. Fair enough…

Last edited 1 month ago by Top Dead Center
JDE
JDE
1 month ago

Right on, yeah i just assumed it was like the other Plug in Hybrids. Guess I should have looked at that one a bit further. I guess It is also not Plug in. as it would not matter much to have that option.

looking at it now, it says under 45 MPH and 3-4 miles tops.

Chartreuse Bison
Chartreuse Bison
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

I’m not sure about the e-ray but I know some of those performance hybrid supercars do have a charge port. Which is probably about getting some EPA/tax thing rather than actually being worth having.

Last edited 1 month ago by Chartreuse Bison
Top Dead Center
Member
Top Dead Center
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

I think that’s possible, this old guy probably uses his so infrequently even the hybrid battery isn’t charged fully so hence the low range.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago

There was a time when 4000lbs was full-size barge territory, not sports cars. Sigh. Can someone resurrect Colin Chapman? I’ll stick to my Spitfire. It will do 0-60. 0-100 even on a good day if there’s enough room and no cops around. I guarantee it’s way more fun to drive at the speed limit than this is.

But I guess it’s an engineering accomplishment to make that much mass accelerate that quickly, so Yeah Go Team?

JDE
JDE
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

people always make fun of portly Dodge Challengers, but even the cramped little Mustang had to bulk up when it was fitted with the 760 HP 5.2. it weighed more than this corvette lugging around a battery and electric motor up front. I would say this E-Ray is almost svelte these days.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500specifically the 2020-2022 models, has a curb weight around 4,180 to 4,225 pounds

Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

Calling a Corvette that weighs as much as a 2000 Ford Explorer “svelte” is like calling someone who is morbidly obese the same. Something is just off about modern “sports cars”: they’re too damned fat. I will continue to fat shame modern “sports cars” to no end. When it comes to sports cars, the Mazda Miata should be the baseline for normal, healthy mass.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

That another lead sled is worse doesn’t make this OK.

Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

A lightweight AWD EV with slippery aerodynamics can be made to compete with the Vette performance-wise, and if mass produced, it could be affordable especially if the battery is kept small. The McMurtry Speirling proves the performance is possible, but it is not a mass-produced car and is therefore expensive.

Enthusiasts are being robbed. We should have sub-2,500 lb AWD performance EVs with < 35 kWh packs and aerodynamics similar to or better than a VW XL1, which could accelerate like a ZR1 or Demon without much added cost given the electric powertrain. In fact, produce it in enough volume to get the per-unit cost down, and I could see such a vehicle coming in around $40k-50k MSRP, given what the Chinese have already done for less.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

Or how about a return to sanity where 6 seconds to 60 was considered fast? This is stupid, and irresponsible to be selling to the public for street use. The sorts of idiots who will buy this will not keep their foot out of it.

The last thing I have any interest in is a sporty golfcart, but you do you. As I have said here many times before, if I want to have my organs re-arranged by g-forces, I will buy a ticket to Six Flags. Cheaper, safer, and more effective. Also electrically powered as a rule.

Last edited 1 month ago by Kevin Rhodes
Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Your Spitfire needs a Rover V8 swap. You’ll do 0-60 mph in well under 6 seconds.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

Why? I have no need of it going any faster than it does. It already has sufficient period go-fast bits. 75-80hp on a good day out of it’s ~1350cc bored and stroked dual-carb motor, which is waaaay more than adequate entertainment.

Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

I converted my GT6 to electric. I estimate it is making about 120 horsepower, retaining the transmission, and it loves to fishtail even in 4th gear! The DC motor is from the 1970s, controller from the 2000s, and battery from the early 2010s.

It’s so delightfully hoonable and dangerous as it is.

Eventually, I want about 300 horsepower and a Tesla Model S PLAID lightweight carbon-banded motor in it. I want things to be properly crazy.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

You do you. My car only is what it is because I bought it that way and it was in great shape for the price I paid for it 30 years ago. I’d be just as happy with a stock one, though mine is definitely a lot more comfortable at highway speeds with the extra 25hp and overdrive (the overdrive was original to the car, but the engine isn’t).

Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Did you ever time the 0-60 mph? I suspect it is around 10-11 seconds. Which is really good for having only 75-80 horsepower. It’s perfectly adequate for driving today.

I’m working on a recumbent “bicycle” quad with about ~25-30 peak horsepower. The complete vehicle will be under 120 lbs, will have AWD, and have a body that is hopefully slippery enough to hold 100 mph on about 6 horsepower. It will be perfectly pedalable on the local bike trails with the motors disabled, and maybe capable of messing with fast cars at stop lights with the motors enabled.

You don’t need much power to go fast.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

Indeed “just add lightness” – and aerodynamics.

I doubt my Spitfire can break 12 with my fat ass onboard. Stock for ’74 was something over 16, IIRC. You know your car is small when the biggest performance improvement you can make is going on a diet. 🙂

My 504D or 300TD (w123 non-turbo wagon) were in the 18-20 second region, and both were perfectly fine. The main issue with the 4spd 504D being gearing – it really was too short-geared to do more than 70ish happily, but a 5spd out of a 505 would have fixed that, at least on the flats. The Mercedes had a top speed of 85, and I have no doubt it would have happily done that speed from coast to coast just stopping for diesel. Loud up there though.

Toecutter
Member
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Taller gearing could increase fuel economy by more than 20%. That engine in a Spitfire plus a turbo would also be a lot of fun, and you’d probably approach 60 mpg, nevermind the performance increase.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

The diesel? The weight would kill it. The Spitfire four may be 100% cast iron but it’s tiny and weighs nothing compared to the 2.3L and 3.0L diesels in those cars. Especially the equally cast-iron Mercedes motor is HEAVY. the Peugeot has an aluminum head – a bit unfortunate as it makes them less tough than the Mercedes motor – but what isn’t? If you want a turbo-diesel Spitfire use a VW TDI motor. It’s been done. Though a Mazda rotary is probably a LOT more fun.

Taller gearing was not needed in 1979 when the national speed limit was the “double-nickel”. 5spd swapped 504Ds don’t really get much better economy, they just cruise a little faster with less noise. Both were 30mpg-ish cars. The Spitfire does 35 or so on a run. If you are ambitious you can swap in the turbodiesel from a 505 as well. With the 2.5L version and a stick a 504 is a fairly rapid car for the day, being a good bit smaller and lighter than a 505.

Manwich Sandwich
Member
Manwich Sandwich
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

Your Spitfire needs a Rover V8 JAGUAR V12 swap.”

There… fixed it for you.

LOL

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago

One of those probably weighs as much as a Spitfire.

Who Knows
Member
Who Knows
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Maybe just bring in some Chinese rule makers to limit acceleration- https://insideevs.com/news/778775/china-ev-60-mph-seconds/, I’d really like to see it for heavy vehicles. An OTA update to all of the 7000 lb EV trucks that limited 0-60 acceleration to 6 seconds would be hilarious.

Personally I start getting a bit motion sick even as a driver if 0-60 times get below about 5 seconds

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Who Knows

Good for the Chinese! Though that solution is not strict enough, IMHO. I am 1000% in favor of absolute performance limits on cars. Both acceleration and top speed.

But I have very little interest in spending the money on unusable levels of performance to start with. I like cars that are fun at speeds that don’t put your license (and your life) in more jeopardy than necessary. I’ve bought one fast car ever, and I quickly became bored with it and got rid of it after less than two years.

Manwich Sandwich
Member
Manwich Sandwich
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Or how about a return to sanity where 6 seconds to 60 was considered fast? This is stupid, and irresponsible to be selling to the public for street use. The sorts of idiots who will buy this will not keep their foot out of it.”

And let’s not forget that we should go back to thinking doing A MILE-A-MINUTE was really REALLY fast… and going faster than that is ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!!!!

(referencing Jay Leno on Jay Leno’s Garage talking about his dad saying “SLOW DOWN… YOU’RE GOING A MILE-A-MINUTE!!!”)

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago

LOL – I’d set the limit at 90 for cars. Trucks? 60, just like Europe.

Lucas Volker
Lucas Volker
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

You seem to personally want to limit nearly everything about cars. Weight, acceleration, speed, size etc. Weird.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Lucas Volker

Not wierd at all. I prefer not to be killed or injured by idiots. And since Americans are too often incapable of being responsible behind the wheel, or even knowing what they are doing behind the wheel, best to limit their access to these weapons. And cars are just as much a weapon as a gun, given the number of car deaths vs. gun deaths in the country.

J Hyman
Member
J Hyman
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Dang it, Kevin, Darwin would be disappointed. /s

Hazdazos
Hazdazos
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Do you make the same rant when there’s a story about the Mercedes AMG GT which tips the scales at 4400 lbs? Or the BMW M3 Competition which is right at 4000 lbs?

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Hazdazos

Yes. Both are also cosmically stupid. The M3 is particularly pointless now that was once a legitimate homologation special to go racing has morphed into some sort of fat tire and brake eating idiots track day car. But there are fools with money to be fleeced, so here we are.

JC 06Z33
JC 06Z33
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

I re-read that sentence a few times, looking for either the “only” or “over” to clarify what the author meant by the weight, but for some reason it isn’t there. I assume he meant “only” as he said it would be a rocket.

I don’t assume anything that is TWO TONS will be a rocket. My full-size 5 door sports sedan weighs less than this thing, and I consider her a big girl at 3,850 lbs.

This thing is a remarkable piece of engineering, but sorry… for a two-seater it is not light as the author implies.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  JC 06Z33

It’s the automotive equivalent of the F-4 Phantom – “you can make anything fly if you strap enough engine on it”. I prefer my engineering to be a tad more clever than this.

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  JC 06Z33

Yeah, these middle school boy bragging numbers are impressive, but ultimately pointless. At this weight, the thing should be a f’n full sized wagon, not a cramped (yet large) 2-seater. Heavy-ass cars like this need to be fast so you forget that it isn’t actually all that much fun. If I’m going to have a toy car, I’ll take a slow-ass lightweight that at 40 mph feels almost as risky as flying a WW1 biplane into combat over some overweight, overpowered thing like this with performance that can’t be used (and looks that shouldn’t be seen) and is boring in the normal reality of driving every time. Not to mention, cheap running costs which is about more than the money saved, it’s about greatly reduced waste. Same as with road legal track cars, if I wanted a race car, I’d build a dedicated one as the kind of performance only usable on the track (if the driver even has the ability to exploit it) isn’t fun driving on the street, anyway, unless impressing little boys is someone’s thing, in which case, someone should probably start an investigation.

JC 06Z33
JC 06Z33
1 month ago
Reply to  Cerberus

Hear, hear. Recently moving from a nimble 3,300lb car that did the quarter in mid-to-high 14s to a 3,800lb car that does it in mid-to-low 13s was a big change in the fun factor. Sure, the lighter car was slower… but it was much more fun to drive. I can’t even use the (relative to the ZR1X) paltry 365/375 hp/tq of the new one anywhere other than an on-ramp. It’s frustrating to plant your foot to pass or something, only to have to lift it up a half second later otherwise you’ll be doing arrest-me speeds.

I can’t imagine that driving something like the ZR1X would be fun anywhere other than on a track. And even then, someone like me with only a handful of track days under their belt wouldn’t even scratch the surface of what it can do.

So yeah, amazing machine, but if I could still have a dedicated toy without budget concerns, I’d much rather have something like a 981 Cayman than this.

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  JC 06Z33

The performance is so extreme, too, that it would take someone with established skill a good number of track days to get the hang of and you’d have to keep practicing it to maintain that ability. OK, let’s say you have a track that happens to be nearby that you can somehow run on nearly every weekend (and no other life or interests, apparently), that’s a lot of risk running something like this near its capability and, if you lose it, there’s not going to be much room for forgiveness at the speeds it operates at. Let’s say you stuff it into a wall (assuming you’re unharmed), now what? OK, you can’t risk that, so now you need a truck and trailer to transport your “street car”. At that point, why not just have a dedicated track car in the first place?

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

I believe Chapman would still have to stand trial for charges related to embezzling in the DeLorean case, though maybe there’s a statute of limitations that’s up and would that count if he had faked his death?

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Cerberus

He probably did worse keeping Lotus afloat all those years. But certainly any statute of limitations is long up by now.

Cerberus
Member
Cerberus
1 month ago
Reply to  Kevin Rhodes

Oh, I’m sure. I hear people who are into the arts complain when their favorite actors/authors/artists turn out to be douchebags (or much worse), but it’s hardly better being into cars and learning about the people who make them. Though I suppose I can say with cars that I find it easier to separate art and artist as they’re the results of a sometimes massive team and they’re a product more than art, so there’s less of any person in them.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  Cerberus

I’m much the same. I don’t really care how terrible an artist is as a person. But sometimes the personalities do add to the spice, so to speak.

Most car industry people are better at staying out of the public eye, with one exceedingly obvious (and particularly odious) exception. But I wouldn’t buy one of his cars if he was the reincarnation of Mother Theresa.

Username, the Movie
Member
Username, the Movie
1 month ago

It’s hard to overstate just how fast an 8.6 (at 159mph) 1/4 mile is, I have built and raced cars that ran low 10s and those feel insanely quick. Now with a little more money I could have upped the power to run 8s but that was with a basically purpose built car. I could go to the store and back but not quickly. This can then tear up a road race track. And all of this in PS4S tires which are not even the stickiest option for this car let alone anywhere near the stickiness of a drag tire like I ran.

Note:
Gm is correct they it’s the fastest American car, as in, the 1/4 mile and trap speed are faster than the Demon 170. The 0-60 times are largely a joke once you get a car faster than 10 secs 1/4 mile

JDE
JDE
1 month ago

I think the issue is going to be fitting the required roll cage to actually run them on the track.

Also a lot of Drag strips are now banning Electric cars, so I imagine the Hybrid nature of this beast will come into play if they dominate too much.

Username, the Movie
Member
Username, the Movie
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

Yes the hybrid part could make it not able to race at all tracks. And the NHRA also would not allow it to compete due to the lack of an 8.5 roll cage, but lost dragstrip will allow this car to run for for non-competition.

V10omous
Member
V10omous
1 month ago

which, according to Dodge, was able to do the sprint in 1.66 seconds.

I don’t really care about 0-60, especially when parsing 100ths in cars like this, but I don’t think this claim has ever been verified in testing.

JDE
JDE
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

It is kind of impressive though. The old Vipers lacked a lot of the Driver nannies and ended up smoke shows or inadvertant donut makers when someone tried to run one on the 1/4 mile.

Challengers were pretty similar, or the traction control nannies ended up making them slow. Or if an original Demon owner did one too many burnouts and then launched with the internal systems on a prepped surface would grenade the aluminum Diff housing.

Dalton
Member
Dalton
1 month ago

That is completely absurd, i want to drive it

Nick
Nick
1 month ago

The Demon 170 isn’t in production any longer, but it’s still quicker.

Well, the BIG difference is that the Corvette doesn’t have to change out parts to get this time, and essentially can drive in from the street as is.

MaximillianMeen
Member
MaximillianMeen
1 month ago
Reply to  Nick

Doesn’t the Demon also need to cool-soak the intercooler using the ac for some number of seconds before best-case runs?

Rippstik
Rippstik
1 month ago

That can’t be incredibly fun to experience from inside the car.

RAMbunctious
RAMbunctious
1 month ago
Reply to  Rippstik

I was just thinking the opposite. I used to think my low 13 second Firebird felt quick; I cannot imagine the rush of accelerating to a sub 9 sec quarter mile.

MaximillianMeen
Member
MaximillianMeen
1 month ago
Reply to  Rippstik

Not a fan of high-G roller coasters?

James McHenry
Member
James McHenry
1 month ago

Sorry, 4-figure power, no backseat, street legality, and the ability to actually corner at speed makes it a Hypercar no matter what the MSRP says. Besides, dealer markups and scalpers will probably drive prices into exotic territory anyway. Or maybe I’m just jaded.

Good on Corvette for getting there, though.

Last edited 1 month ago by James McHenry
JDE
JDE
1 month ago
Reply to  James McHenry

it is simply for bragging rights on an already Halo car for them. 99 percent of these will sit in a climate controlled garage and never move until the guy croaks or decides to try his luck at Barret Jackson.

James McHenry
Member
James McHenry
1 month ago
Reply to  JDE

…after being flipped as soon after purchase as GM will allow, sure.

Ash78
Ash78
1 month ago

Whoa.

And just inferring from that timesheet, the 60′ trap was 1.38s, meaning that if the car hits 60 in ~1.7s, then we’re talking about 0-60 in under 100 feet or so.

I look out the window at two things 100′ apart and I can’t even wrap my head around this.

Bags
Member
Bags
1 month ago
Reply to  Ash78

I don’t really know how to read that slip (reaction time and how that’s figured in or not) but that would seem to track. And is indeed insane.
I’m looking at the distance from the corner of my lot to the far corner of my neighbors, which is about 100ft. That would be insane to see.

Last edited 1 month ago by Bags
Ash78
Ash78
1 month ago
Reply to  Bags

Yeah, so without the reaction time, it’s under a second to the 60′ trap line, so let’s say maybe 150′ (max) for 0-60. Still wild to visualize in a street legal car.

Lotsofchops
Member
Lotsofchops
1 month ago

But does it come with a manual? /s
I really can’t wrap my head around the numbers for an off-the-showroom car. The fastest I’ve done the 1/4 is in a buddy’s built fox body, with much more drama. Though I admit that floating the front wheels is more fun that hitting a lower time. Of course that car wasn’t exactly a good DD, plus the cage made it difficult to enter/exit.

Younork
Younork
1 month ago

Good for GM, the C8 has been incredibly impressive regardless of trim. I am, however, still not over abandoning the Zora moniker in favor of the wildly overused X suffix. The fact that the ZR-1 and the ZR-1X are so different and yet are only differentiated by a single forgettable letter reminds me that GM will somehow always manage to pull a GM.

RAMbunctious
RAMbunctious
1 month ago
Reply to  Younork

Right? What is this 2002? EXTREEEEME Mountain Dew, Doritos, Chevy S10’s, etc.

V10omous
Member
V10omous
1 month ago
Reply to  Younork

Z-Ray would have been kind of funny.

Gated_Grifter
Member
Gated_Grifter
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Z-Ray– is two better than X.

Michael Beranek
Member
Michael Beranek
1 month ago

Those numbers are impressive, but out of reach for an amateur driver on a public roadway. At this very sharp end of the stick, small things mean a lot.

Ash78
Ash78
1 month ago

True, but there are also Teslas out there capable of pretty similar numbers (in the overall scheme of things, 1.6 seconds and 3.2 seconds may be a factor of two, but both are insane for normal drivers, especially when not pointed in a straight line).

I’m always a little amazed I don’t see more Teslas hooning around like crazy. Somehow I don’t think the Vette has this “problem”

Borton
Member
Borton
1 month ago

This will sell Stingrays all day long

DialMforMiata
Member
DialMforMiata
1 month ago

It’ll be the fastest thing ever….

To cross the auction block at Barrett-Jackson in 2046 with the plastic still on the seats.

Last edited 1 month ago by DialMforMiata
Younork
Younork
1 month ago
Reply to  DialMforMiata

My favorite thing about Corvettes is whenever I’m ready to jump into ownership, there will always be a highly depreciated, minty fresh one waiting for me.

Lotsofchops
Member
Lotsofchops
1 month ago

Plus, the price:performance ratio is still quite impressive.
Also I love racing, and GM has been fielding Corvettes in endurance racing forever at this point. And I’m a sucker for a long-running race effort.

IRegretNothing, Esq, DVM, BBQ
Member
IRegretNothing, Esq, DVM, BBQ
1 month ago
Reply to  DialMforMiata

It still has the original dust on the dash, the original air in the intake, and the original farts from the guy who hopped in to put the badge on the wheel!

The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
1 month ago
Reply to  DialMforMiata

I honestly think that was a Boomer thing – there’s obviously always going to be someone who thinks that storing a car for 30 years and selling it for 30% over MSRP is somehow a good investment, but you’re probably going to see a lot less of that going forward on cars like this.

DialMforMiata
Member
DialMforMiata
1 month ago

Part of me hopes that’s the case. On the other hand, if they’re not stored away in someone’s warehouse they might be out on the road in the hands of people who think that 0-60 in 1.6 seconds is something that they can attempt on city streets.

The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
1 month ago
Reply to  DialMforMiata

That’s always been the catch-22 with supercars. They’re either rotting away in warehouses or disintegrating in explosions.

Ash78
Ash78
1 month ago

That sounds about like a pension, which is generationally accurate 🙂

(Yes, companies used to “take better care of us” but that doesn’t excuse anyone missing the boat on a 401(k) or IRA)

Back on topic: Gambling on a brand new car for appreciation is insane.

Kevin Rhodes
Member
Kevin Rhodes
1 month ago
Reply to  DialMforMiata

With documentation that it was 1 of 1 built on that particular Tuesday.

The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
1 month ago

I’m still 50/50 on the looks, but the C8 across the board is probably one of the best things GM has ever done.

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