The Surprising New Corvette
Richard Shrayck
Only 350 units will be built. A Gen VI Eaton blower displacing 20 psi. The supercharger's four-lobe design offers improved efficiency over three-lobe models. A 6.2-liter LS3 block will be used.
For the price though, I doubt that will matter much. With the Eaton supercharger, and an air-to-liquid intercooler, output as high as 650 horsepower would certainly not be out of the question. Expect to reach 60mph in the sub-4 second range. The ZR1 is capable of reaching 60mph in 4 seconds and reaching a 100 mph mark in exactly 7 seconds.
The new Magnetic Selcctive Ride Control that allows softer spring rates than the standard car for better ride, but instantly adjusts the damping when a firmer response is required. That is the drawback of putting extra motor up front. GM Powertrain has completed SAE certification of the ZR1? Torque tops 585 lb.
The official curb weight of the 2009 ZR1 was released to be 3,350Lbs. GM has just released some more info on the ZR1. Chevrolet has entered the world of super cars with the release of the 2009 Corvette ZR1, the fastest and most powerful car ever built by General Motors.
GM says it's the first automaker to put a clearcoated, exposed carbon-fibre weave into production. And what about that big chunk of land they're sitting on? Engineers are confidant that the ZR1 will be the most fuel efficient 600 horsepower super-car on the market. A ZR1 was never part of the original C6 plan, but, at an early program review, the Z06's proposed aluminum frame, carbon-fiber parts, and LS7 engine so impressed CEO Rick Wagoner that he reportedly wondered aloud, "Geez, if that's what you can do with $60,000, I wonder what a $100,000 Corvette Written by: Auto Shows Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Daytona Pace Car2007-08-18 17:53:00A specially outfitted 2006 Corvette Z06 will serve as the official pace car of the 48th running of the Daytona 500, on Feb.
Additionally, the ZR1 has a maximum speed of 205 miles per hour and is marketed as the most fuel-efficient engine for engines classified as having 600 horsepower or greater. GM Powertrain testing shows the engine makes approximately 304 hp (224 kW) at 3,000 rpm and nearly 434 Nm of torque at only 1,000 rpm. GM has not disclosed specific performance numbers, but the company admits a top speed of 200 mph is very likely.
The ZR1 flywheel has been improved over the 2008 Z06. Its prowess on the Ring suggests it may be true. But both of these cost well over $300,000, while we expect the ZR1 to sticker for around $100,000 when its 2000 production units arrive next summer. The problem comes in with the LS9's supercharger system and its related plumbing.
2-litre LS9 V-8 that produces at least 620 horsepower. GM folks say they're getting closer to a production car, but, they say, the battery technology still needs to get better before these cars hit dealerships. They're competitive with the Dodge Viper (13 city / 22 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15 city / 22 highway). Michelin North America�s C3M facility is producing new-technology run-flat tires that will be original equipment on the 2009 Corvette ZR1, according to a Michelin spokeswoman.
Exposed carbon-fibre is used on the roof, roof bow, rocker moulding and front splitter. GM hasn't run its fuel economy test yet, but in a previous release from the General, it expects the ZR1 to be the most fuel-efficient 600-hp vehicle on the market. Brakes discs are huge carbon-ceramic units that are clamped on by six-piston Brembo calipers in front and four-piston units in the rear.
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