The Corvette ZR1 is finally official. Chevrolet announced on Wednesday plans to reveal the most extreme mid-engine Corvette yet this summer, publishing a short teaser video showing us the car's silhouette.
Chevy has yet to release any specs for the ZR1, but rumors suggest it could get a twin-turbocharged version of the 5.5-liter naturally aspirated, flat-plane crank V-8 found in the current Z06. Other rumors suggest the ZR1 could also get the electric front drive axle from the E-Ray, making the ZR1 an all-wheel drive affair for the first time.
The ZR1 has sat atop the Corvette food-chain for three straight generations, so no matter which drivetrain it ends up with, expect big power. The last ZR1 made 755 horsepower; we expect this one to make more than that, around 800 horses, if rumors are to be believed. Performance is hard to predict without concrete power numbers and drivetrain info, but it's safe to say we're looking at a 0-60 time in the low two-second range.
Like the last ZR1, this new mid-engine model is expected to take aero to the extreme. It'll go one step further than the already aero-heavy Z06, likely with a bigger wing and splitter paired with scoops, canards, and more. Our spy photographers captured the car testing at the Nürburgring last year, giving us a good idea of what to expect. This thing will be a pure-bred track machine.
The ZR1 will also be the most expensive C8 yet, sitting above the base Stingray, E-Ray, and Z06. Chevy has yet to release pricing, but we expect the ZR1 to be priced around $150,000.
