2008 Detroit Auto Show: 2009 Corvette ZR1

• Competes with: Porsche 911 GT2, Audi R8
• Looks like: Mattel added some flair to a Corvette
• Drivetrain: 620-hp, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Sometime in 2008

Yep, this is the super-Corvette you might’ve been reading about for, oh … the last three years. Once nicknamed the Blue Demon Devil, the ZR1 is now official, in the flesh and bare for all to see. Weighing in at a scant 3,350 pounds, the ZR1 is based on the aluminum chassis of the Corvette Z06 we all know and love.

It adds things like a silly supercharged 6.2-liter engine capable of a 200 mph top speed, carbon ceramic rotors and standard magnetic ride control, plus carbon fiber roof, front fenders, rocker moldings and more. This is no toy. This is a super car. A supercar that hits 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

We’re a bit unimpressed with the look, though. It isn’t as subtle as the Z06, but owners might not care. There will be plenty of ZR1 badging on this sucker, and even the VIN will be unique to each model made. Chevy didn’t say how many that will be, but threw around the number 150 in the description of the VIN setup. Hmmm…

We can’t hazard a guess at the price, but Chevy says it will “trump exotics that cost two, three or four times as much.” The Z06 costs $70,175. The ZR1 would be a deal under $100,000. That’ll be what we’re waiting to hear when the car debuts in person at the Detroit auto show in a few weeks.   

The ZR1’s basic stats:

• All-new LS9 supercharged 6.2L V-8 targeted at producing at least 100 horsepower per liter, or 620 horsepower (462 kW), and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque (823 Nm)
• Six-speed, close-ratio, race-hardened manual transmission
• New, high-capacity dual-disc clutch
• Higher-capacity and specific-diameter axle half-shafts; enhanced torque tube
• Specific suspension tuning provides more than 1g cornering grip
• Twenty-spoke 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels
• Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires — P285/30ZR19 in front and P335/25ZR20 in the rear – developed specifically for the ZR1
• Standard carbon-ceramic, drilled disc brake rotors — 15.5-inch-diameter (394-mm) in the front and 15-inch-diameter (380-mm) in the rear
• Larger brake calipers with substantially increased pad area
• Standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control with track-level suspension
• Wider, carbon-fiber front fenders with ZR1-specific dual vents
• Carbon-fiber hood with a raised, polycarbonate window — offering a view of the intercooler below it
• Carbon-fiber roof panel, roof bow, front fascia splitter and rocker moldings with clear-coated, exposed carbon-fiber weave
• ZR1-specific full-width rear spoiler with raised outboard sections
• Specific gauge cluster with boost gauge (also displayed on the head-up display) and 220-mph (370 km/h) speedometer readout
• Only two options: chrome wheels and a “luxury” package
• Curb weight of approximately 3,350 pounds (1,519 kg)