2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 | Road Test | Edmunds.com

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Brute force, a quality we can't help but assign to any car generating 638 horsepower, is by definition anything but subtle. Yet the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 manages at once to be both brutally quick and remarkably mild-mannered. Its quarter-mile acceleration is quicker than any production car we've ever tested, its chassis is benign but highly capable and its carbon-ceramic brakes are mind-bending in their effectiveness. This new Vette offers an unlikely combination of performance and real-world usability that we're proud to experience in an American car.
This combination is as rare as truth in a presidential debate. Honestly, most of the ZR1's competition (think Dodge Viper ACR) or Nissan GT-R)) is less capable and makes a much larger compromise in typical road driving. With the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 we have a machine that is engaging to drive, capable of making insane numbers on the test track and also a legitimate road car.

[@Artyfil]

Wow... I was never a huge fan of corvettes but this one just got me... goregous machine. I love how the brakes were smoking during the braking tests at 3:09. 96 feet from 60 mph is very impressive.

[@Maxmaj1q]

Back in 2006 I was a meter reader for DTE energy. and I went to Kah-tech in Michigan while they were developing this motor. It was like some top secret FBI shit. I got to see a zo6 on the dyno with this motor in it while they ran some tests. I STILL HAVE WET DREAMS ABOUT IT. Truly Americas MOST Ultimate sports car ever!!

[@Greendude33]

Its made like that to absorb and lessen damage in case of a rear end collision. Its actually a very expensive polymer only used because of the strict US safety standards. And the rear end collision is one of the most frequent in the US. It also helps reduce damage by compressing and absorbing the energy, which protects the fuel tank, differential, suspension etc..

[@CharlesM505]

what an amazing car, absolutly stunning, i want one so bad:(

[@KngZ28]

GM did everything with this car. The engine, the suspension, the EVERYTHING. GM has some of the best engineers in the world.

[@8MunchenBayern8]

the Veyron's brakes are unbelievable and the huge airbrake helps as well it can stop from 253mph to 0 in less than 10 seconds

[@bas0puh]

same here mate, CORVETTE for life. Z06 and ZR1 are amazing

[@POWERBRAKEBOB]

I bought a 1991 ZR-1 NEW. Still have it, now 290,000 miles on the clock.

[@corvetteZ3r]

No way! How reliable has it been

[@JeremiahJohnson827]

I've always loved Vettes!! I really love this Vette!! Fauking spectacular machine!!

[@dmm6212]

i read the article in motor trend and i love the 09. Chevy has some work to do however. In order to even compete with this, the 2010 model has to be simply amazing. I'm still waiting for the news!

[@bigisezhi]

YES, jerjerjason, that kind of extreme binders on this beast WILL leave red seat belt edge abrasion marks on you for your stopping efforts, possibly mild lacerations as well depending on your weight.

[@4damage]

In 1988, Reeves Callaway contracted John Lingenfelter to design and build the engine for the Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette project. Lingenfelter built a 355 CID twin-turbocharged EFI Chevy that produced more than 900 hp. Reeves team assembled the car and drove this very streetable Corvette to Ohio for testing. John piloted the Lingenfelter-powered Callaway Sledgehammer to a record-holding pass of 254.76 mph on the 7.5-mile oval at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, Ohio.

[@98MAzdaMilleniaS]

I got to this video from a dyno test of the ZR1 by InsideLine, they dynoed it at 505 whp, the GTR dynoed 404 whp(when it was rated at 480 bhp). Based on that test either the ZR1 has a higher parasthetic drivetrain loss(which is impossible due to rwd manual) then a GTR or they are bluffing about the number. The Mercedes C-class AMG with 5.5 liter twin turbo V8 rated at 550 hp dynoed 30 whp higher then 556 hp Cadillac CTS-V too, it's getting consistent.

[@pensive69]

i AM a fan of this car but i AM amazed at the pushy-pully bodywork and the mostly standad Vette interior. they ought to have a good Texas leather shop provide optional seats and covers.

[@8lek]

i have this exact car ZR1 black vette 2010 and the seats are fine, there comfortable which is what you need if your going to drive on the road but also if your giving the car a trashing you are held well and not sliding around the cabin space. The stearing wheel isnt the best looking but is good to hold for a tall person like me because its thicker than most.

[@mazda6tuner99]

wow, my new favorite car. zr1 yes!

[@ezcondition]

that is why Chevy is number one. not car sells, but performance and price like this.

[@twinturbo1995]

I have to give it to CHEVy how much i love inmports. This vette is a force to be recon with. Its like a z06 on steriods

[@billyfoster3223]

Baddest Vette ever! Epic, like the 90's Viper GTS!👍😀⚒️🛠️

[@sspope]

It's a king of the hill when price is considered. But it really is.

[@user-ys2wp4cr9g]

The best Corvette ever.

[@celticcornish]

"This is the quickest quarter mile time we've ever recorded in a production car". Pretty-much says it all.

[@Tofuman924]

love the supercharger whine

[@drtyfknmouth]

go find the video on youtube. The guys who built it are talking about it, going through how they built it and they show it when they drove it to the track and back (in the rain) AND they show John Lingenfelter who actually drove the car at the track. Look up- Callaway Corvette twin turbo Sledgehammer reaches 254.7mph- or just look up John Lingenfelter's name and it's about the 3rd video down. The vette is silver on the picture.

[@SilentShadow7r7]

the rear materials are so typical platic corvette, but i still love this car.

[@aGuyWhoJuggles]

Many other sources state that the ZR1 does 0-60 in 3.3 seconds. I've seen errors like this with pretty much all of the InsideLineVideo track videos I've seen.

[@88mpny]

CHEVY CORVETTE ZR1 ---- this car is fucking amazing. my dream car!!!!!! but i still love my 1988 Z52 coupe. if i was rich i'd be at the dealer right now ordering one.

[@SkaterMichael28]

he said "WORLDs quickest production car" word for word

[@sailorenlil]

LOL. I laughed when the guy pressed on the back of the car after wiping it with a rag and it flexed so easily. I can only image what would happen if it was rear-ended, or worse, taken on a joyride under very slick (wet/snow/mud/offroad) conditions.

[@boostedvette]

they got 11.6. guys will get this car in the high tens for sure. With slicks my god this car will be fast!

[@amer1cancer2753]

That comment has nothing to do with anything. People buy Ferrari for unmistakable design, performance, 100+ hp/litre, heritage, F1 style transmission, high quality interior and exterior, adjustable ride stiffness etc.. People dont always buy a car just for the performance. When a guy pulls up in a Ferrari next to your ZR1, all you have to say is "My car is cheaper." That is it.

[@FallenAngelHIM]

I like how they just pushed the rear bumper in.

[@mchamp3802]

Now I'm not much of an American car or Japanese car fan, but DAMN this ZR1 is bloody amazing! I'd take this over the GTR anyday

[@matslou]

Cant wait to drive have mine this summer!!! winter is long :(

[@ad356]

the ZR1 is king of the hill again.

[@coolerdude44]

lmfao! at 3:54 he talks about how the car is so mild mannered, while showing footage of it powersliding around a corner lol

[@eldukedrino]

i think they post their best numbers

[@drtyfknmouth]

P.S.- The Callaway Corvette twin turbo Sledgehammer got to 254.7mph back in 1988. IT, btw, was only 380 hp. They also drove the car all over the place because they wanted it to be a car you could ctually drive like a normal car, NOT just a 250+ mph race car. Look it up.

[@zubEjankins]

That car is awesome!

[@zemurph]

Cant wait until Lingenfelter get their hands on this one.

[@rayoooss]

Zr1 baby

[@zakoblivioa]

i know i got to see one in person its a sexy car i would love to have one also one of the most raw and powerful cars its also one of the best cars of today!!!

[@Poptartza]

@joyfulvulture 1990 corvette ZR1 beats world endurance record that was held for 50 years. 24 hours full out, only stopping for fuel and driver change. The corvette ran for 28 hours with an average speed of 170 MPH. They stopped when the corvette crossed the 5000 mile mark. There aren't many cars that can go full out for that long without breaking.

[@theox8]

that's really impressive.

[@vm2003]

@Poptartza This is what I love about the GT-R. It is dealing with a dozen cars at the same time. You got Vettes with computers (PTM) and handling and carbon packages just to beat a state of the art Japanese AWD car, you got Porsche guys designed GT2 RS (250K USD car) just to beat a sub-100K USD Japanese car. Hell, put 600HP on a 170K SpecV GTR (200K car) it will bitch slap all the 600HP cars in that class (ZR1, ACR, 911 GT2 RS, etc). GT-R got 911 engineering at Corvette prices. Can't complain!

[@MrAtoZ-un3fk]

The ZR1 is one BMF!

[@eldukedrino]

there's a new GT that came out last month i guess i saw it on TopGear Australia and it was even more POWERFUL

[@ariel4more]

You can't say that until you line them up. the awd will make it hook up better, but it adds weight. not to mention, peak horsepower wether at the wheels, or off the crank dosen't say as much about a car's power as everyone thinks it does. It's more a matter of torque, and where in the rev the engine makes it.

[@LinkMcStink]

I bet! although, I heard somewhere that the most pressure a Z06 engine could handle from a supercharger is like, 9lbs, but I'm not sure

[@ssm80taurus]

The car you need to drive in everyday traffic under street limits in various weather conditions (especially snow). The dream of any radar ambush. :))))

[@linoleumshake]

LUCKY!! Closest i got was at the dealership :(

[@LiptoGyn12]

lol good ol youtube fighting never gets old

[@ldmcnutt]

Just look to Nurburgring Nordschleife, where the ZR1 ran a 7:22.4, compared to 7:24.3 for the MC12, 7:25.3 for the Enzo and 7:33.6 for the Koenigseggseggsegg CCX. The ZR1 is just that good. RIP GM.

[@Soph27199]

thsi corvette does this all STOCK imagine this beast tuned?? HOLY SHIT this car would be even better

[@v8rangerboy]

@BKsMassive... Hahaha. The Ariel Atom. You forgot to mention what powers this little machine.... A supercharged GM engine, specifically the 2.0L that also shows up in the Cobalt SS platform and more. Tuned up a bit, yes, but thanks for reinforcing how quick GM based products are. Yes, the Atom is "available" with other engine options, but almost everyone takes the little GM for its massive power and torque for such a lightweight package.

[@JesseEnclave]

Sorry, but you're wrong. The Ultimate Aero TT was made for the purpose of putting SSC on the map to garner interest in their future projects, such as electric vehicles. As for the straight line thing, what are the Veyron's handling capabilities? I've never seen a slalom speed or skidpad ratings for the car. All I've seen is a bunch of top speed, 1/4 mile and braking tests. As far as I can tell, the Veyron is more of a straight-liner than the SSC.

[@zubEjankins]

i know, thats friggin awesome

[@MyHeroTrio]

Tht is AWESOME!!! I want one!!!

[@YukonDemon]

Test numbers are hugely dependent on many factors, including altitude, temperature, track temperature, barometric pressure, among other things. Driver skill may be a factor as well, but more likely has to do with this test being done in a warmer climate at a higher altitude than motortrends testing.

[@sspope]

I would like all cars to be tested by a single driver so that those numbers can actually mean something. Saleen S7 would be interesting as well as the latest versions of Zonda.

[@BladeCarver89]

I wouldn't say it's the quickest PRODUCTION car, but it's the quickest car to come out of a high-quantity production company. Either way, I could not live with that interior, no matter how fast the car goes.

[@VetteAholicZ06]

Zr-1 has been proven to run better numbers on both the 1/4 run and 0-60, on stock tires too. Why is the rear bumper a flaw? If it was hard and you were to bump into something you'd crack it. This one flexes.

[@jrs89]

I'd rather get a CTS-V than Camaro. The Delphi MagneRide system is what makes the ZR1 handles so well. In fact the 599 GTB using the same system.

[@perucho28]

im buying one

[@chazhop]

You are wrong. If you listen closely, they said that THEY have tested. Obviously they have not tested a veyron. I'm sure not to many people have.

[@BoxCarRacer-notthebandsorry]

Wooooooow. You didn't take that too personally at alllllllll. I mean jeez, it's not like the GT-R is your son.

[@stratdude83]

the king!

[@xabipp]

FueledByTyeler!!!!!!!!!! if you ever get your hands of that '88 Sledgehammer GIMME A CALL FOR A RIDE!

[@88mpny]

yea and they also say that the ZR1 pulls ahead and wins the quarter mile. and it's done with pure horsepower.

[@cookiehead2]

I would considered the ZR-1 instead of a 997 Turbo, given the numbers. I'd have to look at weight and fuel mileage though.

[@nieznanyx]

yes they are.. as is the ZR-1 .. what's your point?

[@DarkSoliman92]

im pretty sure the world's quickest production car is the Koenigsegg CCXR but the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is still a beauty.

[@brownsportz]

Thanks!

[@daeladub]

Sick, this car needs to go to the doctor. The Z-R1 is a engineering marvel not to a huge bang for the buck.

[@eDGARfROM432]

Imagine A Z06 With A Supercharger in it now that would b a Scary ride

[@furbygr]

i think zr1 needs another edition with a four wheel drive system and a f1- style gear box, like the one in ferrari.These would make the car more expensive but faster

[@tonysoprano9417]

3:40 The best part ;D

[@simracr94]

@BKsMassive exactly. We're talking affordable, STREET LEGAL cars

[@305pride]

i love this car, but at 3:40 made me laugh haha

[@Borrisbeaner]

fair point.

[@DeftonesFan867]

@thebestman You're so knowledgeable so why don't you inform all of us? BTW GM just invested 131 million dollars into the KENTUCKY plant to build the new C7... Alot of money to spend on an American plant supplied by parts from Japan... Also what country are you from?

[@JordanMadera]

Yes it is, both are purpose built to go as fast as a production car can go.The Ultimate areo doesn't even have power steering.

[@djkasdjkasdjdjdj]

actually the plastic rear bumper is effective enoung to absorps energy in a collision

[@v8rangerboy]

@BKsMassive I never dissed the Atom; I simply pointed out that your statement of it being "100% British" is wrong haha.

[@Towelman20]

no body can critisize the zr1 s handleing after watching this the zr1 s handleing capeabillitys are truley incredable.

[@KARASAWA40]

I'm fine with US car interiors, really, the less time/money wasted there, the more the buyer benefits, either with less cost or more performance. Driving is by far the most important part of owning a car IMO.

[@acamp021764]

The Zero to 60 time depends on who's driving and rear tires.

[@hunke123]

american hasn't got much good cars but this is one of them

[@rayoooss]

wooooow..no comment keep goin chevrolet CORVETTE ZR1 play by your rules

[@CoolBlueZR1]

Ya, Motortrend recorded a 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds, half a second faster... Motortrend also got a quarter-mile time of 11.2 seconds at 130.5 mph, not 11.5 seconds at 128 mph.

[@Lifewontwait29]

YEAHHH CHEVYYYY

[@jerjerjason]

holy fuck 96 feet braking distance?! that's fucking insane on a production car at that price

[@nspinicelli]

Wowowow wait, 0-60 in 3.8 seconds? The C5 Z06 is 4 flat! and "quickest production car?" Where are they getting their facts from? And it should have a quicker quarter mile than that. One of the best Corvette drivers laid down an 11.8s quarter mile in a C5 Z06. This car has so much more potential than what's claimed here...

[@wing0custom]

I like how they compared the top of the line Corvette against a low end GT-R. Wait till the GT-R V-spec production car is release then will see who will be on the top. The low-end Corvette should be compared to the low end GT-R on the video.

[@xiingli]

Maybe, but I recall the Veyron getting impressive track times. I would like to see ap are up of this vs the veyron :)

[@Lambo6fo]

DAAAAAAAAAAAAMN RIGHT!!!

[@blackrideryc]

what a great car. i hate how everyone thinks its a super car. its a sports car, its front engine. in order for it to be a super car it needs to be rear engine. i learned that off of top gear

[@Energonorama]

My little '94 Clio will do 130mph all day. Last time I checked thats faster than a new Mustang. Its also regarded by many as the best hot hatchback of all time. Search 'Clio Williams' if youre interested. I have many other cars. If I was in America I would buy a Z06. But in the UK a ZR1 would be more expensive than a new Porsche 911 Turbo and about the same as a nearly new F430, Gallardo, DB9, Maybach, CL63 AMG, Bentley etc. Thats some very tough competition if your spending your own money.

[@BetoG34]

i love corvette if feel it in my blood, even if it was the slowest car ever, i would still love it. Corvette is love, something those zombie ricer lovers would never understand, they have no soul. the corvette is love, it's passion and its for the soul. The Mustang is another car that deserves respect i love both Chevy and Ford great companies.

[@Tofuman924]

i think they mean quickest like overall performance not just straight line speed