- The most powerful production Corvette ever has 1,250 hp, AWD, and hybrid tech.
- Chevy claims it reaches 0–60 in under 2 seconds and a sub-9-second quarter mile.
- With a projected $250K price, the ZR1X takes on rivals like the 911 GT3 RS and GTD.
The Corvette ZR1X is finally here. After several years of leaks and rumors, we now know a lot about the wildest factory-built Corvette ever. Not only does it have a new trim name, but it sets a new bar when it comes to power, performance, and pricing. Now, we’re going to pit it against some of the most significant cars across the globe just to see how it truly stacks up.
First and foremost, let’s get the big headlines out of the way. This new ‘Vette’ makes a whopping 1,250 horsepower (932 kW) and 828 lb-ft (1,121 Nm) of torque thanks to a combination of a flat-plane crank V8, a pair of gigantic 76mm turbochargers, and an electric motor that drives the front wheels.
More: Forget About Supercars, This Corvette Is Coming For Hypercars
Chevrolet says it’ll do 0-60 mph in under two seconds and then sprint through a quarter mile in under nine seconds. While we can’t be sure about pricing just yet, early indications are that we’ll see a starting price around $250,000. Sure, that’s a boatload of money, but by the end of this article, it’ll seem like a screaming deal.
Before we pit this new king of Corvettes against the world, it’s important to see how it stacks up against the beast that came before. None other than the ZR1.
ZR1X vs ZR1
What’s the big difference between these two yet-unreleased track weapons? Mainly, it’s electrical engagement. The ZR1 is purely a combustion vehicle. It sends all of its 1,064 horsepower to the rear tires only. All indications at this point are that it does so beautifully, too. Still, it’s not the ultimate iteration of the Corvette as we know it today.
When Chevrolet introduced the first AWD Vette, the E-Ray for 2024, it was in preparation for the ZR1X. The automaker took everything it learned from that car with its small battery and electric motor powering the front axle and applied it to the development process for the ZR1X. The new car makes more horsepower and torque from its electric motor thanks to a higher total RPM limit.
The ZR1X also gets its own braking system called J59. An available option on the normal ZR1, J59 comes standard on the X and includes gigantic 16.5-inch rotors, 10-piston calipers at the front, and 6-piston units at the rear. Chevrolet says it was strong enough to achieve 1.9G of deceleration during testing. Finally, let’s chat about pricing because Chevrolet hasn’t been super clear about this just yet.
The ZR1 (sans greedy dealer markups) starts at $175,000. The Corvette E-Ray starts at $109,000 and is, in very basic terms, an electrified Stingray, which starts at $70,000. Given that the Corvette ZR1X is building on the ZR1 with E-Ray tech and is the new flagship, we expect it to start at around $250,000. Yes, that’s a lot of extra cash for the available power and performance, but it’s not that much more when you compare it to the other options out there. Let’s do that, shall we?
ZR1X vs Porsche 911 GT3 RS (Another $250K Option)
No Corvette comparison, even of the base car, would be complete without pitting it against a Porsche 911. For the first time, though, the Corvette might be so powerful that it’s simply overkill when compared directly to the hottest 911 variant, the GT3 RS. The orsche starts at $244,995 but that money isn’t going toward outright power to drag racing performance. Some of it goes to build quality, exclusivity, and weight savings.
As such, the 911 GT3 RS doesn’t hold much of a candle to the ZR1X when it comes to some statistics. Sprinting from 0-60 takes three full seconds in the Porsche. The quarter-mile takes 10.9, and this little German supercar tops out at 184 mph. Until we get an official lap time for the ZR1X at the Nurburgring, it’ll be tough to compare them on track.
For now, we know that the 911 GT3 RS managed a 6:49.32 lap time. That’s very fast, and it’ll be a huge benchmark for Chevrolet to aim for. No doubt, it’s already doing just that. Of course, the fact that the ZR1X makes more than double the horsepower and torque of the Porsche (518 hp / 342 lb-ft, respectively) should help with that endeavor.
ZR1X vs Ferrari SF90 (Similar Performance)
Ferrari sort of broke the internet (or at least purists’ hearts) with the SF90 on multiple occasions. Forget a V12, this thing has a turbocharged V8. Forget leaving it at just that either as Ferrari gave it electrification for more power overall. Strange, it’s almost as if Chevrolet benchmarked this car to build its own twin-turbocharged, electrified supercar…
The powertrain as a whole makes 986 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, the ZR1X makes 264 more horsepower (196 kW) and 238 lb-ft (322 Nm) more torque. That’s kinda like adding the power of an entire Volkswagen Golf GTI to your hypercar while maintaining a very similar powertrain scheme. Despite that dip in statistical output, the SF90 is still very fast, even compared to the Corvette.
Also: Want To Blow $131K Fast? Just Sell A Ferrari SF90 After 185 Miles
It’ll do 0-60 mph in 2.0 seconds officially, but some have reported dipping into the 1.9-second realm. Still, it loses to the American in the quarter mile, where it takes 9.6 seconds to reach the finish line. On top of that, it doesn’t appear as though the Ferrari has even broken the seven-minute mark at the Green Hell. That puts the Corvette to be on pace to smoke it at just about every track this side of Fiorano, and maybe even there.
Chevrolet undoubtedly beats the Ferrari on price too since the SF90 starts at over a half a million clams. That is, if you’re even allowed to buy one without buying other Ferraris first. Of course, a lot of exclusivity and bragging rights come with that purchase. Still, I think many would prefer coming in first on the track with hundreds of thousands of extra bucks in the bank.
ZR1X vs Mustang GTD (American Hypercars Of The Moment)
Finally, let’s chat about America’s other big debut of the year, the unquestionably brash Ford Mustang GTD. It’s the most extreme performance model to come out of Deaborn outside the GT series. Ford’s CEO made that clear with words, and then the team backed it up with a stunning performance on the Nordschleife. It currently stands as the fastest American production car at the track with a time of 6:52.072.
More: Leaked Mustang GTD Window Sticker Reveals Pricing And Shocking MPG
The ZR1 sans X should, in theory, be capable of hitting that same time. If that proves true, then the ZR1X really does turn the GTD, a car with a starting price (sans markups) of $318,000, into what seems like a pricey bit of history before it’s even in customer hands.
No doubt, we have to come back to acknowledge that the GTD is going to a very exclusive group of clients. It’s also worth pointing out, though, that for those who bleed red, white, and blue, the GTD is made in Canada while the Corvette rolls off the line in Kentucky. That’s a huge part of the Corvette ethos and one reason why the new ZR1X appears ready to conquer the hypercar world.
