2010 Corvette ZR-1: American Super Car is a blast to drive

By Mike Blake, Carlisle Events

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Anyone who maintains that all supercars originate in Europe probably hasn’t driven the Corvette ZR-1. Supercars are generally thought of as high-end exotic automobiles that are fast, luxurious and handle like race cars, with extraordinarily stylish looks and price tags that are extraordinarily high. One car that certainly fits the definition in all areas but price is built in Bowling Green, Kentucky -- the 2010 Corvette ZR-1.

With a sticker about one-fourth that of most supercars, the ZR-1 is the most powerful production car ever offered by Corvette. Built with exotic lines from exotic materials, ZR-1 handles like a car destined for the track, but with luxury car smoothness for driver and passenger. Additionally, ZR-1 showcases the new Performance Traction Management technology -- an advanced system that is part of a new Launch Control feature that optimizes traction for greater and more consistent on-track performance.

ZR-1 is built using composite and carbon-fiber body panels and utilizes a hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components. Measuring 176.2 inches in length, 75.9 inches in width and an aerodynamic 48.7 inches in height on a 105.7-inch wheelbase, ZR-1 has a weight distribution of 51/49 front vs. rear. The vehicle also has the largest wheels ever of any production Corvette -- not just in diameter, but also in width. The rims measure 20 inches in rear diameter and 19 inches up front. Rear width is a whopping 12 inches, while the front wheels are 10 inches wide, covered with Michelin Sport 2 tires for uncompromising stability and cornering ability.

The use of clear-coated carbon fiber is extensive with wide fenders, raised hood, roof panel, roof bow, front fascia splitter and rocker moldings visibly making use of the material. The outside of the hood is painted, but the underside shows off the carbon fiber. The hood also displays the engine’s intercooler and embossed “LS9 Supercharged” insignia through a clear polycarbonate viewing window.

My test vehicle came in classic Blade Silver Metallic, but it looks awesome in Black, Torch Red or Cyber Gray Metallic and in any cosmetic form, the rear-wheel drive, hatchback two-seater coupe is a head-turner and even non-Corvette drivers issued the traditional Corvette Wave when spotting my ride during test runs.

Looks aside, this is one super car in terms of power and performance. At 3333 lbs., ZR-1 is a rocket, powered by a supercharged and intercooled cast-aluminum 6.2-liter V-8 engine that is hand-assembled at GM’s Performance Build Center. It is rated at 638 horsepower and 604 lbs-ft of torque and is paired with a Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual transmission with sequential fuel injection.
Its prime new feature is Launch Control that exploits the spark and fuel control. The throttle is held steady when not utilized and adjustments in spark, fuel and torque are applied in milliseconds.

In the manufacturers’ test world of perfect conditions and manipulated vehicles, the XR-1 can do a 3.3-second zero-to-60 sprint en route to an 11.4-second quarter-mile. Some maintain that 3.1 is possible.

On a rather weather-beaten test strip – not as glass-smooth as Chevy’s test tracks, my test vehicle was able to bullet from zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds without Launch Control engaged, and with the system on I hit a flick under 3.8 seconds. My best quarter-mile times were 12.6 without Launch and 12.3 with the system employed. This represents one of the fastest production car tests I have accomplished while writing ALL ABOUT CARS, in a vehicle that was not specially prepared and tuned only as a vehicle would be that you would drive off the lot. Also, the atmospheric conditions might not have been perfect. Humidity, sun and track status were less than optimal, but ZR-1’s performance was impressive. Steering and response were racecar-worthy and oversteer, yaw and wobble were virtually non-existent.

Inside, the cozy confines of ZR-1 were lavish, tech-savvy and intuitive. The cockpit provides 38 inches of headroom, 43 inches of leg room and 55 inches of shoulder room in a luxury setting -- after all, a supercar needs more than super performance to qualify for that lofty title.

Standard features include soft leather seating, dual-zone automatic climate control, air filtration system, 7-speaker audio system with AM/FM, stereo, CD and MP3, XM radio, integral hidden antenna, mounted steering wheel controls, cruise control, rear defogger, heads-up display, electronic analog instrumentation, power hatch release, keyless access, 6-way power drive seat and leather-wrapped 3-spoke tilt wheel.

Standard safety items include frontal and side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger bags with Passenger Sensing system, On Star Safe and Sound plan, theft-deterrent system and tire pressure monitor.

Priced at $106,880 plus gas guzzler tax, sales tax and license, my test vehicle was upgraded with several add-ons. Twenty-spoke gray competition wheels upped the ante by $2000; upgraded audio system with 6-disc in-dash CD added $395 and destination and freight charges were $950 for a drive-off of $111,525 plus the taxes and license.

For a Supercar, that’s a fraction of what Euro-Supers cost.

You can see ZR-1s and some 4000 Corvettes of all kinds at the 29th annual Corvettes at Carlisle, August 27-29 at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds.

I> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

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Journalist note: Information about the Carlisle Events Group, its event listings, auction offerings and expo center is available to journalists by phone:


Patrick Lemay
Company Communications Specialist
717-243-7855 ext. 116
patrick@carlisleevents.com

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