Chevy set the bar pretty high with the C7 Z06. Okay, tremendously high. The 650-hp monster is the most powerful factory Corvette yet. When it came out, we were blown away, but there was one question: If the Z06, formerly the middle child of the lineup, is this nuts, what comes next? The answer is an even nuttier ZR1. Here is a roundup of everything we know about the 2018 ZR1 so far.
Update 10/15/2016: New video shows more detailed footage of convertible top and multiple rear wings
A reader of Indian Autos Blog managed to capture additional video footage of a convoy of Corvette ZR1 prototypes testing in traffic. We clearly see one hardtop with composite body panels and that absolutely gigantic rear wing, following behind what appears to be a stock Z06. A convertible is third in line, with a midsize wing out back. The fourth Corvette on the highway appears to be another ZR1 convertible, this time with what may or may not be a third wing design – camouflage makes it difficult to tell.
This video was shot in Michigan, which, of course, is the home of General Motors. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of wind noise that obscures the sound of the ZR1’s engine. In any case, we’re more eager than ever before to find out all the details that make the monster ‘Vette tick.
Update 10/5/2016: New shots and video reveal two types of wing and a convertible version, plus we hear the exhaust note
Thanks to CorvetteBlogger and photographer David Wesel, we now know that Chevrolet is testing not just a coupe, but also a convertible body for the ZR1. This is a somewhat surprising development, considering the ZR1’s position as a pure performance machine – convertibles add weight and lose some stiffness – as well as the original ZR1’s hardtop-only body, plus we’ve only ever seen C7 ZR1 coupes undergoing tests. (Then again, Chevy added a Z06 convertible this time around, so it’s fully willing to sell you lots of power with whatever kind of roof you want.) In addition to the convertible revelation, we now see that two types of wings are being tested. One sits a bit lower and is reasonably subtle, while the other flies high and proclaims the car’s track-readiness to the world thanks to more surface area and large endplates.
As an added bonus, Wesel also caught these mules on video taking off from a gas station. They don’t sound radically different from the current Z06, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They may be a bit louder, but it is hard to clearly compare volume. The takeaway is, it still sounds like a big, mean Corvette. Be sure to watch the video, and also check out CorvetteBlogger for more images.
Update 10/3/2016: Clearest shots yet show the ZR1 from every angle
These latest spy shots don’t reveal anything we didn’t already know. Still, they offer the best look yet at the next ZR1. There’s still a ton of cladding on the hood and fascias, but not enough to cover up all the intakes and vents that must be needed to keep the engine and brakes cool. There are telltale hints of carbon fiber body panels, and, though this prototype is missing the massive rear wing we know the ZR1 will offer, two posts on the decklid prove the wing is alive and well… somewhere.
The camo at the front juts out far enough to cover a very large front splitter, though we can’t quite make out what’s lurking under there. Whatever it is, this ‘Vette is going to have a serious aero kit.