2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – 755 hp, 969 Nm of fury

American muscle comes in many shapes and forms, but none are as savage as this – the new 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The hallowed three-letter moniker returns packing more aero, greater performance and, of course, heaps of extra power to go around.

How much power? How does 755 hp and 969 Nm of torque sound? That’s all from an LT5 6.2 litre direct-injected V8 – still fitted with pushrods, mind you – force-fed by an intercooled supercharger 52% larger than the one in the Z06. All that is sent to the fat rear tyres via a seven-speed manual transmission, but for the first time on a ZR1 buyers also have the option of an eight-speed automatic.

Extra power – 105 hp and 88 Nm more than the Z06 – needs extra cooling to stop the ZR1 turning into a enormous carbon fibre-fed barbecue. To that end, Chevrolet added four extra radiators to bring the total number of heat exchangers on the car to 13, sucking on air from huge front air intakes as well as a vented carbon fibre bonnet – the latter has a cut out for the massive supercharger and intercooler assembly.

Keeping all that power on the road is an aggressive aero package that includes a downforce-inducing front underwing and two different versions of rear wing. The standard Low Wing is the one that has the least drag and enables the ZR1 to hit its claimed top speed of over 335 km/h; even so, the car generates up to 70% extra downforce compared to a stock Z06 in this form.

Not enough? Opt for the High Wing, a towering two-way adjustable unit that helps generate around 60% more downforce compared to the Z06 with the already pretty serious Z07 Performance Package. Both wings are bolted directly to the chassis just like on a C7.R race car, for strength and stability.

The High Wing is part of the ZTK Performance Package, which also throws in a giant front splitter with carbon fibre end caps, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and specific tuning for the chassis and Magnetic Ride Control dampers, delivering greater cornering grip. You want faster lap times, this is the one to go for.

On the other hand, if all you want to do is stand out, then by all means go for the Sebring Orange Design Package, which slathers the hue on the brake callipers, sill and splitter accent stripes, seat belts and interior stitching, on top of the Sebring Orange Tintcoat paint and bronze aluminium interior trim.

Speaking of the interior, the ZR1 comes as standard with leather-trimmed seats, and can be specified with sueded microfibre inserts or even Napa leather upholstery together with heating with ventilation. There’s also a Bose premium sound system available, along with a carbon fibre-rimmed steering wheel, competition sport seats and a Performance Data Recorder for more sportive types.

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