2008 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Hits the Six Figure Price Tag

Priced at $105,000 dollars with the gas guzzler’s tax of $1,700, though another two grand won't matter much to those who have the deep pockets to own one.

With the new LS9 engine, the performance specs on this are nothing less than spectacular with a 3.4 seconds for 0-60 mph, and a top speed of 205 mph, and with a 0-100 speed of 7 seconds. With these specs it matches those grossly overpriced Italian supercar brands.

LS9 info:

--Aluminum cylinder block with iron cylinder liners that are finish-bored and honed with a deck plate installed
-- Forged steel crankshaft with a nine-bolt flange
-- Titanium connecting rods and forged aluminum pistons
-- Stronger, cylinder heads with 2.16-inchtitanium intake valves and 1.59-inch  hollow-stem, sodium-filled exhaust valves
-- Camshaft with 0.555-inch lift for excellent idle and low-speed driving qualities
-- A dry-sump oiling system with 10.5-quart capacity.
-- Integrated oil cooler and piston-cooling oil squirters.

For another $10,000 can grab the extras: power-adjustable, heated and leather-trimmed sport seats with an embroidered ZR1 logo; side air bags; Bose audio system and navigation system; Bluetooth connectivity; power telescoping steering column, and a custom leather-wrapped interior available in four colors.

Our take? We have often felt that Corvette’s were cars with form but no real taste. The ZR1 has a great deal of quantitative superiority, but does not really seem to appeal to a true automotive esthete. It’s true: the engineering for the ZR1 in terms of sheer muscle is superb, and the specs are impressive, but is that really all there is to a car?

Corvette ZR1 By The Numbers

DETROIT – The official Corvette ZR1 numbers are in and they're good. Very good:

    * $103,300 MSRP (including $850 destination charge)
    * EPA-estimated fuel economy of 14 city and 20 highway
    * 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds
    * 0-100 mph in 7.0 seconds
    * Quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.3 seconds at 131 mph

The Corvette ZR1 also has a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h), making it the fastest Corvette ever produced and ranking it among the global super cars of commensurate performance. None of those other super cars, however, equals the ZR1's performance-per-dollar ratio.

"The ZR1 is an incredible machine by any measure," said Ed Peper, North American Vice President, Chevrolet. "There's simply no other vehicle in the world that does a better job of balancing performance, price and fuel economy."

Performance perspective
The Corvette ZR1's 0-60 performance is 0.3-second quicker than the already-quick Corvette Z06 and the 0-100-mph performance is nearly a full second quicker - 7 seconds vs. the Z06's 7.9 seconds. It is performance that is equal to or better than many super cars costing substantially more.

"A favorable power-to-weight ratio gives the ZR1 an advantage over the competition and performance that has to be experienced to fully appreciate," said Tom Wallace, Corvette chief engineer. "Of course, on a racetrack, drivers of competitors' cars may appreciate the ZR1 in a whole different manner."

And the racetrack isn't the only place where the ZR1 trumps its super-car competitors – it beats them at the gas pump, too. According to fueleconomy.gov, the ZR1's EPA-rated 14 city and 20 highway mileage ratings beat 2008 competitors such as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (11 city / 15 highway); the Lamborghini Murcielago (8 city / 13 highway) and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (12 city / 19 highway). They're competitive with the Dodge Viper (13 city / 22 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15 city / 22 highway).

Under the carbon-fiber hood
A new LS9 6.2L supercharged small-block engine powers the ZR1's performance capability. Heavy-duty and lightweight reciprocating components support high-rpm performance, while a new, sixth-generation supercharger (and complementing charge-cooling system) helps the LS9 make big power and torque across the rpm range. The engine is hand-assembled at GM's Performance Build Center, in Wixom, Mich.

In addition to the LS9 engine, the ZR1 is a technology powerhouse, designed with lightweight and unique components that reinforce its performance with a confidant feel on either a highway or road course.

Options
The standard ZR1 comes with accoutrements based on the Z06, including lightweight seats and lightweight content. The available uplevel interior package includes power-adjustable, heated and leather-trimmed sport seats (embroidered with the ZR1 logo); side air bags; Bose premium audio system; navigation system; Bluetooth connectivity; power telescoping  steering column; custom leather-wrapped interior available in four colors and more.  Chrome wheels are the only other available option on the ZR1.   Detailed pricing noted below.

    * $103,300 Base MSRP including destination
    * $1,700 Gas guzzler tax
    * $10,000 Option package
    * $2,000 Chrome wheels



Press release via Chevrolet