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The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is here. It’s the first time since the nameplate hit the streets since the 2019 model shocked the world with the highest horsepower figures in the history of the ‘Vette. However, even with over 1,000 horsepower and mold-shattering performance, the ZR1 will have a hard time dethroning the C8 Z06 and E-Ray.

The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful Corvette ever – but its predecessors are top-tier competition

I drove the Corvette Z06. I drove the E-Ray. Hell, I drove them on the track. So, I’ll tell you, they’re top-tier supercars. However, I didn’t expect the new ZR1 to produce the power and torque that its engineers are saying it will summon. 

Josh Holder, a Chief Engineer at Corvette, says the new model “was planned from the beginning. The equipped turbochargers really bring the power to these unbelievable levels.” 

And unbelievable it is. “1,064 HP and more than 800 lbs-ft of torque.” Music to my ears. Oh, and the speed? Well, how does a quarter-mile under 10 seconds sound? Yes, I thought as much. 

It should be, bar none, the fastest Chevrolet Corvette ever. Let that sink in. Not enough? The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 could be one of the fastest, most capable cars this country has ever produced. “Significantly faster than 212 mph.” That’s what Holder had to say about the first-ever factory-turbocharged Corvette. 

I’m not sure Holder had the opportunity to sit back and revel at the ZR1’s claim to fame. The turbocharged Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 on the C8 platform, its electronically controlled wastegate and all, has the potential to dethrone several American icons and put the stars and stripes on the map of world-class supercars. 

The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 from the top.
The new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 | General Motors

1,064 horsepower is the result of the LT7 application, a flat-plane “high-revving magic” V8 engine with the forced induction treatment. As a result, the ZR1 produces four-figure horsepower figures, a first for the nameplate. What’s more, at 6,000 RPM, the ZR1 will produce 828 lb-ft of torque. 

That, and it’s an astonishing 206 horsepower ahead of the previous title holder, the Z06. You know, I’ll admit that not a lot prompts the same pride in my country that I once had. The ZR1 does. It just does. I look forward to the time when I’ll get to compare the latest top-trumps evidence of the Corvette’s capabilities against its already spectacular siblings.

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Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).