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Chevrolet recently announced that the biggest name in Corvette lore will debut on July 25th. However, even with the promise of swivel-eyed lunacy, the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will have some serious shoes to fill and hurdles to overcome, like the C7 ZR1 and current Z06.

The upcoming C8 Corvette ZR1 has some serious performance expectations to meet

July 25th, 2024. It’s marked on the Corvette-clad calendars of fans worldwide. Not because of a special birthday. No, dear reader. It’s the day that General Motors and Chevrolet will pull the cover back and reveal the next punctuation mark in the story of America’s sweetheart performance car: the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

To upstage the mighty C8 Z06, Chevrolet will likely take the buttery smooth and savage LT6 5.5L V8 and endow it with a set of turbochargers. Moreover, the ZR1 will, without a doubt, upgrade the Z06’s aero. This will almost certainly be the fastest Corvette ever. Full stop. 

But you also have the short-lived C7 ZR1. No, it didn’t last beyond the 2019 model year. No, it didn’t feature a European-esque mid-engine layout. It did, however, summon 755 horsepower courtesy of a 6.2L V8 with what engineers called the “BAS,” or big-ass supercharger. As a result, the previous-generation ZR1 is the most powerful production Corvette ever. However, we expect a twin-turbo C8 ZR1 to produce over 800 horsepower—a new king of the Corvette Kingdom. 

However, the C7 ZR1 isn’t a one-trick, straight-line rocket. The light, horsepower-hungry ZR1 managed to lap the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 7:04. That qualified the range-topping C7 model as the second-fastest production American car ever to lap the “Green Hell.” The only car faster? The 2017 Dodge Viper ACR.

More recently, the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pumped out just 670 horsepower, 90 fewer than the now-discontinued C7 ZR1. However, the Z06’s high-revving LT6 engine, carbon-ceramic brakes, aggressive aero, and mid-engine construction make it a corner-carving supercar.

I drove the C8 Z06 and hybridized E-Ray on the track at the National Corvette Museum (NCM) Motorsports Park, and the Z06 is, quite simply, the most exciting Plastic Fantastic ever. It’s point, shoot, stop, explode. But beyond the Z06’s outrageous performance potential, it’s also the most bombastic piece of music in the Corvette’s historic eight-cylinder repertoire. Simply put, the upcoming ZR1 had better bring its A-game.

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Staff Writer

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).