Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X surfaces

THE MIND boggles at Chevrolet’s just announced new Corvette ZR1X two-seat sports car with 935kW/1122Nm capable of an estimated sub 2.0 second 0-100km/h sprint that rivals Croatian outfit Rimac’s $A3.2 million monumentally quick, all electric Nevera hypercar… at a fraction the cost.

Using the already astonishing Corvette ZR1 as a base, Chevrolet blended in and enhanced the good bits from its electrified Corvette E-Ray hybrid model to create the ZR1X hypercar that rocks an electrified all-wheel drive powertrain to deliver what the manufacturer claims is and the most advanced Corvette ever.

“With ZR1 and ZR1X, Chevrolet now has the most powerful American performance car duo of any auto manufacturer,” the iconic brand says in a statement.

GM’s senior vice president Ken Morris enthused “From day one, we designed the mid-engine Corvette architecture with ZR1X in mind”.

“This is the most revolutionary platform in Corvette history, supporting the widest range of American sports cars and delivering world-class performance at every level,” he added.

The heart of the beast is a high revving, LT7 twin-turbo 5.5-litre petrol V8 engine with a forged flat plane crank out of Corvette ZR1 mated to a 140kW/197Nm electric motor on the front axle with V8 power going to the rear axle through an eight speed dual clutch transmission.

The “Gemini” small-block V8 petrol engine is a tech tour-de-force with a finger-follower valve train and dry-sump lubrication, is hand built and was developed alongside the naturally aspirated flat-plane crankshaft engines powering the Corvette Z06 and Z06 GT3.R race car.

Massive efficiency gains are delivered through a pair of 76mm turbochargers incorporated into a “maniturbo” exhaust design that combines the manifold and turbocharger housing to get the turbos as close to the exhaust valves as possible for improvements to throttle response by decreasing time needed to build boost.

It has dynamic anti-lag controls that maintain turbo speed when off-throttle in certain situations, so boost is available rapidly when throttle is reapplied.

The ZR1X benefits from intel’ gleaned through Chevrolet’s E-Ray program, the first-ever AWD Corvette, combining a high-voltage battery pack and electric motor driving the front axle with V8 propulsion on the rear axle.

Chevrolet says there’s no physical connection between the two power sources on ZR1X, and the electrified propulsion system is not a plug-in with charging taking place through regenerative action from the front drive unit.

The sleek model’s battery pack is located low and centralized within the rigid spine of the chassis and was designed specifically to rapidly cycle between applying bursts of power and charging.

The battery has a capacity of 1.9kWh like E-Ray with improvements raising peak operating voltage, which increases power output from the front drive unit.

The compact electric motor retains the same shape and size of the E-Ray front drive unit with strengthened internal components and improvements in energy deployment to generate additional power and torque.

Chevrolet engineers have calibrated the ZR1X’s drivetrain to disengage the front axle at speeds above 257km/h for improved acceleration and on-track balance.

Chassis control is via a modified E-Ray platform that is significantly upgraded for ZR1X which constantly monitors driver inputs and vehicle conditions to blend power at both axles for responsiveness and traction management.

For track driving, the ZR1X uses specialized energy strategies designed to maximise electrified output based on track session demands and driver preferences.

They include Endurance – engaging the Charge+ button adjusts the battery’s energy storage strategy for extended lapping and consistent eAWD output for a full tank of fuel, Qualifying – optimum power strategy for the ultimate lap time and Push-to-Pass – max available power on-demand.

Other cool kit employed on the ZR1X is PTM Pro, offered on all MY26 Corvettes, to deliver “the purest driving experience”.

It turns off traction and stability control, but the following features remain active: Regen’ Brake Torque Vectoring – engineered to recover peak energy without sacrificing agility, Front Axle Pre-Control – actively manages inside front brake pressure to enable maximum corner-exit traction, Launch Control – customizable settings enable rapid acceleration from a rest, Ultimate authority on-road and at the track.

Braking is by Alcon 10-piston front and six-piston rear callipers on the largest diameter rotors (carbon-ceramic) ever offered on Corvette. 

The ZR1X is offered in two chassis configurations that both feature magnetic ride control — the standard chassis, accompanied by Michelin PS4S tires, provides a comfortable touring car on-road feel and is highly capable at the track and the available ZTK Performance Package that incorporates higher spring rates and is firmer. Paired with the grip of Michelin’s Pilot Cup 2R tires, is the pinnacle of Corvette performance.

Options include high-downforce Carbon Aero package to a standard chassis ZR1X, adding dive planes, underbody strakes, a bonnet gurney lip over the front heat extractor and a highly effective rear wing. This package is capable of 545kg of downforce at top speed and comes standard on ZTK-equipped cars.

The MY26 update brings a refreshed interior, new three screen dash layout and a reimagined console design along with new colours and interior materials.

The ZR1X is built in the US at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky from US and globally sourced parts, with every LT7 engine hand-assembled by the master engine builders at the Bowling Green Performance Build Centre.

Further details on price and possible availability Down Under will be shared soon.