Spy photos: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

Wow, 25-section tires. Can you imagine mounting them on rims, not to mention how hard the ride must be?

I hope they bring the "burgundy" color back if they call it a ZR-1.
 
Bob, recent Callaway Corvettes have 20-series rear tires if I remember correctly.

It'll be very interesting to see how this one handles on anything but a glass smooth track (current Corvette Z06's tend to be twitchy in the tail - can GM keep those rubber coated rims under control?)).
 
But Chevrolet should have no trouble selling every one they build (even with astounding markups by their dealers!) . Will Chevrolet do the AUDI R8 trick where dealers have first crack at buying back the cars they sell to customers?
 
This car should definitely inspire Audi to put series 20 on the R8 or whatever they come up with to challenge this latest 'Vet!

this super vette looks great but i agree with Rsholland the 25 section tires do look big sporty and imposing but how much of a hassle will it be to mount these tires and more importantly how harsh will the ride be as a result of these tires. genrally sports car buyers want a car that can go insanely fast and provide a smooth ride and if this super vette does indeed have a harsh ride it might be a turnoff for some of those consumers

It seems like Chevy would have just reworked the current 7L V8 instead of offering the boosted 6.2 as I'm sure the 7L has A LOT of potential even though it already makes over 500hp. This car, like the Viper, should be a handful.

The ride's not going to matter. The styling is not going to matter. The interior won't matter. Why? Because they are only going to build less than 2,000 of these a year for only a 2-year run. I can guarantee you there will be more than 4,000 people willing to spend more than $100k to own the fastest and most power Corvette ever made, and one of the fastest street legal production cars ever made.
 
It will be rare to even see one of these cars much less actually ride in one or own one.

Why continue with this crazy horsepower war? Are there really that many ulta-high hp sales out there?

Owned a vette for 5 years ... it was the worst sports car I ever owned, terrible ride, no feel, poor handling, engine never ran right even after several trips to the dealer. There is more to a sports car than fast in a straight line, any motorcycle over 600cc (except a Harley) will outrun it in a straight line. I drive a Porsche now and love it.

Care to race your P-car against the "worst sports car you ever owned?" And I'm not talking in a straight line. Name the road course, and I'll be there. Bring lots of money.
 
I don't know what year and model Corvette you owned, but if you think all Corvettes are the same, you are sadly mistaken. Many Porsche owners make this same mistake until they get schooled on the track by a Z06. After initial disbelief, most quickly learn. It's entertaining actually.
 
Porsche's are nice, but over rated, and over priced. I call them out and reveal what they truly are all the time.

It's really hard to care how much HP a Vette makes because I can't remember the last time I ever saw one being driven fast.
 
Everyone I see is driven by a grey haired baby boomer at the same speed as all the minivans and Camrys of the world.
 
I hadn't noticed really until I pointed out a new one to my nephew and he just shrugged and called it an old man's car.
 
He does think Porshes are cool though.

When was the last time you saw a Porche being driven fast either? Porches are the quintessential midlife crisis car.
 
And Estreka, the answer is: A Lot.
 
The people who buy these cars don't care about the performance, per se. They care about the rarity, bragging rights, etc. Will you ever see one on the track? Rarely, if ever. They'll all be locked away in some collector's garage, for better or for worse.

Here's the reality about Porsches and Vettes. Most of the time you'll be stuck in traffic or going with the flow just like everyone else. So you have a little time to check out your accomodations. In the Porsche you'll notice how nice it is in there. In the Vette you'll be thinking that it reminds you an awful lot of a rental car in comparison and why is it so much bigger than the Porsche if it still only seats 2 people?

The Vette also costs much much less than a Porsche 911, level for level. The increased size is partly for a larger engine, partly for stability, and partly for largest in class passenger and cargo room (the Vette is one of the few sports cars my 5'10 girlfriend feels comfortable in). The first two make a difference at sustained high speed. In the latest Motor Trend (apologies to the Edmunds editors for mentioning the competition here) they have Danica Patrick drive a Porsche, Vette, Viper, and Lambo on a high speed test track up to their absolute top speeds. It was a 6 vs 8 vs 10 vs 12 cylinder shootout. The Porsche came in dead last, and they remarked that the 6 cylinder just couldn't motivate it enough. It was also incredibly twitchy and jerky. They concluded it was primarily set up for road courses, but in higher sustained speed contests (like the Silver State Challenge) the other cars would win. Different cars for different tastes. Oh also, the 08 Vette is available with major upgrades to the interior, as that was noted by Chevy as the area needing the most improvement. If I had the money to afford either machine, I'd take the fully loaded Vette, enjoy the serenity as my girlfriend enjoys the extra legroom, throw a couple suitcases in the back (try throwing a couple suitcases in the nose of the Porsche), and use part of the money I saved on a cross-country roadtrip.

Chevy will sell __every__ one of these, with the dealer making a big to huge profit on each one.
 
estreka, apparently there is a growing market for these huge horsepower cars, since more and more of them are showing up, perhaps because of a building backlash to "politically correct" attitudes car buyers are expected to have these days. Or because people feel these cars will be legislated out of existence soon and they __want their thrill ride now__!

i'm 48 years old , have gray hair, have a 2003 zo6 and love to rip it. the car is a rocket on wheels. it represents america and i'm so proud of that and to be driving it. porsche is a nice car but they are kind of silly looking and remained that silly look for as long as i can remember. all i need in the interior is a asskickin sound system and i got it. i don't sit there and feel the interior materials. there is no better high performance bargain on the planet. and hey guys it's american. see we can do something right. stick up for it. like it or not gm is america.

I disagree. GM isn't any more American than Honda or Toyota these days. When you buy a vehicle from almost any automaker, that money goes as much to American workers as it does to foreign workers. The only thing "American" about GM is that the brass is headquartered in Detroit.