Corvette ZR1 production started
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BREUKELEN – June 23, 2008: A very memorable moment for all the super car fans: the production of the ZR1 has started at the Bowling Green factory. And the good news for Europe, just a few months patience and the launch is a fact. Only fifty of this ‘Fastest Corvette Ever’ will hit Europe from the US-factory this year.
With the start of production, the official Corvette ZR1 performance figures have been released and they are impressive:
The Corvette ZR1 has a top speed of 330 km/h, good for the above mentioned title ’Fastest Corvette Ever’ and ranks it among the global super cars of commensurate performance. None of those other super cars, however, equals the ZR1’s performance-per-invested money ratio.
“The ZR1 is an incredible machine by any measure,” said Ed Peper, vice president at Corvette. “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 0-100 km/h performance is 0.3-second quicker
than the already-quick Corvette Z06 with 512 hp. And the 0-160 km/h
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 in a considerably higher price-range.
“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.”
The production site and the racetrack aren’t the only places where the ZR1 (aka Blue Devil) trumps its super-car competitors – it beats them at the gas pump, too. According to official figures the ZR1’s consumption is 16,8 ltr (city) and 11,7 ltr (highway) at 100 km and beat competitors such as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (21,4 city / 15,7 highway); the Lamborghini Murcielago (29,4 city / 18,1 highway) and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (19,6 city / 12,4 highway). They’re competitive with the Dodge Viper (18,1 city / 10,7 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15,7 city / 10,7 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, Michigan.
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. Since the production started the demand of customers worldwide for this already named the Mega Beast is huge. This year around fifty cars will be available for Europe.
Options
The ZR1 comes with accoutrements based on the Z06,
including lightweight seats and lightweight content. The interior 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.
Detailed pricing will follow and introduction in Europe is estimated this fall.