2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 testing on the Nordschleife (pictures included)

[monaroCountry]

2009 Corvette ZR1 testing


From:bridgetogantry.com - 2009 Corvette ZR1 testing



2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 testing on the Nordschleife


How does 620bhp of supercharged American V8 grab you? Probably by the collar and in a menacing manner. When next-year's Corvette powered past me yesterday I definitely felt something stir.


New top-of-the-line 'Vette packs 620bhp and
Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes!

Anybody who has ever been in a Z06 Corvette will know that this is one American car that's not afraid of corners or real race tracks. So fans of the marque will be pleased to see that nothing's changing on that front for the new top-of-the-range Corvette.
The GM boys are over in force to set up the new 200mph+ car on the toughest race circuit in the world. And from this spectator's vantage point, it looks like the development is moving in the right direction. Totally planted, smacking into the apex with brute force and exiting at speed thanks to that supercharged 6.2 litre LS9 V8. The whine of Eaton roots-type blower overwhelmed by the incredible exhaust note.

Next I want to get a video of this baby double-tonning the Dottinger straight - but I'll have to wait for the rain to stop and the GM boys to come back out of the T13 industry pitlane...

[Cotterik]

really loving the rear end. the black top and the vents and added tweaks really make that look special. I'd love to see this take on the GT-R on the track.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Does the ZR-1 have the same roofline and boot as the other C6's? Because those shots make it look weird.

[culver]

Originally Posted by 2ndclasscitizen

Does the ZR-1 have the same roofline and boot as the other C6's? Because those shots make it look weird.

Same lines. The teardrop shape of the rear window combined with the tall tail make the car look odd from some angles. As good as that looks, I still prefer the simple LeMans Blue C6 featured on Victory by Design. Clean and simple… and still fast.

[bruxell]

I'm getting a little tired of cars like this and the new GT-R; cars that are faster, but also heavier, more insulated, and I think probably less fun.

[culver]

The ZR1 isn't much heavier than the standard Corvette. A quick search turned up the following:
3350lb for the ZR1
3180lb for the Z51 (standard Vette with uprated suspension, not sure which options)
3130lb for the Z06

It is heavier but remember that some of that weight is things like the dry sump oil system on the Z06 and ZR1. I also thought it was interesting that the ZR1 actually skipped over some of the light weight rear end parts. GM decided it was better to get more weight over the tail as opposed to reduce overall weight. That is the drawback of putting extra motor up front.

However, I do get your point. GM has said they believe that the Z06 will still be the driver's version of the car even if it's down a bit on power compared to the ZR1. Personally, I really like the Z51 that I drove. Not quite as loud as the other two. Very livable day to day. Contrary to some reports the ride is fine over Indiana's frost bitten roads. The 400hp Vette was hardly slow. Also, the more run of the mill Vette can be had for well under $50k new. Personally, I don't really care if the GT-R is faster. So much of that is because it has very smart computers doing a very good job of getting power down to all 4 wheels. I'm very impressed with what Nissan was able to do and to be honest, I didn't expect the GT-R to be that impressive.
However, I personally, would rather have a Cayman, Elise or likely Z51 Corvette. Driving involvement is more important to me. I suspect any of those three would be more involving even if not as fast. Heck, I had a 1.6L Miata, clearly I was willing to trade speed for something!

[bruxell]

[quote=culver;796928]The ZR1 isn't much heavier than the standard Corvette. A quick search turned up the following:
3350lb for the ZR1
3180lb for the Z51 (standard Vette with uprated suspension, not sure which options)
3130lb for the Z06
QUOTE]

You're quite right, of course. I was refering more to the overall upward trend in all capacities of this market segment, weight, grip, power... I haev a Focus SVT and, at times, I find that a little too heavy and grippy to be much fun. It feels heavy, and that not only dulls the responses, but makes one think about how far it might travel if and when the grip goes away.

[baddabang]

Seems like it completed its first run.

Originally Posted by Edmunds.com

After months of seeing the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 sitting on a stand at auto shows, we can finally bring you video of the 620-horsepower supercar in action — and you won't be disappointed. Shot on the Nürburgring test track in Germany, the engineers behind the wheel of the most powerful Corvette ever were flogging it hard and we have the lap times to prove it.

According to our shooters on the ground, the Corvette ZR1 was turning in lap times in the low 7:40s, a pace that puts it right up there with the world's fastest supercars. And given the damp conditions and rough, hand-timed numbers, you can expect to see even quicker official lap times when Chevrolet goes public with its Nürburgring data.

Introduced earlier this year at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is a limited-production version of the standard Corvette. It features a supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 rated at 620 hp and 595 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed transmission sends power to the 335/35R20 tires. Extensive use of carbon fiber gives the ZR1 a unique look, but it still weighs a few hundred pounds more than a standard Corvette Z06.

That said, the folks at Chevrolet aren't worried about the performance potential of their $100,000 halo car. According to ZR1 Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter, the ZR1 will beat the track record for production cars at any road course in the world.

Looks like they still have some work to do at the Nürburgring, because the Nissan GT-R has already run a lap of 7:38. We're guessing the ZR1 will be able to shave off another 4 seconds without much trouble. The only question now is how much quicker than 7:38 can it go? We'll keep you posted.

Can't wait to see times with a dry track, and a proper driver.

[70cuda88]

does anybody have any other times for other cars in its class...

i really dont know what a "good" time is at the ring, but maybe a few comparisons could help

[h22a]

thought it would of been a bit quicker. what time does a Z06 get?
Dry track + good driver = 7:32 i reckon

[baddabang]

Originally Posted by 70cuda88

does anybody have any other times for other cars in its class...

i really dont know what a "good" time is at the ring, but maybe a few comparisons could help

I think the GTR did it in 7:38.

[clutch-monkey]

and that was with a driver slowing it down.

[CircuitHero]

For what its worth, I think the ZR1 will be a fantastic car. As for the GTR, although the production car hit a 7.38, the new V-Spec (also spotted testing at the 'Ring recently) is rumoured to run under the 7.25 barrier. If theres any truth in that, then its incredible.

[key1710]

YouTube - ZR1 Corvette Racing on Track - EXCLUSIVE - Garage419

[clutch-monkey]

Originally Posted by CircuitHero

As for the GTR, although the production car hit a 7.38, the new V-Spec (also spotted testing at the 'Ring recently) is rumoured to run under the 7.25 barrier. If theres any truth in that, then its incredible.

i'll still be waiting for someone other than nissan to do either time with a GTR they bought off the showroom floor.