General Motors handed Jay Leno the keys to a pre-production 2025 Corvette ZR1, giving the world a sneak peek at this American supercar. With customer deliveries slated for June, this beast is already making waves.
Powering this machine is a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged LT7 V8 engine, churning out a staggering 1,064 horsepower and 828 pound-feet of torque. That’s more muscle than most cars dare to dream of, making it the most powerful V8 ever built in America, according to Chevrolet. For context, it outmuscles Jay Leno’s McLaren P1, a hybrid supercar with 903 horsepower. This engine, derived from the Corvette Z06’s but amped up with massive turbochargers, propels the ZR1 from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds. It blasts through a quarter-mile in 9.6 seconds at 150 mph with the optional ZTK Performance Package. Top speed? A blistering 233 mph, as confirmed by GM president Mark Reuss, who drove it himself: “Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally.”
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Shifting gears is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, sending all that power to the rear wheels. Leno noted its lightning-fast shifts, saying, “It’s wonderful to drive, it feels very together.” The ZR1’s agility comes from its mid-engine layout, a design shift for the Corvette’s C8 generation, placing the engine behind the driver for better balance. Add the ZTK Performance Package, and you get a massive rear wing, stiffer springs, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires, generating up to 1,200 pounds of downforce for glue-like grip at high speeds. Lead Performance Engineer Bill Wise piloted a pre-production ZR1 to a 1:52.7 lap time at Watkins Glen, smashing records at five U.S. tracks.
Visually, the ZR1 screams performance. Its wider stance, aggressive front fascia, and optional carbon fiber aero package (priced at $8,495) include a high-wing spoiler and dive planes for aerodynamic prowess. You can spec $14,000 visible carbon fiber wheels for extra flair, though the $995 wheels still look sharp. Inside, the cabin blends sport and luxury with GT2 bucket seats and a Carbon Fiber Interior Package Level 2 ($4,995). A front lift system ($2,595) raises the nose to dodge speed bumps, a practical touch for a car this low-slung.
Pricing starts at $174,995 for the coupe and $184,995 for the convertible. Fully loaded with options like the ZTK package and carbon fiber wheels, a 3LZ trim can push past $220,000. Chevrolet’s configurator lets buyers customize, but as of February 2025, it wasn’t calculating final costs. Still, GM’s strategy is clear: deliver hypercar performance at a fraction of the cost. Reuss emphasized this, telling Leno, “It’s the car that every American can be proud of.”
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