Meet the ultimate Corvette, a twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid with close to one megawatt of power capable of 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration in less than two seconds, but it’s not expected to hit Australia.
The most powerful and hardcore Chevrolet Corvette to hit US roads – and one of the world’s fastest cars – will be known as the ZR1X, but it is not expected to be sold in Australia.
Revealed overnight, the mid-mounted Corvette ZR1X combines the 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 from the ‘regular’ ZR1 track edition with electric motors derived from the cheaper E-Ray.
The result is an incredible 932kW – or 1250 horsepower – claimed to enable a 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration time of “under two seconds”, thanks to all-wheel drive and sticky track-day tyres.
Chevrolet claims a quarter-mile (402m) standing-start time of “under nine seconds” – quicker than every electric car Tesla sells – at a finish speed of over 241km/h.
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However, the flagship Corvette – previously tipped to wear the Zora badge, named after 1960s Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov – is not expected to reach Australia, given the ‘base’ ZR1 is not made in right-hand drive.
At the heart of the ZR1X is the rear-wheel-drive ZR1’s 5.5-litre twin-turbo, flat-plane-crank V8 developing 793kW and 1123Nm, matched with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.
The turbochargers are placed as close to the exhaust valves as possible to reduce lag, and clever technology keeps the turbos spinning when the driver lifts off the throttle for better response when it is re-applied.
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The front axle is driven by an electric motor sourced from the Corvette E-Ray, which has no mechanical connection to the rear axle, and is charged by the V8 or through recuperation under braking, rather than needing to be plugged in.
The ZR1X shares the E-Ray’s 1.9kWh gross-capacity battery, but increasing its usable energy for “greater lapping capability” raises its peak operating voltage, and therefore the electric motor’s output is now 139kW/197Nm, up from 120kW/165Nm.
Strengthened internal components and “improvements in energy deployment” have also assisted the power boost, with the e-motor used at speeds up to 258km/h (160mph).
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Chevrolet says the ZR1X is more than a ZR1 with an E-Ray hybrid system bolted in, and there have been upgrades elsewhere in the car to boost performance.
Among the features available is a ‘push-to-pass’ mode akin to a Formula One car, which unlocks full power for a short burst at the touch of a button.
Qualifying mode deploys the “optimum power strategy for the ultimate lap time,” while Endurance mode – activated through the Charge+ button – “adjusts the battery’s energy storage strategy for extended lapping and consistent … output for a full tank of fuel,” Chevrolet says.
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A new PTM Pro traction-control system has been added to all 2026 Corvettes, including the ZR1X.
It turns off the regular traction and stability control systems, but keeps launch control, Regen Brake Torque Vectoring (recovering energy for the electric motor without hurting handling), and Front Axle Pre-Control (which manages the inside front brake on corner exit for optimum traction).
Standard on the ZR1X is a ‘J59’ brake package set to become an option on the 2026 ZR1, with 419mm front and rear carbon-ceramic discs clamped by 10-piston front and six-piston rear Alcon calipers.
The Corvette’s maker claims they make for “most resilient production car braking system” it has ever developed, recording 1.9G of deceleration – nearly twice the force of gravity – from 290km/h and 193km/h.
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Buyers can choose from a standard road-focused suspension tune with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, or the ZTK Performance Package with a firmer track-oriented set-up and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R rubber.
Both systems include adaptive functionality, wrapped around 20-inch front and 21-inch wheels.
There is a further Carbon Aero package, which adds front dive planes, underbody strakes, a ‘Gurney lip’ spoiler on the front heat-extractor bonnet vent, and a tall rear wing.
Available as a standalone option, or standard with the ZTK pack, the carbon-fibre extras claim 544kg of downforce at the car’s not-stated top speed.
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The ZR1X’s styling is shared with the ZR1 – with a wide-body design, and aggressive splitters and skirts – as is its interior, updated for 2026 with a larger touchscreen and reworked climate controls.
Deliveries of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X are due to commence in the US at the end of this year. Prices will be confirmed closer to launch.
In the US, the rear-drive ZR1 starts from $US178,195 ($AU274,000), while the E-Ray hybrid commands a $US38,600 ($AU59,400) premium over the base Stingray on which it is based, suggesting $US215,000-plus ($AU330,000) for the new model.
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