Chevrolet Corvette Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X at the Nürburgring Nordschleife (Photo courtesy of Chevrolet)
Every vehicle is measured by certain statistics. Horsepower and torque are always taken into consideration. For most car buyers, mpg is a significant selling point. The number of inches an infotainment display measures is a key differentiator because, when it comes to screen size (just as with TVs), size matters. Supercars prove their performance with their lap times at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, a.k.a. “the Green Hell,” a 12.9-mile course which many consider the most difficult in the world. Setting a time under seven minutes is a major accomplishment—and Chevrolet recently did it twice with the C8 Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X.
Nearly two years ago, Chevrolet set out to join the short list of manufacturers who have pulled off that feat of engineering, performance, and skill, calling it Project 7. Instead of choosing one Corvette, Chevrolet bettered its chances by taking the new Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X. But unlike other manufacturers, it decided against using professional race car drivers. Chevy turned to three engineers who know its top Corvettes inside and out, who have driven a combined total of nearly 2,000 laps on the Nürburgring: Aaron Link, Vehicle Performance Manager, piloted the Z06, which is powered by a 670-horsepower, naturally aspirated DOHC 5.5-liter V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft. Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer Brian Wallace was responsible for getting the twin-turbo, 1,064-horse Z06 into the record books. Drew Cattell, Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, was behind the wheel of the ZR1X hybrid, which combines the ZR1’s enormously powerful LT7 V8 with the Corvette E-Ray’s electric front-axle motor to produce an asphalt-scorching 1,250 horsepower.
After using the simulator at the Milford Proving Ground, a massive international logistics operation, practice laps, telemetry analysis, and waiting for the weather to cooperate, Link, Wallace, Cattell, and their colleagues started the final phase of Project 7. To optimize each car for the track and the demanding conditions there, the Corvette crew pre-warmed each set of tires in special ovens and blew fans on the radiators between laps.
In the end, Project 7 was a success. The Z06 crossed the finish line in 7:11.826, which is way above the target time, but also faster than the Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept in the prototypes/pre-production vehicles category. The ZR1 pulled a 6:50.763, beating the Ford Mustang GTD by more than a second and securing the Corvette the #7 spot on the list of fastest production cars at the Nürburgring (in the same class). The ZR1X leap-frogged that time and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS with a time of 6:49.275, which puts it at #5 on the leader board. The only four cars ranking higher are German exotics, including the $2.8-million Mercedes-AMG One at the top, which uses an F1-derived turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 and an array of electric motors.
It’s not a stretch to say the mid-engine C8 Corvette is a world-class performance car. It’s also not a surprise that the Corvette is a bargain compared to its European rivals. Both the Z06 and ZR1 have starting prices well below $200,000; Chevrolet hasn’t released the ZR1X’s MSRP, but it’s safe to assume it won’t be anywhere close to $3 million.