The 2009 ZR1 Corvette - The King of the Hill

The 2009 ZR1 Corvette - The King of the Hill

Chevrolet plans to release a new corvette in 2009, well not exactly new, it's and upgraded version of the ZR1 corvette from the 1980's, and when I say up graded I mean up graded, more power, better handling, more comfortable, well yo get the idea, this car is the king of the hill, the best of the best that Chevrolet has to offer.

With it's supercharged LS9 engine it is putting out about 650 horsepower, making it the most powerful car built by Chevrolet for a long long time, and making the corvette set salivate, waiting with anticipation, chomping at the bit ready for something new, and this is just what the doctor ordered for a corvette freak.

With more then enough power to satisfy the most power hungry corvette freak, and the Euro styling of the new corvette, it will no doubt be a huge seller, and no doubt be unbeatable by any stock muscle car on the market, yes I said any, and that includes the Viper, being as how the corvette can already hold it's own against the viper.

Chevrolet has dropped the displacement of the engine down to 6.2 liters, and added another 149 horsepower, obviously this will not be a cheap car, it's not going to be a car for a person that makes $30,000 per year, it will be in the low to mid $100,000 dollar range, making it out of the budget of a normal person.

With all the technology that Chevrolet is throwing at this car, it's no wonder that it will not be cheap, I have to give them "CUDOS" for building such a cool car, it's just like that old days, when Chevrolet was the top dog, they are on their way to being the king again.

To put all that power to the ground, in a manor that won't have you fish tailing all over the road Chevrolet has added Michelin Pilot Sport 285/30ZR19s at the front of this monster, and at the rear the awesome power of this engine is being distributed by way of Michelin Pilot Sport 335/25ZR20s, this car has the stance of a muscle car, but will handle like a sports car making it the only choice for a true American muscle car guy or girl.

The ZO6 corvette had a very stiff suspension, making it difficult to drive quickly on the road, whereas the new corvette ZR1 will use some Euro tech known as magneto-rheological dampers, like the Ferrari 599, the fluid in these units is filled with iron particles and the viscosity can be instantly changed by varying an electric current passing through it, ride sensors in the car take measurements every 0.001 seconds, and translate the information to the dampers every 0.002 seconds, adjusting the firmness of the ride to handle the corners much better then a stock mechanical system would.

With a six speed gear box, and Ferrari disc brakes at all four corners, stopping should be no problem either, as you well know, what speeds up must at one time on another slow down, and the brakes and transmission are just as important as the engine is to your safety, the brake rotors are made for a carbon ceramic composite, the Ferrari Enzo used these brakes on the front wheels, the corvette will use them at all four corners.

The Tremec 6060 will handle the power distribution from the engine to the road, and to show off a bit of it's new attitude, the speedometer will move for a 200 mph unit in the ZO6 Corvette, and a new 220 mph unit in the all new ZR1, with all of this awesome technology, it will be a car lovers dream come true, all that power and grace in a Chevrolet corvette, not a Porsche, not any Euro car, the corvette, and American built sports car, yes I said American.

I've been in the automotive business for about 20 or 25 years, I have worked in all facets of the industry, from parts to restoration, all different makes and models, I just want to keep people interested in the old cars because it's where my heart is.

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