Retro-Vette? 2025 Chevy Corvette Split-Window ZR1 Coupe

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Chevrolet said late yesterday that the  Corvette ZR1, aka The King of the Hill, returns sometime in 2025 with the most powerful V8 ever produced in America from an auto manufacturer to confront the world’s best supercars in both a split-window coupe and convertible variants. The upcoming Corvette ZR1 has a 5.5L, twin-turbocharged DOHC flat-plane crank V8 engine dubbed the LT7. It produces 1064 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 828 lb.-ft. of torque at 6000 rpm, per SAE engine testing guidelines.

“Corvette ZR1 is about pushing the envelope with raw power and cutting-edge innovation. From Stingray, to Z06, E-Ray, and now ZR1, the Corvette family continues to elevate with each new iteration — and challenge the best in the world,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Chevrolet.

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Corvette ZR1 has a GM-estimated top speed of more than 215 mph on a racetrack and will dispatch the quarter mile with a GM-estimated sub-10-second time¹. [see 1 in footnotes below]. The carbon fiber aero package creates more than 1200 pounds of downforce at top speed.

The 2025 ZR15.5L LT7 twin-turbocharged DOHC V8 engine starts with the same architecture as Z06’s LT6, the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 engine ever. However, it adds twin turbochargers, a factory Corvette first.

Unique to the 5.5-liter LT7 twin-turbo V8:

• Head castings with unique ports and a larger combustion chamber
• Valve train timing and lift profile optimized for forced induction with higher exhaust temp enabling exhaust valves
• Completely new intake system tuned for twin turbochargers
• CNC machined combustion chamber, exhaust and intake ports specific to the LT7
• Dual, ported shroud, ball bearing, mono-scroll (76 mm) turbochargers integrated with the exhaust manifold to reduce the volume and distance from the exhaust valve to the turbine wheel for quick response with electronic wastegates
• Intelligent anti-lag engine calibration techniques specifically for ZR1 that adapt and react to driving style

The LT7 engine also builds upon this engine architecture with:

• Added block and head machining to support turbo cooling and oiling
• Counterweight changes to account for a unique piston, and unique connecting rod for the crank train
• A secondary port fuel injection system added to deliver the needed additional fuel to support the engine’s massive output

There are numerous changes to the Corvette ZR1’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, including:

• Inner and outer input shaft upgrades
• Increased gear capacity with strength increased via shot peening for all gears
• Final drive refinements
• Oil management to support increased vehicle longitudinal and lateral capability
• Increased control valves to accommodate the higher required clutch clamp load for LT7

The LT7 engine is purpose-built and will be hand-assembled at the Performance Build Center, part of the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky.

Two chassis setups, complete with Magnetic Ride dampers will become available. The standard Corvette ZR1 chassis has a sleeker body with lower drag and a small spoiler with customer-adjustable short and tall wickers. It also includes a standard carbon-fiber front splitter, rocker moldings, side intake with integrated brake cooling, and front underwing with stall gurney deflectors. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on20-inch front, and 21-inch rear wheels. The standard chassis blends the best of on-road comfort and track capability with this setup.

Corvette ZR1 specific aerodynamic and cooling changes found throughout the car include:

• Flow-through hood: Air enters the front grille, flows through the intercooler heat exchanger and exits the hood to increase front downforce and cool charged air temperatures.
• Carbon fiber side profile air ducts: Clean, cool air is funneled through ducts, which are cleanly integrated into the signature wishbone bezel behind the cabin doors to cool the rear brakes through an intricately designed system that doesn’t impact rear wheel travel
• Unique fresh air intake ducts: Carbon fiber inlets located on top of the coupe rear hatch ingest air to cool the turbo compressor inlet air temperatures.

Corvette ZR1’s optional ZTK performance package adds an aggressive, high-downforce rear wing, front dive planes, and a tall hood Gurney lip – all constructed from woven carbon fiber. Underneath, underbody strakes replace the standard front underwing stall Gurney to increase front downforce. The suspension tuning included in the ZTK package incorporates stiffer springs and adds Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. Testing and development occurred at times on some the world’s most demanding racetracks, including the Nürburgring, Road Atlanta, and Virginia International Raceway. Carbon Aero, with all aerodynamic equipment from the ZTK package, is available on the standard ZR1 chassis as well.

There’s also a new brake system. It uses a carbon ceramic rotor manufacturing technology to yield increased durability and reduced brake component temperatures. Front rotors measure 15.7 inches (400mm) in diameter and rear rotors 15.4 inches (390mm) in diameter — the front rotors are the largest ever equipped on Corvette.  GM said that in just 24.5 seconds, the Corvette ZR1 goes from 80-200 mph and back to 80 mph — 22% quicker than the C7 Corvette ZR1, and 53% quicker than the C6 Corvette ZR1.

“We went into the ZR1 program with lofty goals, but even our first development tests on-track showed the teams were already exceeding them,” said Tadge Juechter, executive chief engineer, Corvette. “As we worked to develop this car, we continued to leap past expectations, and we knew we had a special Corvette on our hands.”

Inevitable Corvette Footnotes

1 On a closed course. Based on initial vehicle movement.