Meet the Corvette ZR1X: America's 1,250-horsepower hybrid hypercar

Enough is never enough. Chevrolet has only just released the Corvette ZR1, which at 1,064 horsepower is the fastest, quickest and most outrageous production car ever to wear a bowtie on the hood.
It can keep the neckwear, but its performance crown has already found a new home. Meet the new ZR1X, an even higher-performance Corvette that will take America's sports car to new heights. It has 1,250HP, all-wheel drive and accelerates to 60MPH in less than two seconds.
Oh, and yes, it's a hybrid. I got an early look at the thing at a private debut recently, and here's everything you need to know about America's new hypercar.
The ZR1X joins an increasingly busy lineup of Corvette models that ensures buyers with budgets ranging from generous to extreme all have something to covet. The Stingray is still the base model, with a starting price of just over $70,000 and 490HP.
From a financial standpoint, next up is the Corvette E-Ray, the hybrid model introduced in 2023. It adds a 160HP electric motor to the proceedings, resulting in a total output of 655HP. The E-Ray is positioned as something of a grand tourer: really fast but with a somewhat relaxed attitude. That also starts at a little over $100,000.
From there, you can step up to the higher-performance, more track-focused Z06 model, which, unsurprisingly, is also higher priced. It has a much racier 5.5-liter V8 engine making 670HP and a spendier starting price of just over $110,000.
Those were recently joined by the new ZR1, which adds turbochargers plus numerous engine updates to deliver that whopping 1,064HP and a wild 233MPH top speed. Its asking price is also wild, starting at around $175,000. That already makes it the most expensive Corvette ever, but things are about to get more extreme.
The ZR1X is something of a melding of the ZR1 and the hybrid E-Ray. It borrows the electrical layout from the E-Ray and mounts it inside a ZR1, including that car's turbocharged V8 and wild aerodynamic appendages. Layer on some tasty upgrades to both the electric drive system and other aspects of the car, and you have the new 1,250HP ZR1X.
Combining the ZR1 and E-Ray gets you a good way towards creating the ZR1X, but there is a lot more to it than that. The ZR1X uses a battery pack with a revised internal construction, resulting in a capacity increase of 26 percent. But keep in mind this isn't a plug-in hybrid. You're still talking about something with a battery capacity of less than three kWh. You won't be driving in your ZR1X emissions-free.
The hybrid system is there for more performance, and to that end, the car has a few new drive modes to help optimize the delivery of energy from that new pack. First is Endurance Mode, where the ZR1X will provide full power to the front motor but not tax the battery so much that you have to worry about running out of charge mid-session.
Then there's Qualifying Mode. Select this, and the ZR1X will dump all the energy it can through the front motor to give you the outright maximum single-lap pace. There's also a "Push to Pass" button, providing a brief period of maximum acceleration for those times when you absolutely need to get past that lollygagger ahead who's costing you precious seconds on your commute.
All that extra speed necessitated some upgrades in the stopping department. The ZR1X wears a set of massive carbon brakes from Alcon, the company that makes these parts for some of Chevrolet's racing machines. The 16.5-inch discs at the front equate to 1.9G of braking force. Installing a race harness might be a good idea so that you don't go flying out of the chair the first time you hit that left pedal.
Despite the extra power at the front axle from that electric motor, the ZR1X rolls on the same size tires as the less-powerful, rear-driven ZR1. "We were tempted to go wider," the Corvette's chief engineer Josh Holder told me. "That's a delicate balance between unsprung mass and driving dynamics off-power, and we believe we've made the right choice."
Holder said it came down to working with Michelin on tire development plus some tweaks to the car's traction management software. "That's one of the things that we had to tune very carefully, given the power output now in ZR1X, just to make sure that we're not spinning up the front axle when you're at a high lateral load," he said.
Keith Badgley, development engineer on the ZR1X, said that, despite the extra power and everything else, the ZR1X will still have the same accessible performance feel that defines the Corvette line: "We designed this to be as composed as the Stingray with but with two and a half times the power. We wanted ultimate traction, maximum acceleration."
"I would say it doesn't drive differently, in terms of being able to claw out over the corner, being able to balance the car with power delivery from the front axle," Holder said. "You can do things in the E-Ray and the ZR1X that, if you did in the rear-drive car, would not work out so well for you... But that balance and dynamics, they behave similarly to the ZR1X has more capability."
But what it probably won't offer is the same level of attainability that the Corvette has historically been known for. Chevrolet isn't saying how much the ZR1X will cost when it goes on sale later this year. But it surely won't be cheap.
Again, the ZR1 starts at about $175,000. The E-Ray carries a price that's roughly $30,000 over the base Stingray. If we apply the same premium here, we're in the ballpark of $200,000. Add on the other upgrades, like the fancy Alcon brakes and better battery pack, and it's easy to assume that this thing will be priced within reach of some European exotics.
Will it be worth it? We'll have to wait and see until we get a go behind the wheel, but Chevrolet has already been testing the thing extensively around the Nurburgring, covering over 600 miles at the greatest vehicular performance playground on the planet. Hopefully, it does just as well on the streets and circuits closer to home.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

8 hours ago

• Yahoo

Supercars Darwin: Feeney completes clean sweep

Broc Feeney completed a clean sweep of all three Supercars races at Hidden Valley, taking another convincing win at the Darwin circuit. Feeney started from pole position, again, and was headed only briefly over the 70-lap distance to take his third win of the weekend and sixth at the track for and his Triple Eight Chevrolet. Advertisement From pole he dominated the early going, building a small gap before he dropped the hammer on lap 10, building a 3s lead in four laps. But Grove Racing's Matt Payne made his first compulsory pitstop on lap 14, undercutting Feeney and seizing the lead when the Camaro driver emerged from the pitlane on lap 30. But Feeney, on much fresher tyres, duly reclaimed the lead two laps later. In the second half of the race the two drivers stuck to their strategies. Feeney's second stop came with just eight laps to go and he resumed 2.4s in the lead, stretching that to six seconds at the flag, the first driver to sweep the Darwin races since Scott McLaughlin did it six years ago. 'The triple crown has always been a thing for me,' said a happy Feeney. 'I watched Scotty win it back in 2019 and I am so proud of this team. It is hard to put together a weekend like that. I tried to look after the tyres and I got three cracker starts, and I could put my foot down when it was needed.' Broc Feeney, Triple Eight Race Engineering Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Broc Feeney, Triple Eight Race Engineering Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 For Payne third would have to suffice, still a strong result from the third row of the grid, just behind of his team-mate Kai Allen, on the podium for the second day in a row. On fresher tyres than Payne the 19-year-old found a way past with five laps of the race remaining. Advertisement Jack Le Brocq took fourth for Erebus Motorsport after starting second, but only after a late fight to hold out the man he replaced last season. Will Brown had to play another recovery role, starting 11th after missing the top-10 qualifying shootout by less than a tenth of a second, and finishing a similar margin behind Le Brocq. Chaz Mostert produced an impressive recovery drive for Walkinshaw Andretti United, having started from the pitlane after experiencing a clutch problem on the formation lap, but managed the problem during the race and brought his Ford Mustang home in 12th place. Feeney leaves Darwin 183 points up on Brown, but Payne is now just 14 points in arrears in third place. Cameron Waters, whose Tickford Mustang shed a wheel with a lap to go, was classified 24th and is now fourth in the points, 320 – effective an entire round - behind Feeney. Supercars returns to action at Townsville on 11-13 July for the seventh round of the season, with three races at the Reid Park street circuit. Supercars Darwin - Race 3 results To read more articles visit our website.

16 hours ago

Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR national series debut as crew chief at Pocono

LONG POND, Pa. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,' Earnhardt said. 'And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.' Earnhardt — who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. 'I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,' Earnhardt said. 'I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.' The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. 'Midway through the race man, I was feeling it,' Earnhardt said. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt. 'I don't know that I see myself doing it again,' he said.

Chicago Tribune

16 hours ago

• Chicago Tribune

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins another race — as a first-time crew chief in Xfinity Series

LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,' Earnhardt said. 'And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.' Earnhardt, who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times, made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug-nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Older daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while younger Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. 'I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,' Earnhardt said. 'I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.' The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Famer — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. 'Midway through the race, man, I was feeling it,' Earnhardt said. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt. 'I don't know that I see myself doing it again,' he said.