Fastest-ever 2026 Corvette is a twin-turbo hybrid hypercar
A 2026 "blade-silver" Corvette ZR1X and "Sebring-orange" Corvette ZR1X convertible are among the fastest and costliest Corvettes ever built. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet
June 17 (UPI) -- The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X sets a new performance standard with a twin-turbo hybrid motor that delivers 1,250 HP and a top speed exceeding 230 mph.
The all-wheel-drive sports car debuted on Tuesday and is the most expensive Corvette ever made with an anticipated retail price starting at $250,000.
The twin-turbocharged motor produces 1,064 horsepower, and the electric AWD adds another 186 HP, with a regenerative energy system powering the about 4,000-pound hypercar, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Its 5.5-liter LT7 V8 produces up to 828 pound-feet of torque that increases to 973 pound-feet when the AWD is running.
An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission delivers the power to all four wheels using Corvette's E-Ray hybrid technology.
The mid-engine hypercar can go from 0-60 mph in less than 2 seconds and cover the quarter mile in less than 9 seconds with a top speed exceeding 150 mph.
The AWD smooths out the power delivery for less wear and tear on the rear axle and better handling while turning.
"You'll feel that coming out of every corner, the car clawing you out," ZR1X lead development engineer Keith Badgley told Motor1.
Corvette's 2024 hybrid E-Ray created the platform for the ZRX1 with a 6.2-liter V8 engine with an electric motor, although the new Corvette has a slightly smaller motor that delivers more power.
"We saw the capability of the E-Ray and how we could take advantage of it," Badgley told Motor1. "The design and structure of the ZR1s were always being designed to handle performance at the pinnacle."
Chevrolet is building the ZR1X at its Bowling Green, Ky., plant, and a final selling price will be announced later this year.
The 2025 ZR1 is Corvette's costliest current-production model with a $175,000 starting point that goes up with additional goodies added.
The retail price is typically much lower than the actual selling price.
Chevrolet dealer and NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Rick Hendrick last year paid $3.7 million for a 2025 ZR1, the Detroit Free Press reported.
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