- 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is now fastest production car in GM history
- Stock example reached 233 mph during recent testing
- A more potent Corvette Zora is thought to be coming
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the current flagship of the C8 Corvette family, has just gone where no production Corvette has gone before.
Chevrolet on Tuesday announced that the new ZR1 hit a top speed of 233 mph during a recent test session on the high-speed oval that forms part of the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg site in Germany.
The car had the ZR1’s standard chassis and aero package, with a standard spoiler with short wicker. It was also fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on aluminum wheels, and used a new Top Speed mode that Chevy developed for use on the racetrack.
Behind the wheel was General Motors President Mark Reuss, who hit the speed while the engine was at redline in sixth gear. And just to make things official, he drove the car in two directions, on the northbound and southbound straightaways, to arrive at a two-way average speed. The process accounts for wind and gradients, and is typically needed to enter the record books.
Some of the competition the ZR1 outguns include impressive machines like the Lamborghini Revuelto (217 mph) and Ferrari SF90 Stradale (211 mph). There are faster cars, but these all cost more than $1 million.
The ZR1 isn’t due in showrooms until next year. Chevy hasn’t announced a price but the starting figure is expected to be in the upper $100,000 bracket. Fully loaded examples may crest the $200,000 mark, which would be another first for America’s sports car.
That’s steep, but the ZR1 comes with a maximum 1,064 hp generated by a newly developed twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8, which is mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. The ZR1 also stands out from the rest of the 2025 Corvette range thanks to a unique split rear window that serves not only as a nod to a design used on the 1963 Corvette but also an aerodynamic function. An available ZTK Performance Package also adds a host of extra aerodynamic modifications that together lift maximum downforce to 1,200 pounds.
Chevy is thought to be working on another, more potent Corvette variant possibly dubbed the Zora. It is expected to have even more power thanks to the addition of a front-mounted electric motor, meaning the ZR1’s top speed may soon be surpassed. However, Chevy hasn’t mentioned any plans for additional Corvette variants beyond the ZR1.
