[IceEnclosure]

While the 405HP Z06 of a few years ago was sick, and the current-gen Z06's 505HP is even sicker, the 2009 ZR1 will sport 620HP and serious race gear throughout.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

“Preliminary testing shows the ZR1 builds on the highly respected Corvette Z06 in every performance category, from acceleration and braking, to cornering grip and top speed,” said Peper. “It all boils down to the power-to-weight ratio and the ZR1’s is exceptional – better than the Porsche 911 GT2, the Ferrari 599 and even the Lamborghini LP640. In fact, the ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph.”

“Chevrolet’s goal with the new ZR1 is to show what an American supercar can deliver, at a price that trumps exotics that cost two, three or four times as much – and does so with exceptional driveability,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager.




This thing must be light:


15" ceramic brakes. fifteen inches. all four of 'em:


Look at the skull with the corvette logo for eyes(on the air intake). That's from their DOMINATING race efforts in the C6R LeMans car.(Cartype : Corvette C6.R "Skull" Logo)


2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

[Atomic Rooster]

Where is anyone gonna drive 322 k/hr?

[Cipher13]

Leader? It's got nothing on the Veyron. Looks crap too.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Cipher13 

Leader? It's got nothing on the Veyron. Looks crap too.

These 'Vettes will actually be ON the road, at stop lights, at the racetrack. Veyron is a portly queen that would LOSE a roadrace, I thought you'd pick a real racer. (But yea, let's do it. ZR1 vs. Veyron at the 'ring. Bitch..

Looks crap? How so? I don't follow. It looks ****ing badass.

Also, have you seen your Holden cars with the truck beds? Now that's a looker.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster 

Where is anyone gonna drive 322 k/hr?

Anywhere there's a stretch of road long enough. Few miles is all that's necessary. Are you in the states? There's lots of open road. I have a few friends that have taken their high HP machinery out for 200mph blasts.

The official answer, however, is: The track. People take their cars to the track all the time, and a typical Z06/ZR1 owner is no exception. For instance, if I had a ZR1, I'd participate in track days at Moroso and Sebring, which are both within a few hours of me.

[Cipher13]

Eh, despite the performance thing, the car still looks horrible (according to my tastes).

Looks like every 'vette that's ever been, and that puts it in the fugly club in my book.

Not really aware of the Holdens you're talking about though - is it a commo body chopped in half?

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Cipher13 

Not really aware of the Holdens you're talking about though - is it a commo body chopped in half?

at least they offer them with the 6.0L too, that's a nice motor. Nice Holden interior too, but what a weird look on the outside.

[PB2K]

Corvette, meet your Fuhrer

[badidea]

RS4? Nice car but by far not as fast as the corvette!

(don't you have an Ü in the Netherlands?)

[PB2K]

nø

[analogika]

Originally Posted by badidea 

RS4? Nice car but by far not as fast as the corvette!

True, but the Corvette is tasteless.

Not *ugly*, per se (as nearly all its predecessors in the last thirty or so years), but just completely devoid of taste.

[PB2K]

i think the weight they lowered by using carbonfiber is compensated by the mass of the stereotype corvette driver they are aiming at

[badidea]

Originally Posted by analogika 

True, but the Corvette is tasteless.

Not *ugly*, per se (as nearly all its predecessors in the last thirty or so years), but just completely devoid of taste.

Since taste and beauty is in the eye of the beholder I wouldn't want to take the discussion there (even though I agree)!

On the other hand I ask myself what market the Corvette is for.
It has an unbeatable cost/performance ratio. So it's very "cheap" for a supercar.
But why do people actually buy supercars?
Don't they want to show off their very expensive toy?
The Corvette fails in that regard!

Since I am right now not working in Hamburg I have to travel every week and I get a different rental car every week.
The only thing I can choose is the class but not the car itself. Since Sixt (the rental company) usually doesn't have a car from that class available (Golf-Class) I always get a better one (right now a new MB C-Class)...
The fastest one so far was an Alfa Romeo Brera:

It was "only" the 200hp (400Nm) Turbo Diesel version though but since then I ask myself why I would ever need/want a stronger and faster car except for the reason of posing!?
That thing made me laugh hysterically every time I tromped the throttle!
Even though I live in Autobahn-Germany I really see no reason for anything more!

Hence no Corvette for me!

[villalobos]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

Anywhere there's a stretch of road long enough. Few miles is all that's necessary. Are you in the states? There's lots of open road. I have a few friends that have taken their high HP machinery out for 200mph blasts.

The official answer, however, is: The track. People take their cars to the track all the time, and a typical Z06/ZR1 owner is no exception. For instance, if I had a ZR1, I'd participate in track days at Moroso and Sebring, which are both within a few hours of me.

I would hope these "open roads" were private closed tracks. Else your "friends" deserve to be in jail and have their license revoked. There is NO excuse for driving 200 mph on a public road.

[analogika]

^ Agreed.

Badidea:

Wow. You really go through the stress of *driving* down to Bavaria every week?

I loved the ICE trip to Munich when my girlfriend still lived there.

[badidea]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Wow. You really go through the stress of *driving* down to Bavaria every week?

I loved the ICE trip to Munich when my girlfriend still lived there.

No no, I fly to Munich and use the car for Airport<->Work<->home(Bavaria)!

[Gankdawg]

Good ole American boy here. I'd take one in a heartbeat.

[xi_hyperon]

Originally Posted by villalobos 

I would hope these "open roads" were private closed tracks. Else your "friends" deserve to be in jail and have their license revoked. There is NO excuse for driving 200 mph on a public road.

Word. Same goes for street racing in general. Take it to the track where it belongs.

[MacosNerd]

Yeah, I've been on a some long stretches of road long and had seem some fools do just that. Almost killed people too.

I'm not against muscle cars, but rather driving faster then 80mph Anything faster you're asking for trouble and that trouble is usually hurting someone else.

[OreoCookie]

Driving at 160-200 km/h (100-120 mph) is perfectly safe when you know what you're doing. 100 mph is really a piece of cake. (Assuming that the road and traffic conditions permit these speeds.)

[Shaddim]

Sorry, but there hasn't been an attractive 'vette since 1967.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

Driving at 160-200 km/h (100-120 mph) is perfectly safe when you know what you're doing. 100 mph is really a piece of cake. (Assuming that the road and traffic conditions permit these speeds.)

The trouble is that there are ton of people out on the road that drive near the speed limit that you have to worry about, and I'm pretty sure that many people who drive that fast do not know what what they're doing.

I discount the phrase "is perfectly safe" because it isn't regardless of what kind of car you have. there's too many variables and reaction time is reduced dramatically. While it does require a good level of skill, you're not the only one on the road and that's where the danger is.

Too often I see these nuts weave in and out of traffic in going close to 100. They may be highly skilled drivers but they're going to hurt someone at some point driving like that.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

The trouble is that there are ton of people out on the road that drive near the speed limit that you have to worry about, and I'm pretty sure that many people who drive that fast do not know what what they're doing.

I discount the phrase "is perfectly safe" because it isn't regardless of what kind of car you have. there's too many variables and reaction time is reduced dramatically. While it does require a good level of skill, you're not the only one on the road and that's where the danger is.

Too often I see these nuts weave in and out of traffic in going close to 100. They may be highly skilled drivers but they're going to hurt someone at some point driving like that.

They're not "highly skilled" if they lack the skill of not endangering others. The highway is not suitable for a game of Pole Position.

You're right about "perfectly safe", of course, but that's really true at any speed: No matter how fast or slow you go, there is no such thing as "perfectly safe driving".

However, if legal framework, training, experience, infrastructure, traffic, and general expectation work together, then driving 160 km/h is absolutely NOT a problem. I routinely do long distances in my VW van at 160. Traffic permitting, this is not a problem.

[xi_hyperon]

I was going to basically post the same reply as MacosNerd, but since you beat me to it... Aside from that, IceEnclosure was talking about friends going 200mph, a little faster than 100mph. Going that fast on a public roadway, there's no way to guarantee road and traffic conditions.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I'm not gonna lie to you – I think these people talking about a lack of taste are full of ****. That thing has comparable visual taste to any other car on the road that's designed to do one thing – go as fast as possible and intimidate everyone else, no holds barred. I think it looks pretty badass. (After years of hating every 'Vette since '67, as someone mentioned, I've recently come back onboard with the newest '07 or '08 style I think it was...a much meaner looking machine!)

That said, I'm really not impressed. Big effin deal, you can put a bigger motor in an effin 'Vette – whoop de ****ing do. It's this kind of mentality that makes me want to see these big American car companies crashed and burned and bankrupt.

Meanwhile, those resources could be poured into something like this car and you'd have every wannabe-hipster-yet-environmentally-conscious rich kid on the continent laying down large wads for your innovative product that can still blow the doors off many "supercars". Something truly different, a paradigm-shifting product, something that the Big However Many Are Left haven't had in decades....

But nooooooooo, let's rebrand the 'Vette a few more times instead...

greg

[analogika]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

I'm not gonna lie to you – I think these people talking about a lack of taste are full of ****. That thing has comparable visual taste to any other car on the road that's designed to do one thing – go as fast as possible and intimidate everyone else, no holds barred.

I'll give you that, since it's obviously NOT designed to look good, let alone exude *style*.

Meanwhile, those resources could be poured into something like this car and you'd have every wannabe-hipster-yet-environmentally-conscious rich kid on the continent laying down large wads for your innovative product that can still blow the doors off many "supercars". Something truly different, a paradigm-shifting product, something that the Big However Many Are Left haven't had in decades....

So then you go on to complain that they didn't pour their resources into something different, and post a link to a car that is actually a thing of beauty?

[starman]

I've been a big fan of Vettes since my dad had a '62 growing up.

That said, this new one looks like ass.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Originally Posted by analogika 

I'll give you that, since it's obviously NOT designed to look good, let alone exude *style*.

You know that style is inherently subjective, especially in some mediums. I think this 'Vette looks intimidating/mean/badass – which fits its nature. Go look at the Veyron – is that good style? There's not too much "mean" or "badass" about it, style-wise – like many "supercars", it looks futuristic and stylish, but not mean. There's something to be said for that style.

So then you go on to complain that they didn't pour their resources into something different, and post a link to a car that is actually a thing of beauty?

...and more importantly, is a potentially paradigm-refining "sportscar"? Context, m'boy.

greg

[Dakar the Fourth]

Not a big fan of Corvettes. Except for the 57. That was a great looking car.
And the original sting rays, I suppose.

[OldManMac]

Having owned a '69 Vette, I haven't been a fan in quite a few years, as they've gotten big and bulky. The new ones, being slimmed down considerably, and being widely regarded as the best in a long time, deservedly are attracting attention. I want a new one.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by analogika 

However, if legal framework, training, experience, infrastructure, traffic, and general expectation work together, then driving 160 km/h is absolutely NOT a problem. I routinely do long distances in my VW van at 160. Traffic permitting, this is not a problem.

Trouble is, this is rarely so. over the years I've known quite a lot of people who had sports cars and/or liked to drive fast. All of them to a T thought they were skilled enough to handle driving fast. Most were not.

As for the legal framework, infrastructure and traffic. I don't know too many roads in the US that allow going 100+mph. The roads in the northeast have been designed for speeds up to 70mph, so going 100+mph is very risky from that perspective, regardless of skill. Plus the highways in the northeast, Massachusetts specifically always have a lot of cars on them.

so if you driving on rt. 95 or rt. 93 in Massachusetts and trying to go over 90mph will require you to be weaving wildly in and out of traffic. Perhaps other states in the midwest that are more wide open can handle it but not where I live.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

The trouble is that there are ton of people out on the road that drive near the speed limit that you have to worry about, and I'm pretty sure that many people who drive that fast do not know what what they're doing.

It's a matter of experience. Sure, there are rowdies on the road like in any country I've been to, speed limit or not, but the average driver gets used to it. My mom can drive 160 and she's not a fast driver.

The other factor is cars. That's one reason why German cars are different from American cars: I wouldn't want to drive an SUV at 160, 180 km/h, especially not an American one (whose suspension is even softer). My parents' old Golf barely makes 160, so it's ok to be that fast, but I wouldn't advise it. (Other engines in that car with a modified suspension can do 220, 230.) Even my mother drives 150, 160, depending on her mood. It's not at all difficult.

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

I discount the phrase "is perfectly safe" because it isn't regardless of what kind of car you have. there's too many variables and reaction time is reduced dramatically. While it does require a good level of skill, you're not the only one on the road and that's where the danger is.

It does depend on your car, but even a 75/80 hp car can reach 160. If it's recent with good tires and everything, it's not that fast. So I agree that it requires that your car is in `good' condition and that you have experience driving that fast. It's taught in driving school, too. What is and isn't fast depends mostly on the roads and the traffic then.

I give you another example that goes in the same direction: I live close to the mountains, so people are used to drive on snowy and icy roads. You need experience and practice driving in these conditions, then you know you can do 70-80 km/h at times while on other occasions 15 km/h is too fast. Each year, when I go skiing, you see people from Italy and especially the Netherlands on the road. They are crawling along, because they are not used to driving under these conditions. (That, and many Italians don't have winter tires!) (Unlike many of my friends, I don't criticize them for doing so, they are doing the right thing.)

[sek929]

The new 'Z' Vettes deserve respect ('Ring times anyone?) even if you don't like the styling.

[MacosNerd]

I agree with what you said about other countries. I've read that to get your license in Germany the requirements are much higher. Plus people adhere to a better set of road rules. Like letting faster cars pass on the left. Here in the boston area that's the furthest thing from the truth.

[OreoCookie]

Yes, getting a driver's licence here is a lot, lot more difficult. There are regulations saying that you need to drive x amount highway, y amount in the city, z amount on freeways, you have to drive at night, etc.

I did my licence in the US and I had to basically start from scratch again. The other thing I noticed is that many cars in the US (`college cars') wouldn't pass the inspection in Germany and thus would not be road legal. The fines are substantial if you drive your car anyway. And also, since everybody underwent this training, you're used to other people driving that fast.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

The trouble is that there are ton of people out on the road that drive near the speed limit that you have to worry about, and I'm pretty sure that many people who drive that fast do not know what what they're doing.

I discount the phrase "is perfectly safe" because it isn't regardless of what kind of car you have. there's too many variables and reaction time is reduced dramatically. While it does require a good level of skill, you're not the only one on the road and that's where the danger is.

Too often I see these nuts weave in and out of traffic in going close to 100. They may be highly skilled drivers but they're going to hurt someone at some point driving like that.

Weaving in and out of traffic at high speed ≠ Making a single high-speed run on a deserted stretch of highway.

I'm not going to argue with any of you about the legalities of spirited driving on the street. Crowded roadways are generally a bad idea, and if you're not using spotters on the road ahead, you're not doing it right.

[hwojtek]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

The official answer, however, is: The track.

I'd say the official answer, however, is: Germany.

Originally Posted by villalobos

There is NO excuse for driving 200 mph on a public road.

My favourite for goin' past 155 mph is "because I want to".
I can understand that there are countries where people need to have "Danger, hot!" written on their McDonalds coffee cups, but by the love of God, we do not want to be patronized, American-style, all the way to our own accelerator pedals.

[imitchellg5]

I think that the ZR1 will be a very rare car in the next 40 years and will be remembered as the fastest factory 'Vette ever (if the new fuel and emissions regs pass). However, I would still prefer a good old E46 M3 in Imola Red.

[Andrew Stephens]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

Corvette, meet your Fuhrer

pwned!



Oft imitated (by Audi especially), never bettered. RS4 is limited to 155mph. I've spoken to several RS2 owners and not a one left the factory with it's limiter activated. You're talking 175+ out of the box.

Plenty of hugely modded ones but why bother.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

It does depend on your car, but even a 75/80 hp car can reach 160. If it's recent with good tires and everything, it's not that fast. So I agree that it requires that your car is in `good' condition and that you have experience driving that fast. It's taught in driving school, too. What is and isn't fast depends mostly on the roads and the traffic then.

My VW van is a 69-hp four-cylinder diesel, and it does 160 (as per meter - GPS signal pegs it at around 150 ground speed).

It takes a while to get up there, though.

Normal cruising speed is around 140, though - because that's a comfortable speed in the flow of traffic.

And basically, if the normal speed people are accustomed to is 90 km/h, then driving 160 is reckless.

But if the expected speed in the middle and left lanes are 100+ (regular speed - not maximum speed - is an expected 130 - and there are signs to remind drivers of this), and driving in the rightmost free lane is mandated by law (and failure to move right punishable with pretty painful fines), and all drivers are drilled in Autobahn driving before they get a license, then the situation looks a little different.

[angelmb]

if the shoe fits, wear it…

[imitchellg5]

It took me a minute to figure out the speeds in this thread are in kph, not mph. I was a bit surprised that anyone's mom would do 160 mph!

[OreoCookie]

Fast, but not that fast. My parents Golf won't do 160 mph if you throw it out of a plane.

[Aussiemac]

My Golf V GTI DSG will do 147mph

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Wow super ugly and dated looking. Like all corvettes since the 80's.

THe inside is horrendous for a car that costs that much.

[Aussiemac]

Says it all
YouTube - Top Gear Corvette Z06 Review

The ride will still be bad & your name will have to be Mr Mobil or Mr Shell to run it

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

THe inside is horrendous for a car that costs that much.

In all honestly… why in this globalized world can't american cars have a slightly decent inside?. Actually only Cadillac seems to care about it and that's not even close to the best euro brands. Doesn't the american driver care about how good does his-her car look inside? just asking, maybe there are other priorities is that given market, but one has to wonder, e.g. that steering wheel looks like a cheap SAAB wannabe. BTW, SAAB doesn't equal top euro brand, but since it is under GM umbrella…

[imitchellg5]

Yeah, Americans do care, which is why nobody here buys American that often. If GM could start making all interiors like the new Malibu's though... And my grandma's Hyundai Sante Fe has a better interior than the ZR1.

[villalobos]

Originally Posted by hwojtek 

I'd say the official answer, however, is: Germany.



My favourite for goin' past 155 mph is "because I want to".
I can understand that there are countries where people need to have "Danger, hot!" written on their McDonalds coffee cups, but by the love of God, we do not want to be patronized, American-style, all the way to our own accelerator pedals.

As long as there are no speed limits and people should expect to see cars at that speed, that is ok I guess (although in a not controlled environment it would not take much to crash), but on a road where the speed limit is 70 or 80 mph it is downright criminal.
This said enjoy the no speed limit roads in Germany while you can, they are bound to disappear.

[Kerrigan]

Why is that piece of **** Audi family wagon even in this thread?