advanced traction-control software that this ZR1 deserves. We’ll admit that we didn’t just measure the Corvette against the 911 GT2 RS in scoring this comparo. Driving the ZR1, we couldn’t shake thoughts of the former Big Kahuna Corvette, the 650-hp Z06. We have now tested two different ZR1s on three different days in two different states with two different drivers. The top-line takeaway has been the same every time: We’ve yet to ­corner harder or accelerate to 60 mph quicker in the ZR1 than in the Cor- vette Z06 armed with the Z07 package. The ZR1 in this comparison test did nick its little brother in stopping distance by a single foot. One foot and $32,210—they’re what separate a ZR1 with the ZTK Track Performance package from a Z07- equipped Corvette Z06. Shy of putting legitimate race rubber on the Corvette, it appears Chevy is up against the limits of the front- C7 . The ZR1, then, is the perfect justi- fication for why Chevrolet will soon trade 65 years of front-engine sports-car excel- lence to challenge the mid-engine status 2019 CHEVROLET 2018 quo. If that next Vette is anything like this CORVETTE ZR1 911 GT2 RS ZR1—a world-class performer on a

Chevrolet coddles buyers with available luxuries such as heated Top: We’ve yet to blue-collar budget—the future rivalry PRICE AS TESTED $143,810 $348,730 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 and ventilated , a power-adjustable steering column, and a experience truly might just be Corvette versus Ferrari. BASE PRICE $122,095 $294,250 comfortable fixed- GT2 RS team of cameras watching over the carbon-­fiber splitter. All these back seats. Above: DIMENSIONS Maximum points available Carbon-fiber fetishists LENGTH 179.8 in 179.1 in creature comforts do have a downside, however. The ZR1 earns will find much to lust 1. Porsche 911 GT2 RS WIDTH 77.4 in 74.0 in the sad distinction of being the heaviest of the seventh-gen Cor- after on the GT2 RS. To recognize the 911 GT2 RS as the HEIGHT 48.5 in 51.1 in 106.7 in 96.6 in vettes, and at 3659 pounds, our test car weighed almost 300 $348,730 bargain that it actually is, you FRONT TRACK 64.4 in 62.5 in pounds more than the GT2 RS. just need to frame the car correctly. REAR TRACK 63.6 in 61.3 in INTERIOR VOLUME F: 52 cu ft F: 47 cu ft The chassis is mostly indifferent to that additional mass, as the Mostly, that means removing the Corvette ZR1 from the pic- CARGO VOLUME 15 cu ft 13 cu ft ZR1 delivers organ-scrambling grip even on an off day. Wearing a ture. Here we have the Nürburgring Nordschleife production-car POWERTRAIN 1 2 set of ragged Michelins that looked as if they’d done a stint at lap-record holder built with carbon-fiber anti-roll bars and end ENGINE supercharged pushrod twin-turbocharged DOHC Sebring before rolling up to our office, the ZR1 lapped the skidpad links, wheels, and a titanium exhaust. The exotic 16-valve V-8 24-valve flat-6 VEHICLE 376 cu in (6162 cc) 232 cu in (3800 cc) DRIVER COMFORT 10 7 9 at 1.16 g’s of lateral stick. It stopped from 70 mph in 127 feet. And brands could charge a million bucks for this pedigree, and yet, POWER HP @ RPM 755 @ 6300 700 @ 7000 ERGONOMICS 10 9 7 it outpaced the Porsche in the slalom, helped by the stability of a with a Porsche badge, it comes with a $650,000 discount for TORQUE LB-FT @ RPM 715 @ 4400 553 @ 2500 CARGO SPACE* 5 4 5 REDLINE/FUEL CUTOFF 6500/6600 rpm 7000/7100 rpm FEATURES/AMENITIES* 10 6 10 wheelbase that’s 10.1 inches longer and the car’s nearly equal looking a bit froggier than your average McLaren or Ferrari. LB PER HP 4.8 4.8 FIT AND FINISH 10 10 7 front/rear weight distribution. INTERIOR STYLING 10 9 8 DRIVELINE EXTERIOR STYLING 10 10 8 This monster is made even more docile Porsche 911 GT2 RS Effortless speed around corners and 8-speed automatic 7-speed dual- REBATES/EXTRAS* 5 0 1 with Chevrolet’s five-mode Performance in straight lines. Uncomfortable seats, noisy highway ride. automatic AS-TESTED PRICE* 10 1 10 DRIVEN WHEELS rear rear SUBTOTAL 80 56 65 Traction Management system, which can In feel and speed, as close as it gets to a road-legal race car. GEAR RATIO:1/ 1 4.56/7.0/46 1 3.91/5.5/39 coach drivers to track-day heroics via a MPH PER 1000 RPM/ 2 2.97/10.7/71 2 2.29/9.4/67 POWERTRAIN MAX MPH 3 2.08/15.3/101 3 1.58/13.7/97 1/4-MILE progressively more permissive safety net. 4 1.69/18.8/124 4 1.18/18.2/129 ACCELERATION* 20 20 17 But the launch-control algorithm fails to 5 1.27/25.1/166 5 0.94/22.8/162 FLEXIBILITY* 5 3 5 6 1.00/31.8/210 6 0.79/27.2/193 FUEL ECONOMY* 10 10 6 make the most effective use of the super- 7 0.85/37.5/212 7 0.67/31.8/211 ENGINE NVH 10 9 10 charged V-8’s 715 pound-feet of torque for 8 0.65/49.0/200 TRANSMISSION 10 10 6 FINAL-DRIVE RATIO:1 2.41, limited-slip 3.96, limited-slip SUBTOTAL 55 52 44 straight-line runs. For the quickest time, differential differential it’s on the driver to roll into the throttle, CHASSIS CHASSIS PERFORMANCE* 20 17 20 modulate the pedal, and time the upshifts SUSPENSION F: control arms, leaf F: struts, coil springs, STEERING FEEL 10 10 9 with machinelike precision. On a spring, anti-roll bar anti-roll bar BRAKE FEEL 10 10 8 R: control arms, leaf R: multilink, coil springs, HANDLING 10 10 9 93-degree day, the ZR1 knocked out a spring, anti-roll bar anti-roll bar RIDE 10 9 9 3.1-second zero-to-60-mph run, a BRAKES F: 15.5-in vented, cross- F: 16.1-in vented, cross- SUBTOTAL 60 56 55 drilled ceramic disc drilled ceramic disc half-second behind the 911 GT2 RS. R: 15.3-in vented, cross- R: 15.4-in vented, cross- EXPERIENCE Through the quarter-mile, the Corvette’s drilled ceramic disc drilled ceramic disc FUN TO DRIVE 25 25 24 STABILITY CONTROL fully defeatable, traction fully defeatable, traction 11.0-second run was 0.7 second off the off, competition mode, off, competition mode, TOTAL 220 189 188 911’s. The only human that stands a chance launch control launch control TIRES Michelin Pilot Sport Michelin Pilot Sport at beating Porsche’s effortless launch con- Cup 2 ZP Cup 2 *These objective scores are calculated from the vehicles’ dimensions, capacities, rebates and trol is a Chevy engineer programming the F: P285/30ZR-19 (94Y) F: 265/35ZR-20 (99Y) R: P335/25ZR-20 (99Y) R: 325/30ZR-21 (108Y)

CAR AND DRIVER TEST RESULTS

044 ACCELERATION 0–30 MPH 1.3 sec 1.2 sec 0–60 MPH 3.1 sec 2.6 sec 0–100 MPH 6.5 sec 5.5 sec 0–150 MPH 15.3 sec 11.8 sec 1/4-MILE @ MPH 11.0 sec @ 131 10.3 sec @ 140 ROLLING START, 5–60 MPH 3.3 sec 3.3 sec TOP GEAR, 30–50 MPH 1.9 sec 2.0 sec TOP GEAR, 50–70 MPH 2.3 sec 2.0 sec TOP SPEED 212 mph (drag ltd, 211 mph (gov ltd, mfr’s claim) mfr’s claim)

CHASSIS BRAKING, 70–0 MPH 127 ft 144 ft ROADHOLDING, 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD 1.16 g 1.12 g 610-FT SLALOM 48.4 mph 47.8 mph

WEIGHT CURB 3659 lb 3376 lb %FRONT/%REAR 50.4/49.6 38.5/61.5 CG HEIGHT 18.0 in 18.5 in

FUEL TANK 18.5 gal 23.8 gal RATING 93 octane 93 octane EPA COMBINED/ CITY/HWY 15/12/20 mpg 17/15/21 mpg C/D 900-MILE TRIP 14 mpg 17 mpg

SOUND LEVEL IDLE 55 dBA 68 dBA FULL THROTTLE 98 dBA 95 dBA

tested by ERIC TINGWALL in Chelsea, MI