2010 Corvette ZR1 Technology
The 2009 Corvette ZR1 took a famous name and sent it to the top of the list of the fastest production cars of all time. The ZR1 was the most powerful Corvette ever offered, and with that comes an advantage in almost every area of performance against any previous Corvette models. But just being the most powerful Corvette ever wasn’t enough for General Motors, so with the help of the media, the race-ready ZR1 went head to head with pretty much every sports car in the world and held its own.
One of the key features of the ZR1 when it came out was that it was the most expensive Chevrolet ever offered, but when you consider how much more expensive the cars are that the ZR1 can beat – companies like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche, the ZR1 was a smokin’ deal. This week General Motors announced that the ZR1 would gain a few high-tech features, but with those comes in increase in price to $109,530 USD.
Yes, it seems odd that people are shying away from performance cars and General Motors is struggling yet they still raise the prices, but with the target market who would be buying a ZR1, the $2,900 price increase is little more than pocket change. What ZR1 buyers will care about is the new launch control system and the Performance Traction Management System (PTM). This new traction system allows for electronic monitoring of the vehicles dynamics both when launching from a stop, as well as hard acceleration coming out of a corner on the track.
I look forward to hearing how these additions affect the ZR1’s time around the Nürburgring, as these are features that make this car even more of a race-ready model, although it is completely street legal around the world. The previous ZR1 sprinted around the ‘Ring in just 7:26.4, putting it in 5th place on the current list which is lead by the Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR. This new traction system could put the ZR1 closer to the top of the list and $109,530 isn’t bad for one of the fastest production cars available in the world. Also, with the Dodge Viper facing an end to production, 109K could buy you bragging rights of being the fastest car in the country. The new traction system looks to be GM’s big move in taking down the Viper, but with an uncertain future for General Motors will the ZR1 have time? General Motors.