Before the mid-engine Corvette drops by to rewrite the rulebook, the C7 ZR1 is the unquestionable king of the Corvette lineage. Following the $119,995 fixed-head coupe’s premiere in Dubai, the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show sees Chevy take the covers off the Corvette ZR1 Convertible.
Spied on multiple occasions, the open-top rendition doesn’t break from the norm from the coupe. Just like any other Corvette Convertible from the seventh generation, the top-down ZR1 can be converted at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The folding mechanism made Chevrolet reposition the safety belt mounts, but other than that, there’s nothing that sets the Convertible apart from the Coupe. What is special about the newcomer, however, is that it’s the first ZR1 drop-top since the original from the model year 1970.
“The new Corvette ZR1 Convertible is a supercar in all respects,” declared Mark Reuss, executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain at General Motors. “Few others can challenge the ZR1 Convertible’s power and speed while offering the exhilaration of top-down motoring.”
Starting at $123,995 including destination, the bid bad ‘Vette is capable of thrusting beyond 200 miles per hour. Chevrolet doesn’t give a definitive top speed at this moment in time, but bear in mind the ZR1 Coupe can push the 6.2-liter LT5 V8 to 212 miles per hour (341 kilometers per hour).
SAE-rated 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque, the supercharged engine is complemented by the most extreme aerodynamic package found on any Corvette since the nameplate was introduced in the 1950s. Further enhancing the drivability of the ZR1 is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, Magnetic Ride Control damping, transmission and differential cooling. In fact, the ZR1 is equipped with 13 radiators in total.
Customers who’re more into driving excitement than lap times can get the ZR1 Convertible with the Tremec TR-6070 seven-speed manual transmission. Those who would rather track the car instead of enjoying it on a curve-brimmed canyon road are offered the Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-automatic, featuring specific tuning (i.e., quicker shifts) for the C7 ZR1.
“The new Corvette ZR1 Convertible is a supercar in all respects,” declared Mark Reuss, executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain at General Motors. “Few others can challenge the ZR1 Convertible’s power and speed while offering the exhilaration of top-down motoring.”
Starting at $123,995 including destination, the bid bad ‘Vette is capable of thrusting beyond 200 miles per hour. Chevrolet doesn’t give a definitive top speed at this moment in time, but bear in mind the ZR1 Coupe can push the 6.2-liter LT5 V8 to 212 miles per hour (341 kilometers per hour).
SAE-rated 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque, the supercharged engine is complemented by the most extreme aerodynamic package found on any Corvette since the nameplate was introduced in the 1950s. Further enhancing the drivability of the ZR1 is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, Magnetic Ride Control damping, transmission and differential cooling. In fact, the ZR1 is equipped with 13 radiators in total.
Customers who’re more into driving excitement than lap times can get the ZR1 Convertible with the Tremec TR-6070 seven-speed manual transmission. Those who would rather track the car instead of enjoying it on a curve-brimmed canyon road are offered the Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-automatic, featuring specific tuning (i.e., quicker shifts) for the C7 ZR1.