GM Unveils New 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 with Over 1,000 Horsepower and Record-Breaking Speed
General Motors has introduced the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the most powerful version of the iconic American sports car ever. The new ZR1 features a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 engine, generating over 1,000 horsepower and 828 foot-pounds of torque, placing it among the elite ranks of supercars.
“This thing pulls like a freight train,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette’s executive chief engineer since 2006, during a media event. “We expect this car to be essentially the fastest car we’ve ever built by a long measure.” The previous most powerful Corvette, the 2019 ZR1, produced 755 horsepower and 715 foot-pounds of torque. The new ZR1 is expected to surpass the previous top speed of 212 mph comfortably.
The 2025 Corvette ZR1 will have its pricing, including an optional “ZTK” performance package, announced closer to its production date next year. For reference, the 2019 ZR1 started at $121,000. The ZR1 will join the Corvette lineup, which includes the Corvette Stingray, starting at around $70,000, the hybrid E-Ray, and the $112,000 Z06 track car.
Brad Franz, director of Chevy car and crossover marketing, expressed satisfaction with the Corvette’s current trajectory, saying, “This is the next step in that whole approach.” While GM has confirmed an all-electric Corvette is in development, no timeline has been provided. A Corvette SUV has also been considered for several years, though no comments were made about its progress.
Wall Street analysts believe GM could further capitalize on the Corvette brand by expanding its models and sales. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas estimated that a Corvette sub-brand could be worth between $7 billion and $12 billion. Chevrolet Corvette sales have averaged around 34,500 units annually over the past two years. The 2019 redesign of the Corvette, which shifted from a front-engine to a mid-engine layout, significantly enhanced its performance and handling.
High-performance models like the ZR1 are designed to generate buzz and attract customers to more affordable Corvette models. “The ZR1 is the range-topper. It’s the halo vehicle. It’ll bring tons of attention to the car and help sell the other models,” Juechter explained. This strategy aims to keep the Corvette relevant throughout its lifecycle.
The introduction of the ZR1 and the increasing sales of the Z06, with an average buyer household income of $311,000, is expected to raise Corvette’s average transaction price, currently around $106,000. Sales of the hybrid Corvette, starting at about $105,000, will also boost revenue. GM plans to increase the E-Ray’s production capacity to 10%, up from the current 2% to 3%. This performance trickle-down effect has helped keep the Corvette production plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, operating on two shifts since 2019.
