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By Paul Pollock
Publisher, The Corvette Story

Corvette ZR1 History

The 2025 Corvette ZR1 has significant history behind it; previous renditions are a tough act to follow.

All Corvette generations have a ZR1 in the mix except for the C1, C2 and C5. Conversely, the Z06 - the other high performance designation for the Corvette - has participated in the C2, C5, C6, C7 and C8 generations. Both Corvette classifications are tied with five each.

C3 ZR1

It all started in 1970, with RPO ZR1, listed as a "Special Purpose Engine Package". The main feature was the legendary LT-1 engine and a nice list of suspension upgrades and other goodies intended for road racing. Comfort options such as A/C, automatic transmission, power windows and radio was not available. 25 were built with the option itself costing $968.95. The option was also available in 1971 (quantity 8) and 1972 (quantity 20), the other years the LT-1 engine was available. Corvette lore has it that ZR1 stood for "Zoras' Racers", Zora being Zora Arkus-Duntov, the original chief Corvette engineer and the father of the Corvette.

1970 Corvette ZR1 convertible auctioned off at Mecum Auctions on May 18, 2024. Hammer price was $155,000. It was the recipient of multiple awards, including Bloomington Gold Certified on June 18, 2006 and NCRS Top Flight and NCRS Duntov Mark of Excellence.

1970 Corvette Convertible ZR1 at Mecum Auction

1970 Corvette Convertible LT-1 Engine ZR1 Mecum Auction Right: LT1 engine was widely respected by the road racing community. Note the lack of EMI shielding; with no radio installed, it was not necessary.

C4 ZR1

Corvette C4 LT-5 Engine Corvette C4 LT-5 Engine Cutaway Display Corvette C4 LT-5 Engine Cutaway Display

The ZR-1 (note the hyphen, the only time it would be part of the nomenclature) came into prominence in 1990 as a C4 with a unique four overhead camshaft, four valve per cylinder engine with the LT5 designation. The excitement in the Corvette world was similar to what happened with the 2019 Corvette ZR1 introduction. For more information, see the ZR-1 page.

The C4 ZR-1 was informally known as "King of the Hill", a moniker supposedly seen on some low level GM documentation. GM carried the torch in 2017 with a press release titled "2019 Corvette ZR1: Return of the King", which concluded "It's good to be the King".

1990 Corvette ZR-1

C6 ZR1

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in Jetstream Blue

2009 Corvette ZR1 LS9 Engine The tradition continued in 2009 with the introduction of the C6 ZR1. New Corvette ground was broken with the debut of forced induction in the form of a supercharger. The engine designation was LS9. The C6 ZR1 model years extended to the end of the C6 reign in 2013.

C7 ZR1

Tadge Juechter discusses the engineering behind the 2019 Corvette ZR1

2019 Corvette ZR1 Convertible - November 30, 2017

The C7 Corvette ZR1 had a one year run in 2019. The engine designation was LT5 and was rated at 755 hp @ 6,300 RPM. While the C8 ZR1 is offering turbochargers, the 2019 rendition was also boosted but by a supercharger.

C8 ZR1

2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe

The 2025 C8 ZR1 was introduced on July 25, 2024. It immediately became the sensation of the automotive high performance world with it's 5.5 Liter, twin-turbocharged DOHC flat-plane crank V8 engine dubbed the LT7, and rated at 1,064 horsepower at 7,000 rpm with 828 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm.

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