2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 comes with eye-watering premium

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has been launched at the Detroit Motor show with stateside pricing set to kick off from $US174,995 ($A285,000) plus on-road costs for the hypercar-hustling coupe that was recently clocked at 375km/h at a US proving ground with GM’s president behind the wheel.

Commanding a hefty $US59,505 ($A97,000) premium over the 500kW/623Nm Corvette Z06, it’s worth remembering GM’s fastest production car to date develops an incredible 793kW/1123Nm from a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre cross-plane V8.

That is enough for a blistering 0-60mph (0-97km/h) dash of just 2.3 seconds and a standing quarter-mile (402m) time of 9.6 seconds.

Included in the price of the ZR1 is a visible carbon-fibre roof, powerful carbon ceramic brakes, a performance data recorder, a carbon-fibre body kit and side intakes said to produce real ground effect suction for superior high-speed stability.

Also are eight-way power-adjustable GT1 bucket seats, an HD rear vision camera, a 10-speaker Bose sound system, 12-inch infotainment system and a carbon-fibre engine appearance dressing under the bonnet.

Options include spending a further $US10,000 ($A16,300) for the convertible and another $US11,000 ($A17,800) for the 3LZ trim that throws in heated and ventilated Nappa leather seats (or Competition buckets), HD front and rear cameras, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, extended leather within, heated and power-folding mirrors, blind-spot assist, cross traffic alert and a wireless phone charger.

Further options include a ZR1 Carbon Fibre Aero pack that adds a high-downforce rear wing, front dive plane, a taller bonnet splitter and underbody strakes to increase downforce at a cost of $US8495 ($A13,800).

A ZTK Performance pack $US1500 ($A2400) can also be added if you’ve already ticked the box for the big aero that adds even more carbon-fibre wind bending, different underbody pieces, stiffer suspension and stickier Micheline Pilot Sport Cup 2R tyres.

Chevrolet has already nominated the Porsche 911 GT3 RS as the ZR1’s chief rival, a vehicle that sells in Australia for a punchy $537,600, along with the near-million-dollar Lamborghini Revuelto.

While the ZR1 certainly look a bargain in the US and would be cheaper than the Lambo Down Under, we project it to start from roughly $510,000 plus on-road costs if GMSV were to offer it here based on the local pricing of the Z06 and the gulf between the two variants in the US.

Such a figure would put the big bad ‘Vette on par with the GT3 RS after a couple of options, albeit with more than double the power and torque.

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