That's certainly an impressive feat. It's interesting, though, that they did this on PS4S tires and aluminum wheels; I would've expected Cup 2s with the CF wheels.
Photography Courtesy Chevrolet
What can a Corvette ZR1 producing 1064 horsepower do? Break records. With GM President Mark Reuss behind the wheel on a German test track, the ZR1 achieved a top speed of 233 mph. That makes it the fastest production vehicle ever made by the American automaker.
“Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally,” said Reuss in a press release. “With the current generation’s switch to mid-engine, we knew the outstanding performance and balance made this a real possibility. To go over there and get it done is a testament to the power of ZR1, and to the incredibly talented team that developed and built it.”
GM President Mark Reuss.
Reuss set the record on the straightaways of the High-Speed Oval Track at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg.
Two ZR1 development cars exceeded the 230-mph barrier across multiple runs. The Corvette hit 233 mph with the engine at redline in sixth gear. It ran in Top Speed Mode, which engineers developed for closed course use, and adjusts chassis control systems for maximum speed.
The cars used the “standard chassis and aero package, with a standard spoiler with short wicker, carbon fiber ground effects, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and aluminum wheels.” The ZR1’s aero package produces more than 1200 pounds of downforce at top speed. Powering the car is the 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged LT7 V8. Rated for 1064 horses, it’s the most powerful V8 engine produced by the American auto manufacturer.
As an interesting aside, while Reuss manned the wheel during the record run, an engineer rode shotgun analyzing the data in real-time.
Chevrolet especially touted that the record is “unrivalled by any current production car priced under $1 million.”
That's certainly an impressive feat. It's interesting, though, that they did this on PS4S tires and aluminum wheels; I would've expected Cup 2s with the CF wheels.
Apparently we're omitting limited production hypercar manufacturers from this claim?
For comparison, here's some of the company the ZR1 joins at 233 mph:
Driven5 said:Apparently we're omitting limited production hypercar manufacturers from this claim?
I was the same thing. Hennessey has been there
Mndsm said:Driven5 said:Apparently we're omitting limited production hypercar manufacturers from this claim?
I was the same thing. Hennessey has been there
I suppose that's what "production car" means in this context. Hennessy modifies existing vehicles. Well, when they aren't stealing their customers' money. 
SSC hit 2-way speeds of 256mph (Guinness certified) way back in 2007, and 283mph (Racelogic certified) more recently.
While the Venom GT was on a modified Lotus VIN, I believe the Venom F5 is bespoke which should make it eligible in the near future for an anticipated 300+mph based on its 220+mph HALF mile (Guinness certified) record.
Yeah, after reviewing some of the low-production car manufacturers in the U.S., we tweaked our text in the story a bit. It's still not taking anything away from the Corvette ZR1. It's fast.
In reply to J.A. Ackley :
Alternatively, it could be argued as the fastest mass-produced production car from a US manufacturer... And perhaps of any manufacturer? Which is the most important aspect of this in my opinion. Of particular note, they're not even putting any limit on how much of Corvette production is ZR1's. They'll build as many as people check that box on the option list.
It seems like the other day when GM (1980's?) was excited to hit 150mph.
I find it interesting that the McLaren F1 hit a higher top speed with 400hp less. Comparing the F1 to the Z06, the Cd is similar at .32 vs 31. Frontal area is 1.79 vs 2.05 m^2.
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