The C8 Corvette ZR1 Meets Its Predecessors — and Ferraris and Lambos — The Carmudgeon Show Ep. 196

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The C8 ZR1 has arrived, and so too has a new ICONS episode on Detroit’s supercar-killing, 1064-hp twin-turbo, flat-plane crank Corvette. We’ll review the new car in detail and cover all the important bit players: the original 6-cylinder C1, the C3’s optional ZR1 package, the Lotus-powered C4, and the supercharged C6 and C7 – plus rivals like the Ferrari 348, Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 296 and SF90, and Lamborghini Revuelto. Can the C8 ZR1 cement its legacy as peak American sports car, or has it lost the plot pursuing the Europeans? === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === C8 ZR1 ICONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StWSpZHF998 Check out C4 ZR1 Revelations episode for a deeper dive into the first real ZR1! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vs2tdR-9C8 This week is all things Corvette! Zora Arkus-Duntov finally got his mid-engined wish when the C8 arrived and turned the Corvette into a true modern sports car. But Chevrolet engineers didn't to stop there – and have tossed out the LT2 in favor of the 5.5L, flat-plane crank, twin-turbo LT7 for the ZR1. Zora himself would be pleased to know that a new car bearing his name is in the works too – one that will graft the electric front motors from the E-Ray onto the ZR1’s powertrain to make a rumored 1200-hp monster. The question is, has Corvette lost the plot by copying Ferrari's recipe? Will the jorts-wearing geriatric public fork over their cold, hard Boomer cash for a car whose DNA is fundamentally different from its predecessors? The Corvette had a messy beginning – originally fitted with an anemic 6-cylinder engine (that would’ve got its ass handed to it by a contemporary Jaguar XK – even with the V8), it struggled in the marketplace. It was nearly killed off when Ford’s new Thunderbird outsold it 22 to one. But Chevrolet kept at it, and not only did we get the glorious split-window C2, but with the arrival of the C3 came the optional ZR1 package. Originally just a handful of motorsport bits, the ZR1 package would eventually become its own car entirely: enter the C4 Corvette ZR11, aka “King of the Hill.” The car came with a 4-cam Lotus-engineered LT5 engine that shook the world – including laying the smackdown on Porsche’s 911 Turbo. Only the likes of the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959 could compete. We had a spectacular purple example with us on set for the ICONS shoot *sploosh!* No ZR1 was offered for the C5 generation, but it came back with a vengeance with the C6. A gorgeous, Ferrari 550-lookalike, now with supercharged boost! Unlike the Z06, the ZR1 wasn’t built to be a track rat, it had to do everything well, and for the most part it succeeded – despite having a front-engine, RWD layout and trying to put down 638 hp. It was a pussycat at the limit, akin to a Miata. The 755-hp C7 ZR1 however, added ANOTHER 117 hp to the mix, and wreaked havoc on the sliver of poise remaining in the chassis. It was a lot to handle at the limit. Then we finally got the mid-engine car: the C8. Initially just the base Stingray, then eventually the hybrid-powered E-Ray, and then the rowdy flat-plane crank Z06. The ZR1 added a pair of turbos to make Veyron-grade horsepower and compete with the likes of the Ferrari 296, SF90, and V12 Lamborghini Revuelto. Its ability to put its power down absolutely embarrasses the Dodge Demon 170. But can the chassis live up to the high bar set by the Alpha platform that lived underneath the ATS/CT4/Camaro? All the OEMs seem to be coalescing around the same flat-plane recipe. Will the added RPMs and quick response be a welcome improvement, or is Chevy having a 912/928/718 moment? And while the new engine sounds incredible, the styling is overwrought and the proportions a bit wonky – the stealth fighter Lamborghini somehow looks more restrained. At the very least, the C8 deserves praise for not incorporating the stupid haptic start “button” the Ferraris have. It may be the best American sports car since the Stutz Bearcat, but, if experience is indeed the top priority, where’s our third pedal, Tadge?