Welcome back, CorvSport readers, to today’s ZR1 recap, where we highlight some of the news you may have missed over the past week. There certainly isn’t a lack of excitement surrounding the latest creation from Chevy, and with 1,064 tarmac-tearing horsepower, who can blame us enthusiasts? Frankly, I’m still shocked and amazed that the GM engineers could extract that much power out of the twin-turbocharged LT7 and that the 1,000-plus milestone went to the ZR1 instead of the ZORA–but we’ll save that conversation for another day.
In today’s episode, we’ll bring you some fresh videos of the remarkable 2025 Corvette ZR1 that have emerged over the last week, and we round out today’s Z-NEWS coverage with a comprehensive ZR1 overview and our extensive CorvSport C8 ZR1 archives in case you missed any coverage and need to brush up for Monday’s water cooler session. Let’s get after it!
1) Just Released 4 Hours Ago! Corvette Insider: GM Engineer Dustin Gardner On The LT7
This new 2025 ZR1 video is hot off the press, and even better, at just over one minute, it’s easy to digest during your busy schedule. While not a deep dive, it is always enlightening to hear directly from any engineer who had their hand in the creation of this crazy beast.
Video Summary From Chevrolet:
“What makes the Corvette ZR1 the fastest, most powerful Corvette ever made? Go under the hood with Dustin Gardner, Assistant Chief Engineer Small Block Engines, to see the turbo-charged LT7 engine that makes unrelenting acceleration a reality.”
Notable Timestamps and Cliff Notes:
- [0:01] “The goals for the LT7 were first and foremost the power and torque…”
- [0:15] “It’s that greater than 800 foot-pounds of torque across a 3,500 RPM bandwidth that just gives you an unrelenting sense of acceleration…”
- [0:25] “What we settled on was a mono scroll 76-millimeter compressor with a 67-millimeter turbine wheel in it…”
- [0:45] The lack of turbo lag “makes the Corvette ZR1 a complete utter monster on the street and on the track…”
2) Brink of Speed Gets The Scoop On ZR1s Unloading At Carlisle
As always, notable enthusiast and YouTuber Mike from Brink of Speed was on top of it and starting taping as the hauler was positioning to unload the 2025 ZR1s at Carlisle.
Video Summary From Mike:
“Ladies and gentlemen, today is ZR1 delivery day in Carlisle, and I’m going to give you my first impressions of this new beast!”
Notable Timestamps and Cliff Notes:
- [0:20] The transporter is positioning and preparing to unload the ZR1s!
- [1:46] The doors start to open!
- [2:00] Mike spots the ZR1 cutaway car (CorvSport will have more on this next week!)
- [2:33] The unloading begins with the cutaway ZR1
- [3:24] Mike gets some great angles of the cutaway ZR1
- [5:20] Mike gets mesmerized by the “enormous” ZR1 ZTK wing
- [9:02] A black ZR1 with the blue wheels rolls off the truck
3)Bonus Video: Drive 615 Captures Some Exclusive Raw Footage of ZR1 In The Wild
Video Summary From Byron With Drive 615:
“First look at a 2025 Corvette ZR1 (Black with Edge Blue stripes and Edge Blue wheels). I went up to bowling green to film the new C8 ZR1 Corvette at the NCM. I also saw a Competition Yellow C8 Z06, a Competition Yellow E-Ray and then a Hysteria (purple) E-Ray. In this video you can hear the C8 ZR1 start up. (C8 ZR1 Cold Start) you can hear the 2025 Corvette ZR1 rev its exhaust (ZR1 Exhaust, Zr1 revs, ZR1 Rev) Also, you can see the 2025 ZR1 driving in the sunlight.”
4) 2025 Corvette ZR1 Overview
- Powertrain: A flat-plane crank (FPC) twin-turbocharged 5.5 liter LT7,
- Power: A whopping 1,064 HP with 828 lb-ft of torque! Record milestone numbers for the brand.
- Performance: “Significantly faster than 212 mph” and “under a 10-second quarter mile,”
- Pricing: Car and Driver reports a starting price in the range of $180,000 to $205,000,
- Transmission: A “strengthened” 8-speed TREMEC DCT (from Stingray & Z06),
- Dry Weights: 3,670 lbs (Coupe) and 3,758 lbs (Convertible)
- Availability: The 2025 model year is confirmed.
- Torque Monster: Nearly all its torque, 800 lb-ft, is available from 3,000 to 6,500 RPMs!
- The first turbocharged Corvette ever!
- The first factory Corvette to surpass 1,000 HP!
- The most powerful V8 ever produced in America by an auto manufacturer.
- No electric motors are on the front wheels; speculation is the hybrid will be reserved for the ZORA.
- There is an 8000 RPM redline (down 600 from the C8 Z06’s LT6 to accommodate the turbos).
- According to Tadge Juechter, the LT7 has numerous engineering upgrades, including thicker forged titanium rods, and there is no cylinder deactivation.
- The iconic Split Window design is back!
A big thanks, CorvSport readers, for continuing to join us on this adventure of all things Corvette! If you want to keep up to date with all the fresh Corvette news and maintain a pulse on the lifestyle and culture of this exciting, iconic brand, CorvSport has the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 171,000 followers (52,000 since January 2023!). Come join other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello, Douglas B.
CorvSport 2025 ZR1 Archives (Newest First)
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[Z-NEWS] More 2025 ZR1 Colors In The Wild! Raw ZR1 Sights And Sounds Video, And More…
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[Z-NEWS] 2025 ZR1 “Is The Most Expensive Corvette We’ll Be Doing”; Spotted In Wild… And More!
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CorvSport Finds The Best Videos And Pictures Of The New 2025 Corvette ZR1
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The 1,064 HP 2025 Corvette ZR1 Is Revealed! CorvSport Covers The Key Details
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Leaked 2025 Corvette ZR1 Photos Ignite Enthusiasts Hours Before Official Reveal
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[Z-NEWS] GM Sets ZR1 Reveal Date Then New Video Shows ZORA In The Wild
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C8 ZR1 News Recap: GM Teases Us With Engine Clues In 2nd Video, And More…
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2025 ZR1 News Recap: Does New Video Settle Engine Debate? And Much More…
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Breaking Chevy Tease: Will The 2025 ZR1 Really Be Revealed At The NCM Bash?
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ZR1 News Recap: 2025 vs. 2026 Debate Put To Rest With Teaser Video From Chevy
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News Recap C8 ZR1 Edition: First EX-VIN Assembled; 2025 Model Year Likely
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New Camouflaged ZR1 Photos Blasting Across The Internet Reignite Engine Debate
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[Weekly News Recap] ZR1 Diesel Disinformation, Corvette EV Slated For 2027?
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[News Recap] ZR1 Engine “Confirmed”, UAW Strike Ends, Plant Temporarily Shuts Down
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[News Recap] More ZR1 Engine Rumors, Baffling C8 Trips to MI, C8s Under MSRP!
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Notable Magazine Stirs Up More ZR1 Powerplant Debates With 6-Year Old LT7 CAD Image
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Does This Compilation Of Every C8 ZR1 Video Settle The Great Engine Debate?
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The 2025 ZR1 Undresses for Nurburgring Testing And Stirs Up More Engine Rumors
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[Weekly News Recap] Another ZR1 Video, UAW Tightens Grip, Video Of New Z06 Falling Off Lift
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[Breaking C8 News] Video Of Quiet ZR1 Prototypes Shakes Up Engine Rumors, Wheels Revealed!
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C8 ZR-1 News: Caught On Video! More Spy Photos, New Rendering, Leaked Wheel Design