Dec 21st, 2007 by RJ Menezes
After consistent rumors of a “Super Vette” being in the works Chevrolet has finally announced the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 V8. Many people thought it would be called “SuperSport” or maybe “SS”, but the new Vette comes to us as a reissue of the fabled ZR1 nameplate.
The heart of the beast is the stuff of fantasy. A 6.2 liter push-rod V8 is coupled to a Roots-type positive displacement supercharger, which is intercooled. The result of their marriage is 620 exited ponies all trying to stretch their legs. All this and the engine can be seen through a clear window in the hood, true supercar excess.
But keen Corvette geeks will say “Wait, why not just bolt the supercharger to the 7.0 liter ZO6 engine and create a bagillion horsepower?” Well the answer seems to lie with the actual abuse the highly massaged ZO6 engine would have to cope with to have that much boost pumped in it.
Ron Meegan, the assistant chief engineer for the new 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s supercharged V8, replies, “The LS7 is a pretty polished beast. There’s not much more to be had there. The 6.2 liter block had to be strengthened 20% as it was.”
But the real key here had to be the new generation supercharger from Eaton. “Honestly, had Eaton not come up with this new, more efficient, sixth-generation supercharger, we might not have done the car at all.” says Meegan. A new quieter and more efficient design lets the new supercar pump out the above 600hp number on only 10.5 psi of boost.
This one here represents the pinnacle of Corvette know-how. It is the fastest most exclusive Corvette ever made. Engineers are not to keen to divulge numbers just yet but people are talking low 3’s for 0-60 and 1/4 mile times in the high 10’s(!!!). Indeed a wicked fast car this should turn out to be.
Speaking of turns, don’t think the chassis and suspension has been left alone either. Both have been thoroughly tweaked to handle the power.Match that to world-class brakes and you’ve got a race car for the road.
Cant wait to see one on the road. See for yourself, it looks plain wicked!
Above: A recipe for 620 horsepower….
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