| abstract | - The following is the description of the base model. Known as America's sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette has always represented world-class performance in an affordable package. Recent models like the Z06 versions of the C5 and C6 were able to keep up with the likes of Ferrari and other supercars on the racetrack, while its price came at a fraction of their price. Chevrolet decided to up the ante in 2008 by introducing the ZR1 version of the C6 at that year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The car's power plant went from the Z06's 498 HP engine to a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 (called the LS9) that churned out 638 HP/6500 rpm and an asphalt-crunching 603.9 ft-lb at 3800. This hand-built engine came mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with close gear ratios. The aluminum and magnesium frame was rigid and extremely lightweight, as were the body panels whose fenders, hood, and roof were composed of carbon fiber. As a result, the car tipped the scales at a lean 1508 kg. While past American sports cars and muscle cars have been known for the straight-line prowess, the Corvette ZR1 could do it all, thus lapping the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife faster than the Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R. It dashed from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and to the quarter-mile mark in 11.3. If the Corvette is the king of American sports cars, then the ZR1 is the king of all Corvettes.
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