Chevy is about to launch two ultra-high-performance Corvettes to take on Lamborghinis, McLarens and other exotics. The ZR-1 and Zora, expected to arrive in the next couple of years, will use much of the brilliant Z06 as their foundation, including its flatplane-crank V-8, wider body, huge tires and carbon-ceramic brakes. The ZR-1 will get an upgrade in the form of a twin-turbo version of the Z06's 5.5-liter V-8, pumping out over 800 horsepower. It's expected to lunge to 60mph in about 2.5 seconds, making it quicker around a racetrack than anything else in the Corvette lineup. The Zora, on the other hand, will be a mashup of the ZR-1's mechanicals and the 160-hp electric motor from the upcoming E-Ray hybrid. With this combination, it will be flirting with 1000 horsepower, and with all-wheel drive aiding the launch, it could hit 60mph in about 1.9 seconds. Plus, it'll remain comfy enough for cross-country treks, but with a base price around $200,000, it'll be soaring in the hypercar stratosphere.
It's an exciting time for Corvette fans, as the arrival of the ZR-1 and Zora will pay tribute to the legacy of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the car's chief engineer who brought the Corvette into the world-class sports car we know it as today. He was key in giving the Corvette its independent rear suspension, disc brakes and limited-slip differential, and was an avid racer himself, winning his class at Le Mans in 1954 and '55 and setting a Pikes Peak record that stood for 13 years in a pre-production '56 Chevy four-door hardtop. Now, the ZR-1 and Zora will honor his legacy and make the Corvette an even more competitive player in the hypercar and exotic sports car market.