2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive | Page 2 | FerrariChat

2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive

Discussion in 'American Muscle' started by JDZNate, Aug 21, 2008.

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  1. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

    Feb 13, 2004
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    If you say so, I guess JD Power and all the new cars getting good reviews is incorrect then. But I guess your right, you seem to know oh so much!
     
  2. SS2012

    SS2012 Formula Junior

    Jun 4, 2006
    696
    I'd bet he knew the Corvette ZR1 has a LS9 and not the LSA.
     
  3. pks41805

    pks41805 Formula 3

    Aug 4, 2007
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    Paul Sloan
    JP Power is secretly owned by GM.
     
  4. SMS

    SMS F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2004
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    Autoweek's current article has a nice road and track summary of their drive. At the end the turned off the traction control and were doing burnouts. So much smoke a passing motorist called and reported a fire insude the proving grounds :)

    The rear suspension analyzes things like "low speed and high torque= drag racing launch mode" and continuoulsy adjusts dampening settings for optimum traction. Blower whine is very pronounced on the street. Will smoke a Porsche CGT from 0-100-0.
    The engine sound is a comination of high winding euro exotic with American muscle car undertones.

    Can't wait to see one in the wilds.
     
  5. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2006
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    Mark Stephens
    #30 GrndLkNatv, Aug 27, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2008
    As I said, GM builds crap..

    http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-fi-autos8-2008aug08,0,233596.story?track=rss

    Lexus once again stands alone atop a closely watched ranking of vehicle dependability after Buick slipped from the No. 1 spot it shared with the Japanese luxury brand last year, J.D. Power & Associates said Thursday.

    It's the 14th straight year Toyota Motor Corp.'s high-end brand has held the top position in the annual study, which measures problems experienced by the original owners of vehicles after three years. Lexus had 120 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 145 last year.


    http://www.jdpower.com/autos/articles/2008-Vehicle-Dependability-Study-Results

    Lexus earns six model awards and Toyota earns five, combining to capture more than half of the segment awards. Lexus is also the highest-ranked nameplate in the study, and has ranked highest each year since becoming eligible for the VDS in 1990.


    Ford and Honda each receive two awards; and Buick, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Mazda, and Mercury earn one award each.


    When was the last time any GM car held anything at the top?

    "It's the 14th straight year Toyota Motor Corp.'s high-end brand has held the top position in the annual study"

    "Lexus earns six model awards and Toyota earns five, combining to capture more than half of the segment awards. Lexus is also the highest-ranked nameplate in the study, and has ranked highest each year since becoming eligible for the VDS in 1990."

    My Quote: "When you drive any chevy, other than the vette, you are buying a slave wage produced piece of junk."

    Question: If Chevy is not Junk, why is it not on the list? Oops, it made one spot this year, wow, that's a first.
     
  6. SMS

    SMS F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2004
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    CHILL OUT Mark. OK, you hate GM. I happen to disagree with everything you said, but this thread is about the ZR1 First Drive.
     
  7. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

    Feb 13, 2004
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    King Tool has spoken!
     
  8. Carsonp

    Carsonp Formula 3

    Sep 29, 2004
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    i dont remember. I read an article or something about it... All i remember is there was a reason for it besides looks :eek:
     
  9. SINISTR

    SINISTR Rookie

    Nov 2, 2007
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    Craig
    I heard the same thing. I also don't understand why a thin piece of carbon fiber wouldn't have done the trick, but I've read that the window's purpose is for hood clearance. I wish I remembered exactly where I read it, but I'm pretty sure it was a bulletin released by Tadge Juechter and posted over on Corvette Forum.

    GrndLkNatv: I said this over on CF too... I agree GM is hurting (obviously by the reported losses), but I personally do not think it is because of "crappy" cars. I think it is more the fact of the excessive number of vehicles produced. There are so many cars of all of the different GM sub-companies that are basically the same car with different shells and badges on them. Honestly, not that GMC's are bad cars, but does that make really even need to exist? Is there anything GMC offers that Chevy or Caddy, or another sub-company of GM, does not offer? Example: There's the Tahoe, the Yukon, and the Escalade. I say drop the Yukon, keep the Tahoe for those that don't have the ability to buy an Escalade, and keep the Escalade for those that are looking for more luxury. Just my opinion though; sorry for the sidetrack.

    I think the ZR1 is just simply bad ass. From the article it seems like it is the best of ALL worlds, and that Chevy made one hell of a sports car for not much money, relatively speaking. Just maybe for a different demographic than, say, a Ferrari Enzo or a CGT...
     
  10. DetroitDetomaso

    DetroitDetomaso Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2006
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    Congrats to GM on the ZR1!
     
  11. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
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    #36 James_Woods, Aug 28, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2008
    Agreed. Just at the time when Chrysler may be trying to rid itself of the Viper.

    However - something to think about: I just got Corvette Quarterly (Corvette owners advertising mag from GM) -
    Here is how they list the ZR1/Z06:

    0-60: ZR1 = 3.4 sec. Z06 = 3.7 sec.
    1/4 mi. ZR1 = 11.3 sec./Z06 = 11.7 sec.
    top speed: Z06 listed as 198...the ZR1 not listed, but text says it will be "limited to 205" but can really do over 210.

    They are claiming that a dead stock ZR1 did 7.26 on the Ring, absolute stock including tires. They claim the driver says there were places where he could still pick up some time, and there was a headwind on the straight.

    All in all, the pure lower-end (i.e. real life street) acceleration numbers are a pretty small increment for 505 hp jumping to 638, no?

    PS & BTW - the official release package also says that included in the price of every ZR1 is a high-performance driving school day.
     
  12. KennyH

    KennyH F1 Veteran
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    Aug 13, 2001
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    9-10% increase in performance is pretty substantial IMO.

    Not my cup of tea, but I definitely appreciate the car and think it's amazing.. GM is turning out some very good cars today.
     
  13. Carsonp

    Carsonp Formula 3

    Sep 29, 2004
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    it weighs a bit more
     
  14. SMS

    SMS F1 Veteran

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    I forgot to post my favorite line above from the Autoweek article. Something like, 'It can run 215 but social responsibility has us electronically limit it to 205"!
     
  15. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
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    That blew me away too - (and it was official GM material; their Vette owners publicity mag).

    OK, moms - now the interstates are safe from those pushrod neanderthals.
     
  16. starboy444

    starboy444 F1 Veteran

    Oct 7, 2006
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    Lucas
    Slave wage?

    Please explain.
     
  17. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
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    #42 PSk, Aug 29, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2008
    There is no doubt that GM, Ford and Chrysler were, if they are not still, making poor cars. The number of cars sold every year is still similar, but Toyota and Honda have taken their market.

    This has happened all over the world simply because the Japanese car is a better vehicle. I, myself, own a Japanese family car on purpose because it starts first time every time I use it and maintenance (which I do myself) is minimal and it has now done 195,000 trouble free km's. It is a Toyota.

    Holden, a GM brand sold in Australia, recently brought out it's new Commodore, a too large 4 door family car. Yes it is a good car for a Holden, but it is a front engined rear wheel drive car that has a too large engine for this new market. The v6 engine is a 3.6 litre and you can purchase a 6 litre v8.

    GM yet again has miss-read the market place as, while they are selling, many more people now want smaller more fuel efficient engines AND modern driving is spent idling in traffic jams ... thus a big engine simply uses more gas.

    Amazingly back in 2000 Holden (not a company I would ever consider forward thinking) built a hybrid Commodore prototype and this was used as some sort of course car for the Sydney Olympics. They tried to sell the idea and concept to their bosses at GM to productionise it and GM said no. Since then we have watched Toyota and Honda bring out hybrids and soon Toyota is bringing out a hybrid Camry (a full size family car. There is no need for anything bigger than this car, it does the job!). If GM had any ability to correctly judge a moving market place they would have said yes to Holden and they would have got a head start. Instead they didn't even consider making this new Commodore that they just released as a hybrid, or even offer smaller more efficient engines (for this particular model).

    This brand new Holden is already the most fuel inefficient new car in the Aussie market (for it's type) and now has been surpassed in crash rating by the new Ford Falcon (which is also slightly more fuel efficient). Both cars though are dinosaurs and only diehard Holden and Ford people would be buying them.

    Myself if I had to own a new Ford, I'd buy the Mondeo (a Mazda 6 with a more elegant front). Fits the same number of people with a more modern and fuel efficient engine, etc. Remember I'm talking family cars ... not Ferrari's, just has to do the job and be a little fun to drive.

    So IMO you cannot say GM, etc. have not caused their current situation ... they 100% did, and even this Corvette as clever and fast as it is, is a 1970's concept with a big powerful engine and thankfully better handling, but it is still a 1970's concept (just like the new Alfa Romeo 8c, etc.). Compare this Corvette with the new Nizzan GTR, for example.
    Pete
     
  18. SS2012

    SS2012 Formula Junior

    Jun 4, 2006
    696
    #43 SS2012, Aug 30, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2008
    lol, excessive number of crappy vehicle produced that people don't want to buy? In they are good cars I don't think you can make too many. Take a look at the Camry and Accord, souless pedestrian cars, but dependable and gets the job done, sells millions, you can't have too much of a good thing.
     
  19. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2006
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    So I said they make crappy cars and JD Power's and Associates agrees, are they King Tool as well?? They seem to do much better in life than the one who said I was King Tool and I am just repeating what they said, so who is the tool?
     
  20. Dino Martini

    Dino Martini F1 Rookie

    Dec 21, 2004
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    For them losing 15.5 billion, I cant see the ZR1 saving them (unfortunately). But they do make some good run of the mill cars, and with some of the stuff coming down the pipeline (if it makes it in time) GM might make it. Its really really bad for everyone if a big business goes bust. GM goes bust, 284,000 people lose their jobs. But enough of the gloom and doom.

    Congrats GM. Ever since the first spy shots were published I was very very interested to see what GM would do. Sure its a Chevrolet and most rule it out then. But its one hell of a car I think. Rid the car of the chrome rims and it really changes the look for the better.
     
  21. Ferrari330P4

    Ferrari330P4 Formula Junior

    Aug 4, 2005
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    No actually that is the top of the intercooler plenum, it is aluminum.
     
  22. Ferrariguy2

    Ferrariguy2 F1 Rookie

    Apr 5, 2004
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    Are you saying that GM Canada pays slave wages? LOL!!!!
     
  23. SINISTR

    SINISTR Rookie

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    #48 SINISTR, Sep 1, 2008
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2008
    Yes but Camry and Accord are two different cars by two completely different companies. I am saying that a GMC Yukon is just as good of a car, and basically just the same, as a Chevy Tahoe. The GMC Envoy (I believe is the car I'm thinking of) is also the same as the Chevy Trailblazer, and so on with all of the other makes and models GM produces.

    They have so many of essentially the same exact car, with different badges, throughout all their makes. Cut the fat. For example, sell the GMC name and focus on producing the Tahoes and the Escalades. Then you have a lower end model and the higher end, luxurious model. If you throw the GMC Yukon in there you have another lower end model that is the exact same as the other lower end model (Tahoe), what's the point?

    Also, you certainly can have too much of a good thing. I believe there are ~2,000 2008 Z06's that are sitting on dealer lots that have not been sold yet. All brand new, non-titled cars. That's why you can pick them up now at about $10k off MSRP. They are awesome cars, and an even better deal for what they cost, but GM made too many of them. Too much of a good thing, indeed.

    Way off topic though, sorry.
     
  24. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    Eveytime I see your posts I think it's one of mine. Your name is way to close lol.
     
  25. Dino Martini

    Dino Martini F1 Rookie

    Dec 21, 2004
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    Problem is that shutting down a branch of a company costs money. GM lost money on the Oldsmobile shut down.
     

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