| When Chevy reintroduced the Corvette ZR1 in late | | | | transmission consists of six speeds that are manual |
| 2008 it was official that the King of the Hill was coming | | | | (stick shift) operation. The transmission is named the |
| back in town. In 2009 and again in 2010 the ZR1 was | | | | Tremec TR6060 and the ratio set is closed gear. Here |
| made available for sale and although it costs over | | | | are the improvements on the Corvette ZR1's |
| $100,000 it is still relatively cheap for everything you | | | | transmission: |
| get. | | | | - 16 percent longer low gears that that of the Corvette |
| When the engineers at GM set out to create the new | | | | Z06 which enables the Corvette ZR1 to go 60 miles |
| Corvette ZR1 they wanted something that would be | | | | per hour without leaving first gear. |
| powered like never before. What they ended up with | | | | - 26 percent shorter high gears that the Corvette Z06 |
| was nothing less than an all new supercharged V-8 | | | | which means a lower level red-line in fifth and sixth |
| dubbed the LS9. | | | | gear and the ability to take the super Vette over 200 |
| While the LS9 is indeed supercharged and one of the | | | | miles per hour. |
| reasons that the engine is capable of putting out over | | | | - Strengthened materials used in the shaft, gear shaft, |
| 600 horsepower, the engine itself would be powerful if | | | | and gearing to deal with the increase in torque that |
| it were only used as a standalone. It shares the same | | | | comes with the LS9. |
| design as the base model Corvette's 6.2 liter engine | | | | - Improved shaft feel thanks to the use of a twin-plate |
| but the ZR1's LS9 engine is improved with: | | | | clutch. |
| - A crankshaft that is forged steel. | | | | When combined the engine and the transmission of |
| - Main bearing caps that are steel. | | | | the new ZR1 are one of the most efficient and fastest |
| - Connecting rods made of titanium. | | | | pair in production today. This is why many enthusiasts |
| - Pistons that are forged aluminum. | | | | and critics alike will say over and over again that the |
| - Heads that are more consistent in density known as | | | | Corvette ZR1 is a bargain at just over $100,000. Really |
| "roto-cast." | | | | it makes perfect sense as the King of the Hill is a car |
| - Intake valves with more titanium so weight is reduced | | | | that is capable of running with the Porches, Ferraris, |
| and strength is increased. | | | | and Vipers of the automotive world for just a fraction |
| - Hollow exhaust valve stems. | | | | of the cost. |
| - A flywheel attached with nine screws as opposed to | | | | The engineers at GM will continue to make |
| the standard six. | | | | improvements to Corvette engines and transmissions |
| | | | | as the years go on. While it may seem impossible to |
| With such attention to detail it is easy to see why the | | | | best what they have accomplished in the Corvette |
| Corvette ZR1 is capable of top speeds that break the | | | | ZR1, the same attitude was felt when the original |
| 200 mile per hour mark. Basically what you are getting | | | | Corvette ZR1 came out back in 1990. But as history |
| is a street legal version of a race car engine. | | | | has proven, the 1990 King of the Hill was bested and |
| As would come to no surprise the transmission to the | | | | so too will today's ZR1. Kind of makes for an exciting |
| all new ZR1 is also special in nature. This particular | | | | future doesn't it? |