Car of the Month – January, 2024
1990 Corvette ZR1
![27_Corvette ZR1 red (1)[34] copy](https://newportcarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/27_Corvette-ZR1-red-134-copy-1200x600.jpeg "27_Corvette ZR1 red (1)[34] copy")
1990 Corvette ZR1
Engine – LT-5, 350 CID, 5.7 liter V8
Horsepower – 375 HP at 5800 rpm with 370 ft-lbs of torque
Transmission – ZF (ML9) 6-speed manual gearbox with computer aided gear
Curb weight – 3,465 lbs
0-60 time – 4.9 seconds
¼ mile time – 13.4 seconds
Top speed – 175 mph
Number built – 3,032
MSRP price – $58,994.00
Affectionately known as “The King of the Hill,” the ZR1 benefitted from collaboration with Lotus Group, which GM acquired in 1985, and engineers from Chevrolet, Pontiac, GM Canada and Mercury Marine.
Tony Rudd of Lotus Engineering was delegated the task of producing an engine with a completely new block that would accept Lotus cylinder heads. The result was the ZR1’s award-winning 375 hp, LT-5 V8 with four valves per cylinder and four overhead camshafts, which finally achieved the performance figures Corvette engineers had wanted.
What makes this engine special is its two-phase induction system that makes the LT-5 a track-ready powerhouse but also quite docile for around-town driving. Contributing to the variable comfort of the ZR1 is the Corvette’s Selective Ride Control package that provides both a soft ride and excellent handling in varying degrees, depending upon the setting of a switch.
When the ZR1 project began, the goal was to make the ZR1 one of the fastest production-built cars in the world. Mission accomplished. Americans now had a supercar.