The ZR1 was the top C6 Corvette. Its hand-built, supercharged 6.2L LS9 made 638 horsepower, and GM called it the most powerful and fastest car it had produced, with a top speed of 205 mph.
Fuel economy from EPA and recalls from NHTSA, checked November 10, 2026.
The C6 ZR1 was a fixed-roof Corvette sold for the 2009 through 2013 model years. It paired the supercharged LS9 V8 with the aluminum frame of the Z06, a carbon fiber body and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes.
GM introduced it for 2009 under the headline that the king returns. At launch it offered only two options: chrome wheels and an upgraded interior package.
Every ZR1 carried its own VIN digit and a sequential build number, so a VIN ending in 0150 marks car number 150 of its model year.
It was built in Bowling Green, Kentucky, alongside the rest of the C6 line, and the 2013 model year closed the generation.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model years | 2009 to 2013 |
| Body | Two-door hatchback coupe with a fixed roof |
| Engine | 6.2L supercharged LS9 V8, 638 hp and 604 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Tremec TR6060 close-ratio six-speed manual |
| Top speed | 205 mph |
| Frame | Hydroformed aluminum, shared with the Z06 |
| Brakes | Brembo carbon-ceramic, 15.5-inch front and 15-inch rear rotors |
| Curb weight | 3,324 lb (2009), 3,353 lb (2013) |
The ZR1 used the LS9, a 6.2L small-block V8 with a Roots-type supercharger and an integrated charge cooler. It made 638 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 604 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm.
GM described the supercharger as a sixth-generation Eaton unit with a four-lobe rotor design. It built power and torque low in the rev range and carried them to 6,600 rpm.
Each LS9 was assembled by hand at GM's Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan. The cast iron cylinder liners were finish-bored and honed with a deck plate installed, a racing-engine method that copied the stress the cylinder heads put on the block.
Titanium connecting rods were among the lightweight parts that let it rev. From 2012, buyers could order the Engine Build Experience, option PBC, and help assemble their own engine in Wixom.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 6.2L (376 cu in) |
| Bore and stroke | 4.06 x 3.62 in |
| Compression ratio | 9.1:1 |
| Power | 638 hp at 6,500 rpm |
| Torque | 604 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm |
| Fuel | Premium required |
| Engine oil | 10.5 quarts, dry-sump system |
Every ZR1 used a six-speed manual with a twin-disc clutch, and no automatic was offered. It reached its top speed in sixth gear, where the manual Corvette and Z06 topped out in fifth.
A pair of smaller 260 mm plates spread the torque load, which cut inertia by 25 percent compared with the 290 mm single disc in the Z06.
ZR1-specific ratios gave it a steep first gear to help launch the car, with a 3.42 final drive.
The half-shafts were different sizes, 33 mm on the right and 40 mm on the left, and sat on a flatter plane to match the wider rear wheels.
| Gear | Ratio |
|---|---|
| First | 2.29 |
| Second | 1.61 |
| Third | 1.21 |
| Fourth | 1.00 |
| Fifth | 0.81 |
| Sixth | 0.67 |
| Reverse | 3.11 |
| Final drive | 3.42 |
The ZR1 rode on the aluminum Z06 frame with its own suspension tuning, standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control and carbon-ceramic brakes. GM rated it at more than 1 g of cornering grip.
Brembo rotors made of carbon-fiber-reinforced ceramic silicon carbide measured 15.5 inches in front and 15 inches at the rear, which GM placed among the largest carbon-ceramic rotors on any production car. Six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers were painted blue.
GM said the rotors should never need replacing in normal driving, and that the front pads were twice the size of the Z06 pads.
Twenty-spoke wheels measured 19 x 10 inches in front and 20 x 12 at the rear, on Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires developed for the ZR1. Sterling Silver was standard, with chrome and Competition Gray optional by 2011.
The magnetic dampers were standard and tuned for the ZR1. GM said they kept the rear axle planted at launch and calmed axle movement on broken pavement.
Carbon fiber. The ZR1 used it for the hood, the wider front fenders, the roof panel, roof bow, front splitter and rocker moldings, with the weave left visible on the roof, splitter and rockers.
The raised hood had a clear polycarbonate window over the intercooler, embossed with LS9 SUPERCHARGED on each side. The wider front fenders carried dual ports, and a full-width spoiler in body color carried the center brake lamp.
GM coated the visible carbon fiber with a glossy clear coat made to resist UV, yellowing and wear. Four large stainless steel exhaust outlets finished the rear.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 105.7 in |
| Overall length | 176.2 in |
| Overall width | 75.9 in |
| Overall height | 48.7 in |
| Weight distribution | 51 percent front, 49 percent rear |
The ZR1 cabin followed the C6 dual-cockpit design with its own gauges: a boost gauge, also shown on the head-up display, and a speedometer that read to 220 mph. It came in two trims, 1ZR and 3ZR.
For 2012 every ZR1 gained new seats with larger bolsters and a new steering wheel.
The ZR1 changed little in its five years. GM added launch control with Performance Traction Management for 2010, more colors for 2011, the PDE performance package for 2012 and a 60th Anniversary package for 2013.
Launch year: the LS9 with 638 horsepower, carbon-ceramic brakes, a carbon fiber body and a 205 mph top speed.
Performance Traction Management arrived as part of a new launch control system, and side air bags became standard.
Inferno Orange and Supersonic Blue took the palette to 10 colors, with contrasting headlamp housings and custom stitching.
The PDE package added Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, lighter Cup wheels and a full-width spoiler. New seats, a new steering wheel and the Centennial Edition arrived too.
The final C6 year added a 60th Anniversary Design Package on the 3ZR trim, black wheels and Night Race Blue Metallic.
GM also announced that a 2013 ZR1 would pace the 96th Indianapolis 500.
GM rated the ZR1 at 205 mph, making it the first production Corvette past 200 mph. On the Nürburgring it lapped in 7:26.4 in 2008, then in 7:19.63 with the 2012 car and the PDE package.
From 2010, Performance Traction Management held a set engine speed with the throttle floored, then adjusted torque 100 times per second as the clutch came up.
The same system tied together traction control, Active Handling and the magnetic dampers, and managed power at full throttle out of a corner.
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, built by the engineers behind the Corvette Racing tires, rode on Cup wheels about five pounds lighter than the 2011 wheel. GM estimated an 8 percent gain in lateral grip.
GM noted that Nürburgring lap times are unofficial. The 2012 lap improved on the earlier ZR1 time by more than six seconds.
The full ZR1 specification as GM listed it: a 6.2L supercharged V8, a six-speed manual, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels and a curb weight of 3,324 pounds at launch.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | LS9 6.2L supercharged V8, 376 cu in |
| Power and torque | 638 hp at 6,500 rpm, 604 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual, twin-disc clutch |
| Suspension | Short and long arm front and rear, transverse composite leaf springs, Magnetic Selective Ride Control |
| Brakes | 15.5-inch front, 15-inch rear carbon-ceramic rotors |
| Wheels | 19 x 10-inch front, 20 x 12-inch rear |
| Tires | Michelin Pilot Sport 2, P285/30ZR19 front, P335/25ZR20 rear |
| Length, width, height | 176.2 in, 75.9 in, 48.7 in |
| Curb weight | 3,324 lb (2009), 3,333 lb (2010 and 2011), 3,353 lb (2013) |
| Cargo volume | 22 cu ft |
| Fuel tank | 18 gal |
EPA rated the ZR1 at 14 mpg city for every model year, with 20 highway through 2011 and 21 highway for 2012 and 2013. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2009, 2010 or 2013 Corvette model years.
| Engine | Transmission | Model years | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2L supercharged LS9 | Six-speed manual | 2009 to 2011 | 14 | 20 | 16 |
| 6.2L supercharged LS9 | Six-speed manual | 2012 to 2013 | 14 | 21 | 17 |
Source: U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov.
One campaign, 11V491000, covers 2011 and 2012 Corvette coupes built January 24 to September 1, 2011, whose rear hatch hinges might not meet the federal load requirement. Dealers replaced both hinges. Check any car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Start with the build number and the options. Every ZR1 shares the same engine and brakes, so the differences between cars come down to the year, the trim and the packages.
The C6 ZR1 has 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 6.2L LS9 V8.
The C6 ZR1 was sold for the 2009 through 2013 model years.
GM rated the C6 ZR1 at a top speed of 205 mph, the first production Corvette past 200 mph.
The LS9, a hand-built 6.2L small-block V8 with a Roots-type supercharger and an integrated charge cooler.
No. Every C6 ZR1 used a six-speed manual with a twin-disc clutch.
Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors, 15.5 inches in front and 15 inches at the rear, with blue six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.
GM listed the 2009 ZR1 at 3,324 pounds and the 2013 car at 3,353 pounds.
The 1ZR was the standard car with lightweight seats. The 3ZR added power heated leather seats, Bose audio, navigation, Bluetooth and a custom leather-wrapped interior.
GM recorded 7:26.4 in 2008 and 7:19.63 with the 2012 car and the PDE package. GM noted that lap times there are unofficial.
Each ZR1 carries its own VIN digit and a sequential build number for its model year.
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