Well, that escalated quickly.
Only a month after Chevrolet took the wraps off its new Corvette ZR1, Hennessey Performance Engineering of Sealy, Texas is already out with a series of upgrades for the car, the most potent of which reaches up to 1,200 horsepower.
Yes, Hennessey’s HPE1200 Supercharged package will see the ZR1’s new LT5 V-8 engine deliver not only 1,200 horses but also 1,066 pound-feet of torque. Assuming you can get such power down, Hennessey’s ZR1 will likely be keeping up with the hypercar crowd.
The company predicts the tuned Corvette flagship will be able to sprint to 60 mph in as little as 2.2 seconds, pass the quarter mile in 9.2 seconds at 147 mph, and top out somewhere beyond 230 mph. Note, those figures will only be possible with a set of drag radials, plus a prepped dragstrip to make the run.
2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible, 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show
Specific modifications include an increase in displacement for the LT5 from 6.2 to 7.0 liters, a new high-flow supercharger and intercooler setup, beefed-up engine internals, ported cylinder heads, and high-flow intake and exhaust systems. Hennessey would also have to recalibrate the ECU to keep it all running smoothly.
If all of this sounds like overkill. Don’t worry, you’re probably not alone, Hennessey is offering the tamer HPE1000 Supercharged and HPE850 Supercharged packages for the ZR1. These lift output to only 1,000 and 850 hp, respectively.
The stock ZR1 is hardly slow. With 755 hp and 715 lb-ft of torque on tap, it will sprint to 60 in 3.0 seconds or less and cover the quarter mile in the high 10.0-second range. Those numbers are achieved with the car’s available 8-speed automatic. The standard transmission is a 7-speed manual.
Sales of the ZR1 commence in the spring of 2018, with prices starting at $119,995 for the coupe and $123,995 for the convertible.
