F-Body Europe

The 2009 ZR1 started testing at the Nürburgring at the beginning of this month, and edmunds.com has some video of it on the track.

In the video they say unofficial times were taken as low 1:40s, but we're going to assume they mean 7:40s because in the text they mention the Nissan GTR getting an unofficial 1:38 (which was really 7:38).

The 505HP Z06 maxed out at 7:42.9 back in 2005 with Jan Magnussen behind the wheel, so it stands to reason that the 620HP ZR1 will be able to beat the crap out of that time with its updated suspension components and added downforce.

Jan and Johnny O were in Florida last week for the ALMS race at St Pete, so the video Edmunds has is just the GM engineers getting a baseline down at the ring. Two weeks separate St Pete's and Long Beach... where are they now? All we know is that the car is going to be heavier on the left without a passenger, so if they need some ballast we call shotgun.

Friday, April 25, 2008
'09 Corvette has 638 horses, reaches 205 mph
The $100,000 ZR1 sports 6.2-liter V-8 engine and will hit dealerships this summer.
Scott Burgess / The Detroit News
The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's supercharged V-8 officially produces 638-horsepower, General Motors Corp. executives announced today. GM completed SAE certification of the ZR1's 6.2-liter LS9 engine and released the results at midnight.

The final tally: 638 horses and 604-pound-feet torque and blistering top speed of 205 mph.

The ZR1 will be built at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky, home to the regular Corvette and Z06.

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The LS9 engine will be hand built at GM's Performance Build Center in Wixom.

With a 0-60 time besting the Corvette Z06's 3.7 seconds, the ZR1 enters supercar territory with its power and quickness.

Final numbers have not been released.

The engine's power comes from the four-lobe Roots-type supercharger, the first production application of it.

This premium 'Vette should cost around $100,000 and includes a carbon fiber hood, fenders and parts of the roof -- helping the supercar lose some of its weight.

GM plans to sell 2,000 ZR1s each year after they arrive in dealerships this summer.