"Blue Devil," will be
called ZR1
Oct, 01 2007 SSCC News and Info
Corvette
Info
Todd Lassa, Detroit Editor for Motor Trend reports
-
"Chevrolet's
650-horsepower Corvette, developed under the codename
"Blue Devil," will be called ZR1.
That
badge will appear on the January 2008 Detroit show
car, and on the production version set to go on sale
later next year as a 2009 model. GM has been
developing this car for several years, using a
supercharged version of the new 6.2-liter small block
V-8 used in the 2008.
GM
also considered such names as Z07 and Super Sport for
the ultra-low-volume car. Price will be much higher
than the 505-horsepower Z06, and Chevy will continue
production of that car when the ZR1
launches."
When
it arrives in showrooms next year, the much-rumored
"Blue Devil" Corvette will be sold as the 2008 Corvette
ZR-1, according to a new report. The move would
mark the revival of a classic GM
badge.
Other
names rumored for the range-topper included "SS,"
"Sting Ray," and "Z07."
Featuring a supercharged version of
the new Corvette's 6.2-liter V8, the ZR-1 will
deliver somewhere between 600 and 700 hp, GM
executives have said. It will be the most powerful
and most expensive Corvette ever.
"This
thing has so much power […] We’re really into a speed
and power realm that General Motors has never been in
before. We’re way up there with Porsche Carrera GTs
and Ferraris.” Vice President Bob Lutz
said in April.
While
the ZR-1 name has not been officially announced by
GM, Motor Trend
sources claim the
badge is now official. The new 'Vette is expected
to show up at the 2008 Detroit auto
show.
It's
not clear whether the "ZR-1" name will contain a
hyphen or not (ZR1). GM has used both variations over
the years, although ZR-1 has been both more common
and more recent.