2012 Corvette ZR1 Makes Record-Setting

ZR1

 by Chevrolet in the News on August 1, 2011

After an absence of four years, the Chevrolet Corvette once again returned to Germany’s famed Nürburgring racetrack for performance testing, and once again it came home with a record. Corvette engineer Jim Mero drove a stock 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 through the 12.9 miles and 154 turns of the ’Ring’s Nordschliefe course in a time of just 7:19.63—the fastest confirmed time ever recorded by a stock production vehicle.
But that was just a bonus for the Corvette team, which was at Nürburgring to validate some key performance upgrades on the ZR1 for 2012, including its available Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires. An important factor in helping the Corvette set its new Nürburgring benchmark, these competition-oriented tires are optimized for warm, dry conditions to provide enhanced cornering and handling capabilities. In fact, working in concert with the Corvette’s exclusive torque-management system, the net result for the 2012 model year is an 8 percent gain in maximum lateral acceleration—now increased to more than 1.1g—as well as decreased braking distances.
The ZR1, along with the entire Corvette lineup, also gets some notable interior upgrades for the new model year. Among them:

• New, more supportive seats with larger bolsters and microfiber suede inserts
• A new steering wheel, showcasing wrapped spokes, streamlined switch trim and model-specific badging
• Contrasting interior stitching on models with leather interiors
• A new uplevel Bose sound system with enhanced sound quality that’s been precisely tuned to the cabin’s acoustics; this nine-speaker setup also boasts the latest Bose Nd bass performance and new dash-mounted tweeters
• Customizable brake calipers, available in red, yellow, silver or gray

And remember, all this is in addition to the potent package the ZR1 already brings to the table, filled with go-fast goodies like a 6.2-liter supercharged 638-V8 engine, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Selective Magnetic Ride Control, the fastest-reacting suspension technology in the world.
It’s no wonder the 2012 model year also will bring one more significant addition to the Corvette roster—a seventh trophy for winning its class at the grueling 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.