2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

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2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Buzz Station

Maybe it was us who said it best: The take-home message of the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is that it is more powerful than the Dodge Viper. But really that's just the first of many commandments on the ZR1's bold checklist. Just ask chief engineer Tadge Juechter, who casually says the car "will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack."

We may not be ready to put money behind Juechter's claim, but if Chevy's going to try and sell us on the Corvette ZR1's horsepower, acceleration or even top speed domination, we'll bite. After all, the Corvette ZR1's supercharged LS9 V8 makes about the same horsepower as three 1980s-era Corvette small-block V8s. Yes, that means more power than the Corvette C6.R that races at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

But let's rewind back to the beginning for a minute. The big reason that the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's impending release has been so sensationalized is due to the spy photos of the supercar taken by an intrepid Lufthansa freight employee back in February of 2007. The photos were so detailed that they blew the lid completely off Chevy's surprise, revealing a compact supercharger nestled between the V8's two cylinder heads. By the time our spy photographers caught Chevy testing the Corvette ZR1 on the road, we already knew why the super Corvette wore aggressively flared rear wheel arches, stuffed with massive 335/25R20 Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

Months later, video of the car lapping the famous Laguna Seca racetrack surfaced. And then in November, Chevy released details of the Corvette ZR1's 6.2-liter supercharged mill.

That the majority of the public was aware of the engine's specifications didn't make the numbers any less staggering. In our detailed First Look at the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Ron Meegan, assistant chief engineer of the ZR1's V8, said output will be "greater than 620 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 595 pound-feet of torque in the 3,600-to-4,000 rpm range." The list of reasons to lust after the new engine is long, but the best one has to be that the Corvette ZR1 will carry GM's 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, just like your Chevy Malibu.

But Chevy assures us that the 2009 Corvette ZR1 is more than just an engine. Take its Brembo carbon-ceramic brake rotors, which are 15 inches in diameter in the rear — and originally designed for the front of the Ferrari Enzo. Those are paired with even bigger 15.5-inch front discs on the ZR1. Then there are the magnetic shocks. Stop the car, push in the clutch and dial in some revs, and the ZR1 knows you're planning a launch. The rear shocks automatically soften up, allowing the car to squat for greater traction.

And don't forget the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's signature feature, that clear polycarbonate porthole that reveals the LS9's integrated supercharger/intercooler unit. Holy clear plastic, Batman. I can see the engine.

So what does Chevy intend to charge for such a machine? Considering that a prime motivation for building it was to find out "what a $100,000 Corvette looked like," we'd guess against bargain basement muscle car pricing. But then again, the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 ain't your daddy's muscle car. It's a bona fide supercar. And it's sure to be the quickest and fastest factory-built Corvette ever.