ZR1, GTD, and America’s new Nürburgring war

Summary

At higher speeds, the wing's element flips up, enabling a 202 mph (325 km/h) top speed. No surprise, that makes this the fastest factory Mustang ever. At a $325,000 starting price, it had better be, but when it comes to the maximum-velocity stakes, the Chevrolet is in another league. More Corvette You lose the frunk but gain cooling and downforce. Tim Stevens You lose the frunk but gain cooling and downforce. Tim Stevens The ZR1 was always part of GM's plan for the C8-generation Corvette. Tim Stevens The ZR1 was always part of GM's plan for the C8-generation Corvette. Tim Stevens Another big honking wing, but this one is fixed in place. Tim Stevens Another big honking wing, but this one is fixed in place. Tim Stevens The ZR1 was always part of GM's plan for the C8-generation Corvette. Tim Stevens Another big honking wing, but this one is fixed in place. Tim Stevens On paper, when it comes to outright speed and value, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 seems to offer far more bang for what is still a significant number of bucks. To be specific, the ZR1 starts at about $175,000, which gets you a 1,064 hp (793 kW) car that will do 233 mph (375 km/h) if you point it down a road long enough. Where the GTD is a thorough reimagining of what a Mustang can be, the ZR1 sticks closer to the Corvette script, offering more power, more aerodynamics, and more braking without any dramatic internal reconfiguration. That's because it was all part of the car's original mission plan, GM's Brian Wallace told me. "We knew we were going to build this car," he said, "knowing it had the backbone to double the horsepower, put 20 percent more grip in the car, and oodles of aero." At the center of it all is a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8. You can get a big wing here, too, but it isn't active like the GTD's. Chevrolet engineers bolstered the internal structure at the back of the car to handle the extra downforce at the rear. Up front, the frunk is replaced by a duct through the hood, providing yet mo...