The ZR1X out-launched the Chiron despite giving up 250 horsepower. Bugatti’s quad-turbo W16 spun all four wheels off the line in Arizona heat. Chevy’s hypercar killer costs less than a tenth of what the Bugatti does. The drag-race format thrives on unlikely matchups, and this one qualifies. For years, the Bugatti Chiron was the absolute benchmark for production car performance, sprinting off the line like a rocket ship. But the Chiron is now a decade into its life, and a handful of newer hypercars have started to chip away at its aura. The question now is whether the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X can join that list. It is also worth noting the financial gulf between the two: the ZR1X starts at around $209,000 new, while used Chirons routinely trade above $3.5 million. Curious to see how his new ZR1X stacked up against the almighty Bugatti Chiron over the quarter mile, Brooks from the DragTimes channel pulled alongside a fellow YouTuber in the French hypercar for a run of races, both from a standing start and from a roll. The results are not what you would expect. Read: Corvette ZR1X Looks Unstoppable Until One Electric Sedan Shows Up In the first of the three drag races, the ZR1X launches off the line way quicker than the Chiron, able to put its power to the ground much better. By comparison, the Bugatti spun up all four wheels off the line in the hot Arizona conditions. Halfway down the quarter-mile, the Corvette was more than 10 car lengths ahead of the Chiron, and that’s not a gap even the Bugatti could close. The driver of the Chiron got a better launch in the second race and enjoyed a slight jump off the line. However, the Corvette quickly closed the gap and easily pulled away, taking another comfortable victory. Clearly, the instant power and traction provided by the Corvette’s front-mounted electric power is too much for the Chiron to handle. Chevy’s Hypercar Slayer Photos Drag Times/YouTube During a roll race from 30 mph (48 km/h), the Bugatti should have the advantage, right? In the first run, the Chiron did get the jump and took the win, though the Corvette was not far behind. The Corvette driver fumbled the shifting during that race, so they lined up for a second go, this time with the ZR1X’s gearbox in automatic mode. Thanks to its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 and electric motor, the Corvette ZR1X delivers 1,250 hp and 973 lb-ft (1,319 Nm) of torque. By comparison, the standard Chiron delivers 1,500 hp and 1,180 lb-ft (1,600 Nm) of torque. The key advantage the Corvette has is its lower weight: 3,914 lbs (1,775 kg) compared to the Chiron’s 4,400 lbs (1,995 kg).
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