Jump LinksA Legend In Its Time, And NowWhat You're Likely To Find On The Secondhand MarketWhat You'd Have To Spend To Own A Piece Of HistoryWhat is the difference between the Z06 and ZR1?What was the C7 ZR1's Nürburgring track time?What is the average cost of a C7 ZR1?What year did the C7 ZR1 come out?With the advent of the mid-engined C8 Chevrolet Corvette, it is easy to forget just how game-changing its older brother, the C7 was. The C7 Corvette was one of the first American cars to truly cement American performance cars as respected performance models, not only in the US, but across the world. Interiors got better, handling was improved, power numbers grew, and the Corvette went from a super muscle car to a true sports car, and in some cases, a super car. It was also a great value proposition, with there being a time you could get a 650-hp Z06 for the price of a base Porsche 911.To send off the C7 generation, Chevrolet worked to create a monster, and not only in power. This model would take the fight to the 911 GT3s and Dodge Viper ACRs of the world with huge aero and a massive focus on track performance. Made for only one model year, and being the most powerful front-engined Corvette ever made, that model was the ZR1. In this article, we will look through how the ZR1 was specced by its buyers, the most popular options, including paint, packages and transmission types, and then look at the price range for the ZR1 on the private market. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Overview A Legend In Its Time, And Now First, let's get a baseline of what is included in the Corvette ZR1 trim package. Being the most expensive trim for the Corvette at the time, the ZR1 had an MSRP of $120,900 for the coupe and $123,995 for the convertible. It was a heavily re-worked trim, featuring a whole new aero package co-developed with Pratt & Miller's Corvette racing team - the same team behind the legendary yellow C6.R,C7.R and the current C8.R Corvette race cars. The aero package was so extensive that the ZR1 equipped with the ZTK Performance package produces 60% more downforce than the next best performing C7 trim, the Z06. The C7 ZR2 weighed 3,560 lbs, making it heavier than a Z06, but as we will now explain, the power the ZR1 produced was more than able to make up the difference. Other handling and suspension upgrades included carbon ceramic brakes, a revised double wishbone suspension system, and a magnetic ride control system.The ZR1 used a Herculean 6.2-liter pushrod LT5 V8 engine equipped with a 2.6-liter Eaton supercharger. The supercharger was 52% larger than that of the Z06 of the time, and the sheer power required an all-new fuel injection system just to keep up. It made a whopping 755 hp at 6,300 rpm and 715 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, and was able to rocket the ZR1 to 60 mph in 2.85 seconds. Sub-three-second cars have become more commonplace now, but back in 2019, that was a mind-melting number. Keep your foot pressed to the firewall, and the ZR1 would keep going to a top speed of 214.88 mph in its low-drag setup. The ZR1 shared the Z06 transmission options, with either a seven-speed Tremec TR-6070 manual transmission with rev-matching technology or an eight-speed GM 8L90 automatic transmission with paddle shifters being available.With around 3,000 C7 ZR1s made, it is one of the rarest modern Corvettes ever produced, so what were the most common options and how did people spec theirs? What Were The Most Popular Options? What You're Likely To Find On The Secondhand Market ChevroletIn total, Chevrolet produced 2,953 C7 ZR1s for the 2019 model year. This was split between 2,441 ZR1 coupes and 512 ZR1 convertibles. The first decision buyers had to decide was whether to option the ZTK package. This was the big areo package that gave the ZR1 that huge wing, larger front canards and the ability to create 950 lbs of downforce. If left out, the ZR1 was left in what has been dubbed "top speed" configuration, being able to achieve that 214.88 mph top speed. The ZTK package was the more common option, with 2,077 people (over 70%) of buyers choosing the track focused option. The next was transmission options, with the manual having an uptake rate of 29.9%, 744 coupes and 140 convertibles. 2,761 ZR1s (93.4%) were fully optioned with the 3ZR package, a package that added luxury features such as heated and ventilated Nappa leather seats, a carbon fiber-trimmed steering wheel, and a Bose sound system.Next up is colors. There were 12 colors on offer for the C7 ZR1, with the most popular by far being the press color, Sebring Orange, accounting for 27.5% of all ZR1s. The rarest color overall was Admiral Blue, with 39 coupes wearing the hue, or Ceramic Matrix Gray, depending on the body style, as only 12 convertibles were painted in each color. Current Values Based On Condition What You'd Have To Spend To Own A Piece Of History Chevrolet So, with all this performance, rarity and sharp looks, what will a C7 ZR1 set you back today? As it turns out, a lot. The ZR1 is an extremely rare, track-focused, modern car that was critically available in a manual transmission. For a driven, basic color model with an automatic without the ZKT package, expect to pay around $126,000 to $156,000, depending on miles and history. For a manual, ZTK-equipped car in a hot color, and/or with low mileage, expect to pay between $220,000 to $256,000. A good example of the higher end of the ZR1 market is a recent auction of a manual Sebring Orange example with a manual transmission and the ZTK package sold for $238,500 on the 15th of February.It is easy to see why the C7 ZR1 has held and even exceeded its original value since it went out of production. The C7 ZR1 is an incredibly rare, manual, analog performance car and while the Corvette has gone on to be a full-blown supercar in the form of the C8 ZO6 and ZR1, people are beginning to value that analog driving experience that the manual ZR1s offer more and more. FAQs What is the difference between the Z06 and ZR1? The Z06, while still a high-performance model, is made to be a compromise between a good daily driver sports car and a track car capable of putting down lap times. The Z06 is also built to hit a price point, competing with other enthusiast-focused sports cars like the 911 GTS and other high-end American muscle cars. The ZR1 is a no-holds-barred trim level, with extreme aero, performance and track-attacking capability. Its rivals include the GT3 and GT2 lines of the 911, Viper ACR, and Lamborghini Huracán STO. What was the C7 ZR1's Nürburgring track time? A complete lap of the ring took the ZR1 seven minutes and four seconds (07:04.00) What is the average cost of a C7 ZR1? For a regular market C7 ZR1, expect to pay around $154,000. Manuals bring significantly more, along with the ZTK package, which is seen as a must-have option. What year did the C7 ZR1 come out? The C7 ZR1 was only offered for the 2019 model year, with only around 3,000 examples made. It is one of the rarest Corvettes of the modern era.Sources: Chevrolet, General Motors