Chevrolet has been making headlines lately with the latest version of the Corvette, the ZR1X, which just ran the quarter-mile in 8.742 seconds at 159.37 mph. That's so quick, many public drag stops won't let you run it without a parachute. The ZR1X pulled off a physics-defying zero-to-sixty mph time of just 1.94 seconds (1.77 seconds if you include a one-foot rollout), thanks to the all-wheel-drive traction provided by its front electric motor. But what if you don't have that electric motor, a prepped drag surface, or even a fixed roof?While the ZR1X is currently earning the title as the hypercar slayer, CarBuzz recently spent a few days testing the model just below it, the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible. As we do with most cars, we recorded a zero to 60 mph time in the ZR1. This provided an interesting opportunity for several reasons.The quickest magazine times for the ZR1 have all been performed on a prepped surface by a professional driver with the lighter coupe version, wearing Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires as part of the $4,395 ZTK Track Performance Package. In other words, ideal conditions. Not every Corvette will be configured this way, so this gave us a great chance to see what the "slowest" possible ZR1 could achieve. Spoiler alert: it's still mind-blowing. The Car And Our Test 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible8For this test, we were sent a 2026 Corvette ZR1 Convertible 3LZ in what we would call the "comfort" specification. It had the GT2 bucket seats inside, not the optional Competition Sport ones, and no ZTK Performance Package. That second omission is more consequential, since it means our tester rode on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that are far less grippy off the line.This is hugely important for tracking 0–60 times that run down to the hundredth of a second. Unrelated to the acceleration time, that package also brings in stiffer springs, carbon ceramic brakes, and it requires buyers to add a Carbon Fiber Aero Package for $10,495, tacking on a massive rear wing, dive planes, and a hood spoiler.Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/ValnetIt's also worth pointing out that our tester was a convertible, meaning it weighs a bit more than a coupe. According to Chevy, a ZR1 Coupe weighs 3,670 pounds and the ZR1 Convertible is 3,758, so there is only an 88-pound disadvantage to getting the power top. Chevy does not quote a specific zero to 60 time for the ZR1 Convertible, but typically adds a tenth to the time set quoted for the coupe version, 2.3 seconds in this case.CarBuzz uses a RaceBox data recorder to track acceleration times, factoring a one-foot rollout to simulate the number you would see at a drag strip. Like many of our competitors, we test using a road surface that is unprepped like a public road, because we believe that is more representative of how cars are driven most of the time. In a rear-wheel-drive car with 1,064 horsepower, that leads to an interesting result. The Quickest RWD Car Ever Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet The ZR1 presented an interesting challenge thanks to its 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged engine, which sends all 1,064 hp to the rear wheels only. This is the most powerful RWD car we've ever tested to 60, and getting that much thrust down to the pavement proved difficult, especially without the optional Cup 2R tires. The ZR1, like all Corvette models, has launch control, and the 2026 model with the updated interior lets you adjust the launch RPM and tire slip percentage on the left screen. On a prepped drag strip, the quickest launch might come at 3,500-RPM with 13% slip, but this will cause too much wheel spin on a regular road.We found the best way to get the ZR1 off the line was to leave the launch control in its auto setting, and have the suspension set to Tour because Track mode had the rear wheel bouncing and losing grip. After many attempts that were above three seconds, we finally set some good times once the car learned the road surface and the computer adjusted. 2026 ZR1 Convertible Vs. The Competition 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT performance: 2.17 seconds2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 E Performance 4-Door: 2.68 seconds2026 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Coupe: 2.77 seconds2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible: 2.8 seconds2025 Rivian R1S Tri Motor: 2.86 seconds2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed: 2.91 seconds2024 McLaren 750S Spider: 2.98 SecondsThe ZR1 Convertible hit 60 mph in 2.80 seconds, a frankly blistering time for a RWD vehicle on an unprepped surface. That is a new CarBuzz record for RWD vehicles, besting the McLaren 750S Spider (2.98 seconds). Moreover, only three cars total have ever been quicker. This result is hugely impressive, but it does point out another interesting tidbit from our data: the ZR1 is not the quickest Corvette we've ever tested. Do You Care About Zero to 60? Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet Earlier this year, we tested the 2026 Corvette E-Ray, which uses a 6.2-liter V8 and front-mounted electric motor to produce 655 hp. That's far less than the ZR1, but because this version of the Corvette has AWD and our tester came wearing Michelin Cup 2R tires as part of a $500 ZER Performance Package, it was able to rocket off the line quicker than its supposedly quicker sibling. It sprinted to 60 mph in just 2.77 seconds, proving that AWD (even an e-axle version) is a cheat code for better acceleration times.You may also wonder how much the E-Ray's sticky Cup 2R tires played a role in its victory over the ZR1, and we may have an answer. We also recorded an acceleration time in a 2024 E-Ray Convertible, which wore Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP tires. That car took 2.87 seconds to reach 60 mph, meaning it was slower than the ZR1, but not by much. Chevy has just revealed the Corvette Grand Sport X, which replaces the E-Ray with a larger 6.7-liter engine that now produces 721 hp total, and should yield an even quicker acceleration time.We should remind our readers that after 60 mph, the ZR1 will leave the E-Ray in a trail of turbo-boosted fumes. It can run a 9.5-second quarter-mile time, but the E-Ray's 10.5-second effort is nothing to scoff at. If you plan on buying a Corvette Convertible, you likely don't plan on going to the drag strip, so such performance stats may not be your number one priority anyway.For repeatable acceleration, the E-Ray Convertible is a performance bargain at $115,600, but the ZR1 Convertible is a supercar killer for $193,000. If you want the ultimate bragging rights, get the ZR1, but just know, you may not always be the quickest off the line depending on how you order it. Or if you need to be the very best, get the ZR1X.2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C8) front