Image Credit: ChevroletImagine producing a car so fast and with so much downforce that it actually causes damage to the paintwork. That might sound wild, but it is exactly what some people are finding with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, as its immense downforce is starting to peel paint off the car.There is no denying the speed of the Corvette ZR1. It is one of the top models of the C8 Corvette range, with prices starting at $185,000 and it packing in a massive twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V8 engine. The most powerful offered in a production Corvette when it was introduced.With over 1,000hp and over 800lb-ft of torque, it's little wonder it can launch from 0- 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds. But, with the car also producing up to 1,200lbs of downforce, some owners are finding that it is literally shredding the paintwork off the supercar.AdvertisementAdvertisementThankfully, this isn't a structural problem. So you don't need to worry about your car suddenly shaking itself to pieces, or the downforce shredding off the rear wing or other body parts. But if you have a ZR1, you might want to check around the rear wing and see what state the paint is in.Why the Corvette ZR1 Is Shedding Its PaintSome owners who have taken the car onto a racetrack have reported some rather worrying signs of paintwork damage. When the car is running at over 180mph, the area around the rear wing's base has started to lose paintwork, leaving visible marks around the wing.It isn't a structural issue. There are no safety concerns, and you won't suddenly find yourself hurtling into the barriers at a racetrack. But the rear wing is generating so much downforce that paint is chipping or cracking around the mounting points of the wing. Images shared online have shown the damage caused.According to Chevrolet, the aero package on the ZR1 can generate 1,200lbs of downforce at speed. That doesn't just come from the rear wing, but it is arguably the biggest generator of that downforce. The stress around the wing at that speed is what is leading to the chips in the paintwork. Yet despite the claims, Chevrolet has yet to comment on this situation at the time of writing. Owners will no doubt be watching the situation to see if there is a solution to the problem.The Corvette ZR1 Is a Monster of a SupercarImage Credit: ChevroletWhen you look at the stats of the Corvette ZR1, it is easier to understand why it is shedding some of that paintwork. The 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine makes a staggering 1,064hp and produces 828lb-ft of torque. That is enough to propel the car to a top speed of 233mph, with it able to run through the quarter-mile at 150mph in just 9.6 seconds.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe car comes with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and redlines at around 8,000rpm. It is little wonder that driver Brian Wallace was able to lap the Nurburgring in the car with a time of just 6:50.763. Along with the rear wing, front splitter and underbody strakes, the car utilizes ground effects to keep it firmly planted on the ground. The Corvette ZR1 truly is a masterful piece of engineering. But it might be that it needs some stronger paintwork to stop it from shedding some of its color while hurling around a racetrack.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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