One of my best friends dad had one of these. I was 9 at the time and wasn't a car guy yet. I was a car guy after I rode in that damn thing though. Getting to 100mph was something in most car I had ridden in and he took me to 175MPH and back and I was hooked for life on American V8. I got to ride in a Grand National when I was like 6, but I was to young to understand what I had ridden in yet.
@@smithiness GM owned LOTUS at that time period and they were hand made in America. They stopped making them since they were too expensive and people running GM were penny pinching.
No turbo or supercharger which makes it more impressive, is there any 5.7 N/A engine that even comes close to that? I know the LT4 and LT1 comes close.
I was a top Corvette salesperson at the time and got to spend a week in Alabama driving and learning about the vehicle. They set a 24 hour average speed record of 179.something per hour and I still have a commemorative jacket that says, ZR-1 Life begins at 180 mph. I always wore it to traffic court.🤣
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z07 0-60 mph 3.0 sec, over a second quicker. Over 1.5 sec quicker down the 1/4. Now that's fast. 29k more, but look what you get for the price compared to paying $50k in 1990. It amazes me how much tech we have in today's cars in retaliative value to there predecessors.
To get the C7 Z07 package is a $8000 option and you have to get the carbon fiber ground effects which is another $4000. So you're looking at at least 90-105k. As much as double for ~30% better times
In 1992 I worked for Van Chevrolet in Scottsdale AZ. I took a ZR1 out on the old Pima rd and could not believe the power...I was stunned on how a car could accelerate so fast! I'll never forget it!
Wow, I live 5 minutes from Van Chevy. Scottsdale must have looked very different in 1992. It's quickly turning into San Francisco, overrun with corporate buildings and apartments.
Motorweek, you've outdone yourselves. I knew the ZR-1 was special (because of its Lotus derived 32 valve DOHC V-8) but I didn't realize it was this fast. 0-60 m.p.h. in 4.3 seconds! 26 years later, today's Corvette does 0-60 m.p.h. in 3.9-4.0 seconds. I will have to rewrite my history on what was fast back in 1990. Can't say enough how important it is to post old video reviews.
GM hired Lotus to design the engine so this wasn't a "true" Chevrolet engine. I used to be biased against OHV engines and would automatically think that DOHC was superior to OHV on every faucet. However, I was reeducated by my LS loving internet buddies that OHV has lots of pros: 1.) OHV are physically smaller than DOHC. For instance compare the size of 5.7 OHV from the Camaro vs 4.6 DOHC from the Ford Mustang. This is why so many Honda's can fit OHV engines. 2.) If built correctly, OHV engines can be very reliable compared to DOHC because of less parts. 3.) OHV, on average, are cheaper to built. I'm no expert when it comes to OHV engines so I'm sure others could elaborate more on OHV engines.
The early 1990's was a great time for us enthusiasts. Power was going up, handling and quality was up too. Finally breaking away from the malaise era of automotive sadness.
I'm not a corvette guy, but that generation it's one of my favorite. I have a neighbor that has one in black, and he polishes it daily. I love seeing it with the hood open. it's, in my opinion, an awesome design. motorweek, you're bringing back so many good memories.
This is probably my all time favorite modern Corvette. Sure, the C6 ZR1 is fast, but this one will always live on in my heart. I got hook on this car when I played the first Need for Speed game.
The 2002-2004 C5 Z06s are awefully good and outperform the C4 ZR-1 by quite a bit everywhere, when given the extra power and traction to match a C6 Z06 or ZR-1 they are able to keep up quite well.
You young guys have no idea how stunning this car’s performance was back then! I remember when these came out. I was already way into performance cars, but I couldn’t begin to afford this bad boy. I had to settle for a Mustang 5.0.
Forgot to mention that it also set multiple FIA World Land Speed Endurance records that I believe still stand TO THIS DAY for a production car. Funny I don't hear much chatter in the comments here about Supras and NSXs...
Thanks for the upload. I'm beginning a car collection and I'm going to start with the C4 ZR1 and 1stGen Viper. They both are extremely affordable right now.
TheUsmc1488 TheUsmc1488 I wish I had the money to do just as your beginning. I love all makes., prejudice. look at e 1995 mustang Cobra R. these have serious potential for appreciation in value. they 're "cheap"- low mileage can be had for 25-30k. with the plastic still on the seats. was last year for pushrod engine in the mustang, A 351 AT THAT. only 300 made!.
I actually got to drive one of these first ZR1's in the mid 1990's. Belonged to an old friend of mine. That thing was terrifying! I thought I was going to die it was SO fast! The interior was a joke though. Glad to see GM finally did something about it.
First Corvette I ever drove was a 90 zr1. Also drove a 92. Cool cars seat had bolsters that would pop in and out of the bolsters as g forces shifted. Set the bar awful high at the time
Cool video from back in the day. The LT5 responds very well to engine porting of the Intake plenum to injector housings and the injector housings to the head. That's partly how they went from the 1990 -92 cars 375 h.p. up to the 405 of the 93-95 cars. That and a freer flowing exhaust. I wonder how fast my current 91 is with 525 h.p. 0-60 and can't wait to get it to the drag strip this summer.
375hp 178mph car and 4 sec 0-60 with 315 rear tires in 1990 and a Chevy was incredible then. There was nothing cooler. Throw in the GMC Syclone and GM was on top of performance and coolness. Wasn't a lambo, and the viper was basically a prototype, but the Vette and Syclone were something you'd see in the real world and were faster!. Seeing these on the road and in the showroom was inspiring.
The Dodge Viper with its Monster 8.0 v10 , was a bit behind , its 0-60 time was 5.2 , same as the 3.0L 270 HP V6 Acura NSX !!! Three great super fast sports cars of that era , yet so different.
A stock ZR-1 set seven international and world records at a test track in Fort Stockton, Texas on March 1, 1990, verified by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) for the group II, class 11 category: 100 miles (160 km) at 175.600 mph (282.601 km/h) 500 miles (800 km) at 175.503 mph (282.445 km/h) 1,000 miles (1,600 km) at 174.428 mph (280.715 km/h) 5,000 km (3,100 mi) at 175.710 mph (282.778 km/h) (World Record) 5,000 miles (8,000 km) at 173.791 mph (279.690 km/h) (World Record) 12 Hours Endurance at 175.523 mph (282.477 km/h) 24 Hours Endurance at 175.885 mph (283.059 km/h) for 4,221.256 miles (6,793.453 km) (World Record). I wonder what stock American car could be pulled off a dealers lot today and then driven as fast as it could possibly go for 24 straight hours, stopping only for fuel and tires and fresh drivers without exploding :)
Apparently no stock car from any country because if I'm not mistaken those records have never been eclipsed by another production car, only years later by a one-off purpose built prototype race car from VW.
Those LT5's were monsters back in the day and the crazy thing was that they were naturally aspirated engines that easily ate up other cars that costed waaay more than the C4 ZR1 so that really says something and they are still fast till this day and are rated from 375 hp (1990-1992) to 405 hp (1993-1995) which is around the same amount of horsepower as a C5 Z06! Can't wait to see the New C7 ZR1 which is most likely going to have the LT5 and instead might be Twin Turbocharged.
Lucky man! I worked at a Chevy dealership years ago and had the honor of driving it. I always wanted to put that engine in my 1999 SS just to brag. Great engine.
Hey Motorweek, do you have a retro review video in the archives for a 700/900 series Volvo? I would love to see these! Thanks for posting these retro reviews, they are a throwback!
my sister had a friend who was an engineer & she brought it by to let me drive it in the early 90's. I remember it had full or limited power setting like if you wanted to let someone drive it you could limit the power. I remember seeing full power light on the dash. not sure if they were like that to the public because he was part of the designing team, but what I do remember was it being scary fast & was around $55000 at the time. at least that's what he told us.
Great car with that Lotus developed engine! Impressive even today. Lotus own car at the time the Esprit Turbo SE was also very Impressive with a 2,2 liter 16V turbo engine and 265hp which managed 4,5sec to 60 and 1/4 mile at 12,9 sec in 1989👌
In the summer of 90 there were two in my city. A brand-new black one was owned a local drug dealer who unbashfully parked it in the projects apartment lot everyday filled with hoopties. The other, a red one was driven by the owner of the local gold's gym. When floored these engines made a distinctive roar that only a LT5 can make.
I had a 90 Firebird Formula 350,not comparing at all,the bird was quick not fast,low to the ground & excellent handling..I can totally imagine driving this with beefier suspension & a whole lot more power + the 17's & 12.5" grab..12.8 is still respectable..would'nt take much to high eleven it
Rumors all over the net about the 2018 Vette getting a new version of the LT5 something like 800HP. As for this 1990 model, I am seriously considering buying one, all one needs to do is search some videos on youtube of people driving them around with go-pros to see the amount of fun to be had. That engine sound.....
I dig the Lotus design work on the engine, but how about the precision manufacturing ability of Mercury Marine!? I had no idea that a boat motor company produced such a gem of an engine. A seemingly complex engine as well, especially considering their normal specialty. Says a lot about the quality and workmanship American manufacturing used to produce. Men taking pride in their work and professionalism, finding solutions and improvising. I doubt they'd even undertake anything like that nowadays. Today, that beautiful engine would be outsourced or procured inhouse from some other model. We just don't go all out anymore and we're losing innovation and capacity as a result. But man oh man were those ZR1s some incredible cars, especially for their era! I fondly remember being around 9/10 in the mid 90s at the Street Machine Nationals, and my old man raced a ZR1 in our 89 Camaro convertible. Of course that Vette totally steamrolled all over us, but I will never forget that great memory of my childhood! Nostalgia...
I have a 04 Z06 and have run a 12.6 @ 114 in it. Man I'd love to drag race one of those! Just based on my 2.1 60ft and its trap speed of 112, I reckon it would take me off the line by 2 car lengths and then I'd catch and pass it on the top end.
I had an 87 never had one problem with it I even modded the hell out of it, and the crossfire fuel injection was killed in 85 that car came out with tpi injection.
Amazing how that at $50k back in 1990 was very expensive. But the current 2021 Corvette is about $62k. But can run circles around that car.! Way to go Chevrolet.!
I wish pontiac would have unleashed the turbo fierro 2.9 . Would have been an interesting comparison around a track. With 120bhp less then the corvette at the time it would out run it around a circuit without long straights.
At 1:40 why did it take that thing so long to start? You'd think a brand new healthy engine like that would pop right off like nothing with a no more than 1 second on the key.
In all honesty, I would of said you were trolling if I hadn't seen this video. I didn't realize that the Lotus developed engine of the ZR-1 was this powerful.
As well it should with nearly twice the displacement. I remember reading about a pushrod 4v scheme that operated 2 rockers each and I thought that was kind of a neat workaround for the cams and extra weight and width of the heads. DOHC for me though, I like the sound and the RPMs.
My late father had a c4 when I was growing up, always thought it was just another regular c4, he used to let me dog the shit out of it at 10 years old, he bought it at a police auction for nothing it was in rough shape but we restored then sold it. Scared the fuck out of me at that age lol but taught me a thing or two. Thought it was a regular c4 until I got older and looked at old pictures it was actually a zr1 hah
I put my $5000.00 down for a 1990 but missed out. Told me a 1991 would be available if I would like to wait. I waited and missed out that year too. I canceled my order and got my money back. Still like those model years but my what a long way we have come...
Damn fast even today. Incredible for 1990.
Rediscover Film Agreed
One of my best friends dad had one of these. I was 9 at the time and wasn't a car guy yet. I was a car guy after I rode in that damn thing though. Getting to 100mph was something in most car I had ridden in and he took me to 175MPH and back and I was hooked for life on American V8. I got to ride in a Grand National when I was like 6, but I was to young to understand what I had ridden in yet.
@@johntate4638 That one isn't an American V8, though. It took a while for the home grown one to catch up to that kind of performance.
@@smithiness GM owned LOTUS at that time period and they were hand made in America. They stopped making them since they were too expensive and people running GM were penny pinching.
Oh yea
Whoa...60mph in 4.3? In 1990? That's pretty damn impressive!!
In 1990 it was a rocket. Only problem was that they were almost twice the price of a standard Corvette.
0-60 in 4.3 seconds? Wow that's fast even for today's standards
BIGGIEDEVIL yea it's amazing even with that tire technology, I imagine it being an even 4 second with modern wheels and tires
No turbo or supercharger which makes it more impressive, is there any 5.7 N/A engine that even comes close to that? I know the LT4 and LT1 comes close.
lambo diablo had a 5.7l v12. 0-60 in 4.1
Amazing acceleration for a 1990 American car, or any car of that era.
Yet with 485bhp, 428lb ft, Much bigger trye and Awd....And 240k, NO where near as impressive.@@fpark114
This guy is still around. He's awesome. Love this Vette too
I was a top Corvette salesperson at the time and got to spend a week in Alabama driving and learning about the vehicle. They set a 24 hour average speed record of 179.something per hour and I still have a commemorative jacket that says, ZR-1 Life begins at 180 mph. I always wore it to traffic court.🤣
175.885 mph. Busted the old record of 160.18 that had stood for 50 years!
Ha!!
0-60 in 4.3 seconds thats fast as heck for a 1990 model
Yes, and here we are more than a quarter of a century later, and they only half a second quicker and only a fraction more than the $50k price tag.
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z07 0-60 mph 3.0 sec, over a second quicker. Over 1.5 sec quicker down the 1/4. Now that's fast. 29k more, but look what you get for the price compared to paying $50k in 1990. It amazes me how much tech we have in today's cars in retaliative value to there predecessors.
To get the C7 Z07 package is a $8000 option and you have to get the carbon fiber ground effects which is another $4000. So you're looking at at least 90-105k. As much as double for ~30% better times
$50K in 1990 dollars is $92K in 2016 dollars, if you believe the government's CPI
+Toby Gray you can only go so fast to 60 in a rwd on street tires... Compare the quarter mile...
In 1992 I worked for Van Chevrolet in Scottsdale AZ. I took a ZR1 out on the old Pima rd and could not believe the power...I was stunned on how a car could accelerate so fast! I'll never forget it!
Wow, I live 5 minutes from Van Chevy. Scottsdale must have looked very different in 1992. It's quickly turning into San Francisco, overrun with corporate buildings and apartments.
@@mikea5205 Yeah, is true
Motorweek, you've outdone yourselves. I knew the ZR-1 was special (because of its Lotus derived 32 valve DOHC V-8) but I didn't realize it was this fast. 0-60 m.p.h. in 4.3 seconds! 26 years later, today's Corvette does 0-60 m.p.h. in 3.9-4.0 seconds. I will have to rewrite my history on what was fast back in 1990. Can't say enough how important it is to post old video reviews.
I got the same vibes as you! I knew it was quick but damn!!
The 93-95 models were even faster!
+krauser979 you sir are correct
Why did Chevy move away from the DOHC V8? Seems Chevy is totally focused on the pushrod V8 now.
GM hired Lotus to design the engine so this wasn't a "true" Chevrolet engine. I used to be biased against OHV engines and would automatically think that DOHC was superior to OHV on every faucet. However, I was reeducated by my LS loving internet buddies that OHV has lots of pros:
1.) OHV are physically smaller than DOHC. For instance compare the size of 5.7 OHV from the Camaro vs 4.6 DOHC from the Ford Mustang. This is why so many Honda's can fit OHV engines.
2.) If built correctly, OHV engines can be very reliable compared to DOHC because of less parts.
3.) OHV, on average, are cheaper to built.
I'm no expert when it comes to OHV engines so I'm sure others could elaborate more on OHV engines.
The early 1990's was a great time for us enthusiasts. Power was going up, handling and quality was up too. Finally breaking away from the malaise era of automotive sadness.
Very cool. I didn't know the Corvette was that fast in the 90's. (:
I'd like to see how this car performs with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.
Probably hit high 3’s
Right? Add to that a dual clutch or ZF 8 speed and it's looking like it could embarrass a C7.
ok satan calm down no need to beat a hellcat with a old corvette that easy
This car will never be uncool
I'm not a corvette guy, but that generation it's one of my favorite. I have a neighbor that has one in black, and he polishes it daily. I love seeing it with the hood open. it's, in my opinion, an awesome design. motorweek, you're bringing back so many good memories.
This is probably my all time favorite modern Corvette. Sure, the C6 ZR1 is fast, but this one will always live on in my heart. I got hook on this car when I played the first Need for Speed game.
The 2002-2004 C5 Z06s are awefully good and outperform the C4 ZR-1 by quite a bit everywhere, when given the extra power and traction to match a C6 Z06 or ZR-1 they are able to keep up quite well.
I love the 1990 ZR1, 80's Front & 90's Rear
SANYUR This one is actually a 1989 prototype. You can tell by the interior and wheels. All ZR-1 have deep lugs in the rear wheels.
Body panels from the prototype to production in MY90 didn't change, though.
Beat one
That thing is a tenth faster to 60 then a brand new 2016 Mustang GT. Wow.
and 30xs cooler
Lucas Arthurs And it gets faster as it's generation goes on more power=more speed
Steve Silvas bullshit! yea right that’s why you have no content
You young guys have no idea how stunning this car’s performance was back then! I remember when these came out. I was already way into performance cars, but I couldn’t begin to afford this bad boy. I had to settle for a Mustang 5.0.
The car is also wider than a standard C4
1:39 anyone else notice how it took longer than it should have for the car to start?
Yeah, I did notice that
Immediately! Weird because most GM engines are engineered to fire right up. Then again, it's Lotus designed...
My car literally does the same thing. Really interesting..
I did too. I even watched twice making sure it wasn't the video. who knew
Maybe because it's at higher elevation.
Before the 405 Horsepower engine showed up in the C4 Corvette ZR1. This was a terrific engine and performance was incredible. A true game changer.
King Of The Hill... My favorite 'Vette
Much more beautiful than todays Corvette. Absolutely. Simple clean lines and no obnoxious wings or appendages
God I love the ZR1. I never knew about the Lotus engine.
Everything about this is awesome.
27 years later and you still can't buy a 32 valve Corvette.
+SuperHollowfied You were wrong.
The only thing that's for sure in the car world, is,nothing's for sure.
I slightly tuned ZR1 can still punch way above its displacement,even today.
@@superhollowfied906 5.5 liter DOHC 32 valve but a flat-plane crank.
@@TheTektronik 27 years later not 30 years, but so in 2020 you still can't, by a Mustang V8
12.8 & 112mph in the 1/4 mile is a VERY serious car.
Forgot to mention that it also set multiple FIA World Land Speed Endurance records that I believe still stand TO THIS DAY for a production car. Funny I don't hear much chatter in the comments here about Supras and NSXs...
Thanks for the upload. I'm beginning a car collection and I'm going to start with the C4 ZR1 and 1stGen Viper. They both are extremely affordable right now.
TheUsmc1488 TheUsmc1488 I wish I had the money to do just as your beginning. I love all makes., prejudice. look at e 1995 mustang Cobra R. these have serious potential for appreciation in value. they 're "cheap"- low mileage can be had for 25-30k. with the plastic still on the seats. was last year for pushrod engine in the mustang, A 351 AT THAT. only 300 made!.
My favorites
Already got the viper, looking for the zr1, then a viper GTS, and a diablo, the great 90s obviously a 355 also
I actually got to drive one of these first ZR1's in the mid 1990's. Belonged to an old friend of mine. That thing was terrifying! I thought I was going to die it was SO fast! The interior was a joke though. Glad to see GM finally did something about it.
First Corvette I ever drove was a 90 zr1. Also drove a 92. Cool cars seat had bolsters that would pop in and out of the bolsters as g forces shifted. Set the bar awful high at the time
Bolsters don't move with the Gs, they can be adjusted with the electric switches though.
That thing handled like it was on rails, and its speed gave Ferrari's and lambo's a run for their money but at half the price.
My brother had one. What a fun car to drive. Stuck to the road like glue. Tires didn't last long, kinda soft, but I think that was intentional.
It blew the doors off any Ferrari that wasn't an F40
My father is purchasing a 90 ZR1 this week! He's stoked!
I asked for this! Thanks for listening motorweek!
Seemed like that Corvettes motor didn't want to start for a second there lol
Cool video from back in the day. The LT5 responds very well to engine porting of the Intake plenum to injector housings and the injector housings to the head. That's partly how they went from the 1990 -92 cars 375 h.p. up to the 405 of the 93-95 cars. That and a freer flowing exhaust. I wonder how fast my current 91 is with 525 h.p. 0-60 and can't wait to get it to the drag strip this summer.
375hp 178mph car and 4 sec 0-60 with 315 rear tires in 1990 and a Chevy was incredible then. There was nothing cooler. Throw in the GMC Syclone and GM was on top of performance and coolness. Wasn't a lambo, and the viper was basically a prototype, but the Vette and Syclone were something you'd see in the real world and were faster!. Seeing these on the road and in the showroom was inspiring.
Love the C4s in general but ZR1 definitely outstanding.
Today cost $60-70K in Australia
The motor was done by Mercury marine and lotus
Yes it was, a friend of mine worked on the project. He still has a prototype engine from the project. He was an engineer at Mercury Marine.
Designed in the UK by Lotus, but built in the US by Mercury Marine (a company obviously better known for its outboard engines).
The Dodge Viper with its Monster 8.0 v10 , was a bit behind , its 0-60 time was 5.2 , same as the 3.0L 270 HP V6 Acura NSX !!! Three great super fast sports cars of that era , yet so different.
A stock ZR-1 set seven international and world records at a test track in Fort Stockton, Texas on March 1, 1990, verified by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) for the group II, class 11 category:
100 miles (160 km) at 175.600 mph (282.601 km/h)
500 miles (800 km) at 175.503 mph (282.445 km/h)
1,000 miles (1,600 km) at 174.428 mph (280.715 km/h)
5,000 km (3,100 mi) at 175.710 mph (282.778 km/h) (World Record)
5,000 miles (8,000 km) at 173.791 mph (279.690 km/h) (World Record)
12 Hours Endurance at 175.523 mph (282.477 km/h)
24 Hours Endurance at 175.885 mph (283.059 km/h) for 4,221.256 miles (6,793.453 km) (World Record).
I wonder what stock American car could be pulled off a dealers lot today and then driven as fast as it could possibly go for 24 straight hours, stopping only for fuel and tires and fresh drivers without exploding :)
Apparently no stock car from any country because if I'm not mistaken those records have never been eclipsed by another production car, only years later by a one-off purpose built prototype race car from VW.
That is damn fast for 1990
Those LT5's were monsters back in the day and the crazy thing was that they were naturally aspirated engines that easily ate up other cars that costed waaay more than the C4 ZR1 so that really says something and they are still fast till this day and are rated from 375 hp (1990-1992) to 405 hp (1993-1995) which is around the same amount of horsepower as a C5 Z06! Can't wait to see the New C7 ZR1 which is most likely going to have the LT5 and instead might be Twin Turbocharged.
Your prediction didn't age well
@@IrishHooligan86 Ha! Don't even remember commenting this lol. Wonder where I got Twin Turbocharged from?
@@TheReaperLSX I think because the upcoming c8 zr1 will be a twin turbo version on their DOHC flat plane crank 5.5 lt6.
3:03 The C4, the sand and the haze all go together so well...
I have a full bolt on 90 ZR1 that runs 12.o flat in the 1/4 mile here in Detroit. Thanks to the ZR1 Specialist and Jerrys Gaskets!
Lucky man! I worked at a Chevy dealership years ago and had the honor of driving it. I always wanted to put that engine in my 1999 SS just to brag. Great engine.
Hey Motorweek, do you have a retro review video in the archives for a 700/900 series Volvo?
I would love to see these! Thanks for posting these retro reviews, they are a throwback!
my sister had a friend who was an engineer & she brought it by to let me drive it in the early 90's. I remember it had full or limited power setting like if you wanted to let someone drive it you could limit the power. I remember seeing full power light on the dash. not sure if they were like that to the public because he was part of the designing team, but what I do remember was it being scary fast & was around $55000 at the time. at least that's what he told us.
Crazy that this engine is better than the coyote v8 in the mustang gt.
PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!!
I love Corvettes......no other car like it !!!!
Corvettes were really special back then
Great car with that Lotus developed engine! Impressive even today. Lotus own car at the time the Esprit Turbo SE was also very Impressive with a 2,2 liter 16V turbo engine and 265hp which managed 4,5sec to 60 and 1/4 mile at 12,9 sec in 1989👌
In the summer of 90 there were two in my city. A brand-new black one was owned a local drug dealer who unbashfully parked it in the projects apartment lot everyday filled with hoopties. The other, a red one was driven by the owner of the local gold's gym. When floored these engines made a distinctive roar that only a LT5 can make.
Love the 7 second fire over time lol....
I had a 90 Firebird Formula 350,not comparing at all,the bird was quick not fast,low to the ground & excellent handling..I can totally imagine driving this with beefier suspension & a whole lot more power + the 17's & 12.5" grab..12.8 is still respectable..would'nt take much to high eleven it
Love this car!
Bow down to the king ZR-1, the true ZR-1.
Rumors all over the net about the 2018 Vette getting a new version of the LT5 something like 800HP. As for this 1990 model, I am seriously considering buying one, all one needs to do is search some videos on youtube of people driving them around with go-pros to see the amount of fun to be had. That engine sound.....
My grandfather had one, boy that thing was fast
I love the C4 Corvette
4.2 seconds in 1990 is insane!!
Imagine seeing 15 of these in Europe back then!
Love the C4
My dream car!
In 2016 this is still a bad ass car!
Beautiful car.
I dig the Lotus design work on the engine, but how about the precision manufacturing ability of Mercury Marine!? I had no idea that a boat motor company produced such a gem of an engine. A seemingly complex engine as well, especially considering their normal specialty. Says a lot about the quality and workmanship American manufacturing used to produce. Men taking pride in their work and professionalism, finding solutions and improvising. I doubt they'd even undertake anything like that nowadays. Today, that beautiful engine would be outsourced or procured inhouse from some other model. We just don't go all out anymore and we're losing innovation and capacity as a result. But man oh man were those ZR1s some incredible cars, especially for their era! I fondly remember being around 9/10 in the mid 90s at the Street Machine Nationals, and my old man raced a ZR1 in our 89 Camaro convertible. Of course that Vette totally steamrolled all over us, but I will never forget that great memory of my childhood! Nostalgia...
If I remember right the ZR-1 was the first car to have a proximity key. back then it was a card though
Those are fast
I have a 04 Z06 and have run a 12.6 @ 114 in it. Man I'd love to drag race one of those!
Just based on my 2.1 60ft and its trap speed of 112, I reckon it would take me off the line by 2 car lengths and then I'd catch and pass it on the top end.
I wonder what happened to these cars? The productions cars didn't have those centers caps covering the lugs.
Didn't know it had a Lotus developed motor.. As a Brit thats cheered me up.!. I've always liked the C4 model. It's just perfect Americano imho.
Well gm owned lotus engineering in the day and wanted to make a king of the hill why not get your own company to help out the project
Dream car!
The best Corvette for me!
I want one in black. I'd also like to put some Michelin sport cup tires on it, test the numbers again.
You have to wonder though, what if GM continued to invest into the DOHC 32v after the C4 ZR1 instead of the pushrod V8 they continue to use today.
I had an 87 never had one problem with it I even modded the hell out of it, and the crossfire fuel injection was killed in 85 that car came out with tpi injection.
awesomeeeee
Been thinking about it
2:00 I love The Wheel
Was crazy for the time. The Buick GNX was quick in the 80's and then this came along. Just a shame they took 6 years to make a fast corvette.
Amazing how that at $50k back in 1990 was very expensive. But the current 2021 Corvette is about $62k. But can run circles around that car.! Way to go Chevrolet.!
I like how I have two of the cars in the intro... Cherokee and ta... need some newer cars tho
1:37 Wow, that was a lot of cranking before the fuel injected engine started. I was wondering what was up with that?
I wish pontiac would have unleashed the turbo fierro 2.9 . Would have been an interesting comparison around a track.
With 120bhp less then the corvette at the time it would out run it around a circuit without long straights.
I had the honor to drive an LT5 Corvette. I have drivin many cars and owned some fast cars and the LT5 is fuckin amazing.
At 1:40 why did it take that thing so long to start? You'd think a brand new healthy engine like that would pop right off like nothing with a no more than 1 second on the key.
Can these be modded easily like the LS motors? I'm guessing NOT.
This thing ate supra turbos for breakfast
In all honesty, I would of said you were trolling if I hadn't seen this video. I didn't realize that the Lotus developed engine of the ZR-1 was this powerful.
405 horsepower, this is faster than Present day muscle cars.
The 1990 Supra Turbo only had 232 HP. This car is no where a match for the Corvette. This car fits in Ferrari league in this automotive era.
I have a '94 with the 405 HP and it beat my friend's stock '97 supra with no problem.
As well it should with nearly twice the displacement. I remember reading about a pushrod 4v scheme that operated 2 rockers each and I thought that was kind of a neat workaround for the cams and extra weight and width of the heads. DOHC for me though, I like the sound and the RPMs.
Park a 6speed manual ZR-1 next to a C8 mid-engine Vette... and I would choose this gorgeous work of art any day of the week... including Sundays! :)
30 years later and the 1990 ZR1 and being N/a at that still runs with most of Todays cars.
a few in my local Leakes Auction
My late father had a c4 when I was growing up, always thought it was just another regular c4, he used to let me dog the shit out of it at 10 years old, he bought it at a police auction for nothing it was in rough shape but we restored then sold it. Scared the fuck out of me at that age lol but taught me a thing or two. Thought it was a regular c4 until I got older and looked at old pictures it was actually a zr1 hah
My grandfather bought this new in 1990
That is way faster than my 86 with the tuned port injection engine with 230-250hp!
I put my $5000.00 down for a 1990 but missed out. Told me a 1991 would be available if I would like to wait. I waited and missed out that year too. I canceled my order and got my money back. Still like those model years but my what a long way we have come...
we Still dont have a 32 valve dohc vette even today...
that's fast for a 4th generation car!!!
Quicker than a testarossa
Quicker than a 964
Quicker than a countach
Cheaper than all of them
This was quicker than the 92’ Firehawk. And the Firehawk had 350hp and 390 torque.
You have to admit though the fire Hawk. 92 Pontiac was brutal even Z. R one corvette would agree
@@jasontomica8938 yeah for sure. I’d choose it over the ZR1
🎄🙏 Merry 🙏chrima ⛄ 🙏😭🎄