Corvette ZR1, Supercar?

[VzVzVz]

I know all the Americans love to call the Zr1 a supercar, but is it really? Not looking for technical responses, just want to know the opinion of Aussies.

Thanks

[ryno_vrx]

i voted no because i know nothing about it and i'm to slack to google it

[greenfoam]

I'm saying yes, back in the day I read alot about that car, very impressive engine, it was also just as fast as the other supercars of it's time so how can it not be

[thedeadwalk]

yes this is a car that can be called a supercar don't be swayed just becuse it don't have the motor in the back like those queer european so called supercars with engines that ain't even powerful enoth to even power my victor lawnmower. i want to see more of these big v8 powered supercars withe the motor where it belongs

[greenfoam]

I was talking about the real zr1 by the way not the new one, I've realised since you were probably talking about the new one

[boschvette]

It definately is i own a 1992 ZR1 and i have had it up to 307 km/h and the 2010 leaves me for dead they are orsom.

[neet_wagon]

No car that still runs leaf-springs in should be considered a 'supercar'.
Yes, the gearbox is where it should be in a supercar (rear-mounted transaxle, for those who didn't know), but leaf springs COME-ON.

You want a corvette supercar? go google Callaway Sledgehammer, much more interesting (still probably has leaf springs, but who cares. does 410kph.)

[Reaper]

No car that still runs leaf-springs in should be considered a 'supercar'.

I voted no however it had nothing to do with the springs. I have no issue with how the suspension is spring - it's hardly the same setup as your garden variety Ford Falcon now is it? My reason for voting 'no' is because it's a Corvette. To me a true super car needs to have exclusivity in every way, something that the 'Corvette' name plate does not have.

Reaper

[MasterOfReality]

No.

American cars are synonymous with poor build quality, and a habit of going bigger to go faster.

Supercars are all about build quality and engineering. In my opinion a manufacturer who uses their brains and gets huge power out of smaller capacity engines deserves more respect than a manufacturer who can't be bothered doing any quality engineering and just upsizing their engine.

Something which American cars lack.

[MasterOfReality]

yes this is a car that can be called a supercar don't be swayed just becuse it don't have the motor in the back like those queer european so called supercars with engines that ain't even powerful enoth to even power my victor lawnmower. i want to see more of these big v8 powered supercars withe the motor where it belongs

I think you need to pick up a copy of Wheels and check the stats on some of these 'ain't even powerful enoth to even power my victor lawnmower' supercars.

Motor in the back? Queer? I think the Veyron is a perfect example of a supercar with the engine in the back. Or just about every 911 turbo.

[ruffiano]

I picked up the March edition of Motor Magazine yesterday. Walkinshaw tuned VE GTS, with supercharger, 480Kw. I think I'd rather that....
Just my 2c...

[greenfoam]

If we talk about the original ZR-1 it had plenty of fancy engineering, anyone that's been in a Corvette wouldn't compare it to a Commodore, they are far removed from a normal family car

[neet_wagon]

And the Callaway Sledgehammer, 840-odd horsepower, all on a pair of T04e turbo's

[greenfoam]

Yeah but that was just a craper old 350, the ZR-1 had waaaaay more tech

[neet_wagon]

Im not going to get into a pissing contest with you greenfoam (because i'd lose!!) about whether the
ZR-1, or the sledgehammer was the better car but; yes the ZR1 was the technologically superior car what with an all-alloy quad-cam 32valvle LT5, but its still a 350.......

The sledgehammer was a pushrod 350 (i believe it had the LT1? not the L98* though i can't confirm),
But it had a drag co-efficient of 0.26, 840hp*, and still pulled hard at the top of 6th gear at 6200rpm.
Plus, that instrument panel is just f*&kin awesome (in a weird late-eighties kind of way).

Imagine what could of been if the seriesII VT come out with the LT5 instead of the LS1............
I can dream i suppose!

[ruffiano]

Anyone see Jeremy Clarksons Supercar Challenge???

[minux]

zr1 a supercar? lmao, yeah....

[VzVzVz]

I think it could be called a supercar. But what gets me is the fact that the Americans put absolutely everything they had into building something the Germans/Italians/Brittish do everyday.

We just cant be bothered.

[greenfoam]

Minux's brumby is a supercar

[VzVzVz]

[QUOTE=MasterOfReality;1454502]
In my opinion a manufacturer who uses their brains and gets huge power out of smaller capacity engines deserves more respect than a manufacturer who can't be bothered doing any quality engineering and just upsizing their engine.

QUOTE]

Like Mercedes Benz?

I still can't quote =(

[06vzcalais]

[QUOTE=v8freak55;1454595]

In my opinion a manufacturer who uses their brains and gets huge power out of smaller capacity engines deserves more respect than a manufacturer who can't be bothered doing any quality engineering and just upsizing their engine.

QUOTE]

Like Mercedes Benz?

I still can't quote =(

you seen the new mercedes models in the current wheels??? might like to have a look then reconsider your post

[MasterOfReality]

The big difference between MB and Corvette, is that MB slaughters anything done by the americans in terms of quality and technology.

6 litre twin turbo V12's and 6.3 litre V8's that are widely recognised as the greatest engines, not to mention the 5 litre V10 that BMW produced.

The merc 6.2 litre V8 cranks out 386kW/630Nm.

Corvette cannot be seriously compared to the serious euro makers.

[neet_wagon]

add to the fact you can get that 5ltr V10 in a family wagon....

[Reaper]

No.

American cars are synonymous with poor build quality, and a habit of going bigger to go faster.

Supercars are all about build quality and engineering. In my opinion a manufacturer who uses their brains and gets huge power out of smaller capacity engines deserves more respect than a manufacturer who can't be bothered doing any quality engineering and just upsizing their engine.

Something which American cars lack.

Traditionally (and even now to some extent) Supercars have had anything but good build quality. Even in the mid 80's Ferrari's and Lambo's were..... well crap. Very fast, well handling crap but still crap none the less. Even the McLarren F1 was of very average build quality. The latest MB, Astons, Ferrari's etc are far better but there are also still some very poor examples, particularly the smaller names and some of those that have been sold to Russia and the like.

One thing that did just occur to me is that true muscle cars are American (only for the purists) and Australian, true supercars can only be European.

I think it could be called a supercar. But what gets me is the fact that the Americans put absolutely everything they had into building something the Germans/Italians/Brittish do everyday.

You will be very hard pressed to find a genuine competitor to the Vette from anywhere that is in a similar price bracket. One thing that GM have done right with the Vette is keep to the Chevy mantra of affordable cars for the masses.

Reaper

[immortality]

i'm gonna say no to being a supercar. simly because it's a factory upgrade of a production vehicle, much like HSV is. supercars are designed as such. much like the new nissan GTR

but a supercar killer. yes.

the like of the vyron and the murchielago are now referred to as hyper cars.

the new corvette Z06 and ZR1 definitly don't have leaf springs in the rear. try independent on all 4 corners