Is This the New Corvette ZR-1 Ripping Around the Nuburgring?

‘Ring watchers spot monstrous new Vettes on Nordschleife.

Keen eyes always mill around the Nurburgring. Call it a product of the high-performance testing market, but the ‘Ring has become a place to see and to be seen. Manufacturers know their cars will be filmed there and so we expect Chevy delights in our first glimpses of what may very well be the Corvette C7 ZR1. If they’re following the previous ZR1’s model, expect this one to be just as potent.

Nordschleife experts Bridge to Gantry, as one would expect, picked up on the new C7 wearing some exhaust-pipe extensions from this statesupercars video. B2G suggest the C7 produces an extraordinary amount of noise, since the ‘Ring’s noise restrictions aren’t particularly stringent. The site suggests that the high decibels probably means the ZR1 will see domestic sales only, owing to stricter sound laws elsewhere in the world.

Whatever else you think of the temporary exhaust solution, the ZR-1 looks potent. Might GM be chasing the Dodge Viper ACR’s production-car lap records in the near future? The rear wing looks ACR-sized, although the C7 lacks the Viper’s large diffuser strakes and ankle-slicing splitter. Regardless, this Vette is a pre-production mule and the ACR didn’t wear the big aero kit all the time. So maybe?

We should anticipate a spectacular ‘Ring time from the ZR-1 whether it meets the ACR’s downforce levels or not. If you don’t put a lot of faith in Nurburgring lap times, get pumped at least for the possibility that GM adds horsepower. The Z06’s potent supercharged LT4 V8 makes 650 horsepower now; could a ZR-1 tuneup push that number over 700? We may also see the joint Ford-GM 10-speed automatic transmission in the ZR-1.

Bridge to Gantry also point out that a smaller-wing C7, possibly a mid-generation refresh, was captured barreling around the Nordschleife, too. That one lacked the exhaust extensions.