The Huge Success of the 1990 Corvette ZR1

With the new decade of the 1990s just around the corner everyone who was in love with the Corvette were caught up in rumors and speculation. One thing that was known for sure was that Dave McLellen and his crew had something up their sleeves, but what?

Before anyone could blink blurry espionage photos began to surface of something high-powered being developed. Chevy played it cool and took the political approach neither confirming nor denying anything. Then the rumors got a dose of reality.


In the 1989 Geneva Auto Show the Corvette ZR1 officially made its debut much to the delight of both the fans and the media. The model quickly took on the nickname "King of the Hill" and it left everyone waiting with bated breath for its release.

This was for good reason. The Corvette and the rest of the auto industry was coming out of a decade that saw engines get less horsepower due to the ever increasing regulations set forth by the Government. The 1990 Corvette ZR1 with its all new LT5 engine that would pound out 375 horsepower was a big deal at the time.
The engine was actually a collaboration of Lotus and GM and it was built by Mercury Marine. The all-aluminum engine was refined and smooth and even claimed that a nickel placed on the top of the LT5 would stay still when it fired up. Many took the challenge and reported it to be true.

But speed was not the only thing to change with the Corvette ZR1. While the outside of the body was not too dissimilar from the standard Vettes of 1990, the tail lights were a dead giveaway. On the ZR1 the tail lights were square and this became the standard for all Vettes in 1991. What couldn't be seen by the naked eye was the fact that the ZR1 was actually longer and wider (although only a couple of inches) because of special tires and wheels that came with the new super Vette.

The suspension was a total upgrade as well with traction control and other goodies added. This lead many to claim that the Corvette ZR1 was now among the best handling and performing cars in the world, not just the US. In fact Car and Driver lovingly dubbed it the "Corvette from Hell."

The ZR1 package added an extra $27,000 plus to the already high price tag of the Corvette but that didn't seem to bother many people. In fact, the 1990 ZR1 sold 3,044 units and this represented nearly half of all the units that Chevy would sell in the ZR1's six model year run (1990-1995).

In 1990 it was not only acceptable to pay the extra $27,000 for the package, but many who had saved their money and didn't make it high enough on the waiting list would end up paying nearly double the price just to acquire a Corvette ZR1. This was a trend that would not be repeated again in the ZR1's first run.

Today the 1990 ZR1 continues to be a well sought after Corvette. Perhaps it is because of what it represented at the time. Perhaps it is what it lead to some 19 years later when Chevy would reintroduce the ZR1 in 2009. Whatever the reason, the 1990 Corvette ZR1 was then and will forever be the King of the Hill.


About the Author

By: SmokinVette

Considered a leader in Corvette forums, and highly recommended by A. Schult is the blog and forum found at SmokinVette.com, where you can find tips and resources for the Corvette enthusiast. For additional info on the 1990 Corvette ZR1, check out SmokinVette.com

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