The Chevrolet Corvette renewed its status as an American dream car in 2020, when the eighth-generation model debuted with a mid-engined layout and a whole new look. Since then, the C8 has repeatedly posed a serious challenge to Europe’s best sports cars at a serious discount — something that’s especially true of its its forthcoming 1,064-hp ZR1 variant.
However, it may not have a chance to challenge The Continent’s finest on their home turf. A new report from GM Authority claims that, unlike the Stingray, Z06, and E-Ray variants, the new Corvette ZR1 will not be available in the Europe.
When asked for comment, Chevy didn’t offer a concrete confirmation or denial. “We have shared Corvette ZR1 will be available in our North American and Middle East markets,” spokesperson Trevor Thompkins told Road & Track. Whether that’s a hedge against the current situation or indicates the plan going forward isn’t clear.
While GM Authority’s anonymous sources didn’t state why the ZR1 won’t reach the other side of the Atlantic, Europe’s increasingly strict emissions rules that are supposed to go into effect next year could well be to blame. The Z06 is already restricted in Europe by a more restrictive exhaust that knocks 34 horsepower and 21 lb-ft off its high-revving V-8; it’s certainly possible that GM decided it wasn’t worth the time and energy of developing a new, performance-sapping powertrain setup for the handful of ZR1s it would likely sell over there.
It’s a shame for our friends across the pond, because the newest and most powerful Corvette ever is a smoking-hot monster. Motivated by a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 cranking out
1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque, the ZR1 not only spits out more power than any factory Corvette ever made, but it’s also the most powerful V-8 an American automaker has ever put into a production car.
And of course, it’s not just a straight-line machine; the top-trim ‘Vette is made to tear up twisties, too. The ZR1 can also be fitted with a high-downforce rear wing and other track-focused parts as part of the ZTK package. Other goodies include a carbon fiber roof, optional lightweight wheels, and ZR1 badging throughout — as well as the return of a split-rear-window for the first time on a Corvette since the C2 Stingray of 1963.
Sorry about your bad luck, Europe.
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