The ZR-1 was too expensive to succeed — but too good to ignore | Jason Cammisa Revelations | Ep. 16

I had a 95 ZR1...It was absolutely amazing.. Sold it for a wife and kids.. It was a bad trade.

Yeah designing part of the car to minimize radar signature has to be one of the most badass things I've heard in a while.

You got a lot of this right because you read my book, “Corvette From the Inside.” The inclined radiator was, first, a feature of the C3. A Skunk Works team members said it was one of the clues that directed them toward stealth. The ZR-1 windshield was heat reflecting in order to enhance AC system performance. It would also have prevented garage door openers from working and, yes, it would have made Radar Detectors ineffective. Thus, the window in the windshield, I don’t think Chevrolet Sales and Marketing, with few exceptions, understood the Corvette very well nor did they understand how it could help Chevrolet so it was, from its beginning, an orphan. So, we set about to change that. Unfortunately, Lloyd Reuss moved too quickly out of a direct role in support of the Corvette so the ZR-1 seemed more of a burden to Chevrolet. That, as a production Chevrolet, it could run 180 mph for 24 hours, to set an FIA World Endurance Record of 175.885 mph with only stops for fuel, tires and driver changes. meant little to Chevrolet. Actually they didn’t think we could do it and planned accordingly. We knew otherwise. Marketing then took the Corvette Advertising budget and gave it to support the sail boat America Cube (A3) in the America’s Cup sail boat race. A3 was a looser. We showed them what GM Engineers were capable of. It took the GM bankruptcy for Chevrolet to finally understand the Corvette.

I was lucky enough to be a passenger and then be allowed to drive one in the late 90s. My friend's grandfather purchased one before his passing. God bless that man and may he rest in peace. My friend inherited it. And, oh boy, was this thing FAST. No speeding tickets and no accidents. It was truly the first breathtaking car I ever had the pleasure of driving. Even though it was my friend's car he would allow me to drive it from time to time. It was incredible. The video with the engine sound brings back good memories.

Great video. I’ve owned two C4’s and one day I got pulled down by a speed trap. The deputy actually told me she had hoped I would run because she had “never chased a Corvette.” She also told me she had a hell of a time getting a radar reading on me “for some reason.” She let me go with a warning.

About a year ago I acquired a 1990 ZR-1 with 10k miles and thought I would just make it a garage queen while the values went up. Then I took it for a drive. A year later it has 13K on it and I wouldn't get rid of it. these cars are made to drive, and while I have owned a lot of fun cars, including two C7's, this thing is sooooo fun to drive and makes the best engine noise ever with an engine that is an absolute piece of automotive art. Thanks Jason for a great video!

I don't know why I discovered this channel so late - but this is right up there with Regular Car Reviews.

Those engines are epic they were balanced and blueprinted and every engine went on a dyno at the engine plant. To average 175 mph for 24 hours they had to run around 190 mph when you figure the time for pit stops for tires and gas! That was around 4200 miles wide open . I’d like to see someone try that now with a street car!

Finally, it's so rare to find someone who doesn't just blindly hate on the C4 like everyone else. God the C4 ZR1 is so cool.

Thanks for bringing back many happy memories. As a young Engineer I organised those durability tests. The CHEVY cycle and the CORP cycle still bring me out in a cold sweat.

Excellent synopsis of the ZR-1. A lot of untapped potential in the LT5. Mine has been massaged by former Lotus/Lingenfelter engineer, Graham Behan, and now makes 630hp.

The sound that ZR1 engine makes under full throttle gave me goose bumps! What an awesome achievement at a time when horsepower was in the beginning stages of making a comeback. Kudos to Chevrolet for going that extra mile with the help of Lotus to bring us a thing of beauty!

I owned one of these cars back when they were new. I was an awesome car and could pretty much smoke anything on the road at that point in time. The LT5 engine seemed to have an ability to rev endlessly. For a Corvette it was the ultimate sleeper. Not many people new it was a "special" Corvette. Had a lot of fun with that car.

The drive at the end of the video was icing on the cake. The owner's manual quote was a nice nugget. NSX owner's manual "change from 2nd gear at 81 mph and 3rd gear at 112 mph or you will over rev the engine". I own a '91 NSX. The original owner paid 20K over list, 83K. Certainly ZR1 territory . Used Corvettes are the most bang for the buck you buy in the sport car world.

All of these (L98, LT1, LT4, LT5) are still fun to drive. Even my buddies 205 HP crossfire 1984 C4 was a BLAST to drive in the twisty roads in the Pocono mountains.

I never really liked Adam Sandler in movies, but his YT channel rocks. Thank you, Adam.

I knew almost everything about this Vette, that is because I love this model and read every single bit of info about it, but as usual, Jason and Hagerty kept on feeding us enthusists with more unknown car-data, just like the fact of the radiator place in an angle in order of avoiding those nonsense radars!!! thanks for another good video!

YES! I love this car, there was one for sale in my small town a couple years ago for a ridiculously cheap price and I wanted to get it so bad. So many forget about the first DOHC Corvette, calling the new Z06 the first. This machine was a technological marvel for its time and it's a shame it gets little love.

I was working at a dealership when they came out and volunteered to deliver a new one to a customer in Nashville. I remember punching it while merging onto I-65 and it scaring the s**t out of me! Years later I became a fan.

The story behind the car makes it legendary