The Corvette ZR1X was too quick in the quarter-mile for its own software to keep up
Published on Jun 24, 2025 at 9:33 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X was so fast during a quarter-mile on the drag strip that the car’s onboard software couldn’t keep up.
The hybrid Corvette ZR1X was introduced for the 2026 model year and its got some seriously impressive stats.
The hypercar boasts a phenomenal 1250HP and a somewhat unbelievable 0-60mph time.
In fact, it was so fast that the standard software wasn’t able to keep up and engineers had to reprogram it.
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Why the speed of the Corvette ZR1X was a problem for engineers
Chevrolet grabbed our attention with the launch of the Corvette ZR1.
Producing up to 1,064HP, the car was hailed as the ‘most powerful’ Corvette ever and quickly smashed a few records.
Earlier this month, Chevy announced its Corvette ZR1X and it’s even more powerful than the original ZR1.
Alongside its 5.5-liter V8, the car has been fitted with an electric motor over the front axel that helps boost its horsepower.
The 1,250HP beast can do 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in under 2 seconds and can tackle a quarter-mile run in less than 9 seconds at more than 150mph (241km/h).
In fact, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X is so fast over the quarter-mile it actually presented a problem for engineers.
When taking the car out onto the drag strip, engineers soon realized that it would top 150mph before completing the quarter-mile, at which point the front motor would be disengaged.
Of course, the team wanted it to take on the quarter-mile with both of its motors engaged.
Fortunately, the engineers were able to tinker with the software.
“We saw that we were disconnecting the front axle at 150 miles an hour from the E-Ray, and that that was not enough for us to complete the run in the quarter mile,” lead development engineer Keith Badgley told Road & Track.
“So we expanded and raised that to a 160mph disconnect to bring that performance all the way through.”
The Corvette will cost a lot less than some similar speedy models
Gearheads and speed demons will be pleased to learn that the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X isn’t a limited edition and will be a full production vehicle.
Badgley told Top Gear that the hybrid hypercar had ‘always been part of the C8 plan’ and that he and the team ‘threw everything’ at it.
While its impressive speeds put it up there with the likes of the McLaren W1 and Ferrari F80, it’ll cost you a whole lot less.
It’s expected that the Corvette ZR1X will start around $250,000.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
