It has 755 horsepower, compared to 710.
The Chevy corvette is an American icon and has a long history of beating supercars that are more powerful or more expensive. The 2019 ZR1 is priced at $121,000. This Corvette’s pinnacle performance car packs serious performance normally reserved for supercars costing tens to hundreds of thousands more than ZR1. The McLaren 720S is one such competitor. It starts at $284,745.
The Corvette is a better car than the McLaren on paper. The ZR1’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 produces 755 horsepower and 715 pounds-feet. From its biturbocharged 4.0 liter V8 the 720S produces 710 hp, 568 lbft of torque and 568 lb-ft. This is a large torque difference. The McLaren is lighter, however. The ZR1 weighs in at 3,600 pounds, while the McLaren is just under 3,200.
There are many other differences. The ZR1 has a heavy aerodynamics package which adds a lot of downforce. A Corvette comes with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The McLaren has a seven speed dual-clutch transmission. Because all three races don’t run as expected, this could explain why the McLaren has a narrower advantage over the ZR1.
In the first race, the ZR1 gets a significant advantage over the McLaren. The 720S closes the gap and pulls ahead to win the quarter-mile race. Both teams leave the starting line simultaneously in the second race, but McLaren pulls ahead quickly to win. The third race starts with a rolling start. McLaren wins the hat trick and beats ZR1.
Although the ZR1 is a fast car, it looks slow when compared to the McLaren 720S. The performance of each car is affected by the large price difference. The ZR1 is still able to punch above its weight, let’s be real. It will just need to be more cautious about which supercars it chooses.