New cars: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

AutoWeek

Welcome to “high-performance driving school.” Pop quiz: How much performance can GM offer in a six-figure car? Answer: This “stupid fast” supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 goes from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds, and to 100 mph in 7.0 seconds. Its official top speed is 205 mph. This is a car that will make “heroes out of mere boys.”

Automobile

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This is the first sports car ever to pair “600 hp with 20 mpg” on highway mileage tests. The V8 may be the star, but its supporting cast includes a “look-at-me hood,” huge carbon-ceramic rotors that “take the fear out of late braking,” and a suspension system that filters out the worst of road rash. The “only notable warts” are bucket seats that provide virtually no thigh support.

Car and Driver

The “Bat Cave atmosphere” of the ZR1’s cockpit was impressive. Options include a Bose sound system, navigation, and a leather dash wrap for $10,000. But the real show starts when you press the gas pedal. On the first lap of our test run, acceleration was so violent that we had trouble breathing. “There were screams.” Unfortunately, steering on this Ferrari-stomper doesn’t have the lean feel of a Porsche 911.