The Corvette ZR1 hasn’t been released yet, but John Hennessey is already planning ways to make it faster
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is already one of the most acclaimed American cars of the year, despite not being available for purchase yet. What’s even more intriguing is that tuners like Hennessey are already exploring ways to boost the power of its twin-turbo V8.
The stock engine in the ZR1 produces 1,064 horsepower (793 kW) and can reach speeds of up to 215 miles per hour (346 km/h), placing it in hypercar territory. However, John Hennessey, known for making fast cars even faster, believes that’s not enough.
In a recent conversation with a known car media outlet, he praised the Corvette team: “That kind of performance for $200,000? God bless America. God bless General Motors and the Corvette team,” he said. The creator of the Venom F5 also shared his plans for when he gets his hands on a ZR1.
“We plan to modify the ZR1 to around 1,200 horsepower. We’ll share more details soon, but we’re definitely going to enhance the ZR1, and it’s going to be an incredible car.” What is already a very fast vehicle will become even more extreme once Hennessey is finished with it.
He also addressed Chevrolet’s tagline for the ZR1, which claims it has “the most powerful V8 ever produced in America by an auto manufacturer.” While the Venom F5 boasts an impressive 1,817 horsepower (1,354 kW), Hennessey acknowledges a key difference between the two.
“We produce just 12 cars a year, whereas the ZR1 will be made in hundreds, if not thousands,” Hennessey explains. “So, it’s fair for them to claim they have the most powerful American-built engine in high volume. We’re a low-volume producer. That’s the distinction.” We’re excited to see if Hennessey surpasses his initial horsepower estimate.
