Chevrolet just announced the most powerful, most advanced Corvette ever created: The 2026 ZR1X. This vehicle takes the 1,064-horsepower V8 engine from the eighth-generation ZR1 and pairs it with an electrified front-axle motor to create an all-wheel-drive Corvette with 1,250 combined horsepower1. Here are five things you need to know about this true American hypercar2.
Unheard-of power
The heart of the Corvette ZR1X is the LT7 engine. This twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 shares its flat-plane-crank, dual-overhead-cam architecture with the naturally-aspirated LT6 that powers the Corvette Z06.
Together, these engines are known as the “Gemini twins.” Dual 76-mm turbochargers help the LT7 generate 1,064 horsepower, making it the most powerful V8 engine ever produced in America from an auto manufacturer.
For ZR1X, Corvette engineers took the power to the next level by adding all-wheel drive. The front-axle e-motor first seen on the all-wheel-drive Corvette E-Ray was thoroughly revamped to generate an additional 26 horsepower and 20 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 186 horsepower and 145 lb-ft at the front axle – and 1,250 horsepower combined.
Unprecedented Corvette acceleration
With more power than any Corvette before it, combined with all-wheel traction, the ZR1X was built to deliver acceleration that challenges what you thought was possible. On a closed course, GM engineers estimate that ZR1X will sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than 2 seconds3, and blast through the quarter mile in under 9 seconds3.
Enabling this otherworldly acceleration required some unexpected changes. In the Corvette E-Ray, the front-axle e-motor disconnects at 150 mph – but in the ZR1X, that disconnect speed was increased to 160 mph to make front-axle power available throughout a quarter-mile drag strip run.
Unbelievable brakes
When you’ve got hypercar acceleration, you need stopping power to match. Corvette ZR1X introduces the largest diameter rotors ever offered on Corvette, and the most resilient production car braking system ever tested within GM. The J59 braking system, standard on every ZR1X, features 16.5-inch carbon-ceramic brake rotors at all four wheels, gripped by 10-piston front and six-piston rear calipers.
The rotors are composed of continuously woven carbon fiber threads, and the overall braking package is a clean-sheet design intended for superior heat resistance and ultra-responsive braking. During racetrack testing, a J59-equipped Corvette recorded 1.9G of deceleration from 180 mph to 120 mph.
Power strategies for race-track dominance
Every Corvette is engineered for consistent performance at the race track. With an e-axle up front and the LT7 V8 driving the rear, ZR1X needed advanced powertrain controls. Power can be deployed using three distinct strategies: Endurance, which strategically manages battery power to deliver consistent eAWD output for a full tank of fuel;
Qualifying, which cranks out optimum power for the ultimate lap time; and Push-to-Pass, which delivers maximum available power on demand.
Uncompromised capability on the road or the racetrack
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of ZR1X is its well-rounded capability. At the drag strip, it’s a straight-line rocket. On the racetrack, it’s a corner-carving weapon. And on the highway, this hypercar offers the luxurious all-day comfort that owners love about the eighth-generation Corvette.
The 2026 ZR1X will debut with Corvette’s newly redesigned interior, featuring expanded instrumentation plus custom configurations never before offered in the Corvette lineup. ZR1X is the ultimate expression of the no-compromises C8 platform, available in coupe or hardtop convertible, with the optional high-downforce ZTK aero package available on either configuration. See Chevy.com for details and expected availability.
1, 1,064 horsepower from the LT7 5.5L V8 engine, plus 186 horsepower from the eAWD (electric drive unit).
2 Assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky of US and globally sourced parts.
3 On a closed course only. Based on initial vehicle movement.
