How does the Corvette ZR1 keep losing to cars that have less power and are heavier?

Question

Car and Driver Magazine drag raced a brand new 2010 Porsche 911 turbo with 500bhp that weighs 3550lbs against a 2010 Corvette ZR1 that has 638 bhp and the the Porsche did 1/4 mile in 10.9 seconds and the ZR1 in 11.5. Here's a drag race between a 510bhp 3200lbs Ferrari F430 Scuderia and a 638bhp 3200lbs Corvette ZR1. The ZR1 gets crushed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48RQSeyT-HA
The ZR1 even has a worst 1/4 time than a 478bhp 3750lbs GTR Spec-V which ran 11.0 in the GT channel test. The fastes Magazine time for a ZR1 is 11.2 seconds. My question is, if the ZR1 has so much more horsepower and weighs less, then why does it always lose in a drag race?

Answer 1

People keep talking about how great the ZR1 is, and it's a good car, but not great, and doesn't handle that great for what it is, it makes up for it with HP, which is why there are some cars with as much as 200hp less that can almost keep up with it on a road course, but can't keep up with it on the big straights, they make up the difference in the corners. Just using an arbitrary testing method on a given track and a set driver, the ZR1 hasn't beaten the 997 GT2 yet...on Top Gear's Power Lap. GT2 was 1:19.5 and the ZR1 is 1:20.4. Now, in defense of the corvette, it was under wetter conditions. As for the 1/4 mile, with a RWD car, it all depends on the driver. It doesn't take a good driver to launch a GT-R hard, it's all wheel drive. A Porsche 911 Turbo is also all wheel drive, so same applies. Traction is the big limiting factor for a drag race. Obviously the driver of the ZR1 is an amateur if he can onlyget 11.2-11.5, considering there's someone on the GM forums and I believe on youtube who goes by the name of Hunter who piloted a stock ZO6 (the 500hp naturally aspirated corvette) to a 10.9 second 1/4 mile. Don't you think a ZR1 would be faster with an extra 138hp? But it's not if the driver isn't. Same reason I can and have beat a C6 corvette with 400hp with my 305hp 98 mustang cobra in a drag race. He couldn't drive as well as I could (not saying I'm a great driver, there's still a lot more ET left in the car that I haven't gotten out of it yet).

Answer 2

Comparing horsepower numbers alone will not dictate which car is faster. Also, you are only comparing drag racing over a 1/4 mile. While this may a good enough test for some, the "Ring" or other lap times are the true test of the car's overall performance. The Corvette may have a higher top speed than these other cars as well because the numbers may come on later in the rpm range, I'm not sure though and that is something you can look into.



Look into which one of these cars had a faster time at the Nürburgring, I don't think any of them beat a 7.26.4 (2009 ZR-1 time), and the driver was not a professional as far as I know.



So the Corvette does not "lose" to these other cars you mentioned in a real performance sports car test, just a simple 1/4 mile drag race. You can build a car for under $5000 that will beat any of those times you mentioned in a 1/4 mile. But will it even come close on the Ring, NO! Will it last as long to the abuse of racing, NO! Will it look as good or be as comfortable, NO! etc. etc.



The point: 1/4 mile is not a good test for a car.

Answer 3

Sal, are you on some ZR1 hate fest? Every thing you post about how the ZR1 is slower. The Spec V's aren't out yet genius, you can't compare something over in Japan that's not here in the States yet. Nissan lost my respect when they got caught lying about the power AND rumor has it they sent in a ringer for the testing, NO OTHER GTR has duplicated the times that Nissan's test car produced. So yeah.... Also, a bone stock ZR1 has already gotten into the 10's and gone faster than 125mph so that 11.4 isn't totally accurate. Granted you're not going to see a 599 driving down the road but stop basing EVERYTHING on magazines...they're performance numbers aren't always 100% accurate. Also a different magazine did a mile long test(I think that's what it was) and the ZR1 came out on top so what's your point? The ZR1 is STILL the best bang for the buck. Is the Ferrari nicer? Absolutely, does it have better performance numbers in SOME categories? Yup. Is it massively more expensive than the ZR1? You bet. Like I've said in some of your other lame posts, stop hating on the ZR1, get off of your fat *** and actually GO see some of these cars race instead of basing all of your opinions on ONE magazine article.

Answer 4

Corvette Zr1 Quarter Mile

Answer 5

Guys, ignore Sal, he loves ripping on the ZR1 any chance he gets.



Sal, as I and MANY other people have said in EVERY stupid question you post Nissan sent in a ringer for the tests...NO ONE has been able to duplicate the times the "test" GTR has be able to pull off.



Also, basing opinions on magazine times shows you know nothing, it shows you'll put your faith in whatever drivers these magazines hire...step into the REAL world kid.



The ZR1 is a low 11 second/high 10 second car ALL day long...and that's not opinion, that's not a "maybe", that's a FACT...in the real world and at real tracks. Maple Grove, Atco, Englishtown, Cecil County...take your pick...4 major tracks in this area.



Furthermore the ZR1 isn't just a drag car, go take it on "The Ring"(Nürburgring in case you have no idea what I'm talking about, which you probably don't) and watch it smack around these other cars you're trying to get a hard on over.



Basically stop reading magazines like a typical know nothing 14yr old does...and actually GO to a TRACK and watch some of these vehicles perform.

Answer 6

The Dual Clutch Transmissions (DCT) of the GTR and Porsche is far superior over the manual transmissions of Vettes and American made muscle cars. They give almost a 1 second advantage over them because shifts are 1 miliseconds vs about 200 miliseconds over the best shifting manual drivers. In a quarter mile, the manual transmission cars are giving up about 6 tenths of the time where there is no power going to the rear tires.



Do some research and you will notice DCT transmissions in all of the newer performance cars (BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, Lamborgini, etc) but still no American cars yet.

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

You tell him, Tony!





And I will also agree with Zip. The quarter mile is just one test of the car. And the suspension setup of the Vette is more for handling curves and not straight lines.

Answer 9

Well, it does have a lot more power, but it is only rear wheel drive. That means that you need to apply throttle more gingerly from a start to keep wheel spin under control and have to wait till later in a turn to apply throttle.

Answer 10

All I can say on this subject is: do you want to spend tens of thousands on a Corvette, or HUNDREDS of thousands on the others for the sake of a half second.



I'll go along with Tony on this one.....

Answer 11

Put a better driver behind the wheel, and it won't lose.

Answer 12

Throw a BOOT on that vette and see what happens!

Answer 13

haha this is all you Tony, you get my vote.