Everyone is aware that the new 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is incredibly fast. Equipped with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 engine, this American supercar boasts an impressive 1,064 horsepower and was initially estimated to reach a top speed of 215 miles per hour. However, Chevrolet has now shattered that estimate in an official top speed run.
During testing at the High-Speed Oval Track at ATP Automotive Testing in Papenburg, Germany, Chevrolet exceeded its own claimed top speed with GM President Mark Reuss at the wheel and an engineer in the passenger seat. The ZR1 achieved an astonishing 233 mph on the track in sixth gear at redline, setting a new top speed record for any mainstream American manufacturer and any car priced under $1 million. This remarkable feat was not a one-time occurrence; according to Chevy, five engineers managed to hit speeds of 230 mph or more during the same testing session.
"The car feels stable, so it doesn’t seem like a monumental event," remarked Chris Barber, the Corvette ZR1 lead development engineer. "It just feels like you’re driving very fast on the highway. Which is insane to say, but that’s how well the car performed." The ZR1 used for the run did not have any special equipment. It featured the standard chassis, an aero package with a normal spoiler, carbon fiber ground effects, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, and aluminum wheels. Chevrolet activated the Top Speed mode, which adjusts the chassis control system for maximum speed runs.
The High-Speed Oval track, where the record was set, spans 7.6 miles and is banked at nearly 50 degrees. By comparison, Talladega is banked at just 33 degrees. At 150 mph on this track, it feels like you’re driving straight, according to GM. "Entering the banking was the most intense part," said Barber, one of the engineers who drove the ZR1 on the oval. "That sensation is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It pushes you so hard into the ground. Even NASCAR tracks don’t come close to 50-degree banking. Almost no one gets to experience something like that." With this record-breaking top speed, the Corvette ZR1 stands as the fastest car GM has ever produced.
