The 2026 Corvette ZR1X Is a High Horsepower American Hypercar

After years of speculation about Chevrolet making a Corvette Zora, it is now a real car you’ll soon be able to buy. While the 2026 Corvette ZR1X may not bear the name of the original Corvette engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov, it certainly embodies his spirit. This high-performance ‘Vette is a true American hypercar, combining a turbocharged V8 with an electric motor unit to produce a mind-blowing 1250 horsepower.

The mid-engined car has a twin-turbo LT7 V8 driving the rear wheels and a front-axle motor for all-wheel drive traction and power. The V8 does most of the work, producing 1064 horsepower at 7000 RPM, and 828 lb-ft. of torque when it hits 6000 revs. The front motor adds 186 horses and 145 lb-ft. of torque. While we don’t have final acceleration figures, GM estimates a 0-to-60 time under 2 seconds and a 1/4-mile time under 9 seconds. With a trap speed of more than 150 mph, this thing will leave most others in the dust on the drag strip.

The 2026 Corvette ZR1X builds on its impressive powertrain with a host of advanced performance upgrades. It features an upgraded eAWD chassis control system, refined specifically for its extreme output, alongside the new PTM Pro drive mode that disables traction and stability control, while retaining regenerative brake torque vectoring, front axle pre-control, and customizable launch control.

Two chassis setups are offered: a on-road, yet track-capable standard configuration with Michelin PS4S tires, and the firmer ZTK Performance Package with stiffer springs and stickier Pilot Cup 2R tires. Magnetic Ride Control is standard, and an available Carbon Aero package adds functional aerodynamic enhancements capable of generating up to 1,200 pounds of downforce.

Braking is handled by a new J59 system with Alcon 10-piston front and 6-piston rear calipers clamping down on massive 16.5-inch carbon ceramic rotors, the largest ever on a Corvette, delivering impressive heat resistance and deceleration. The ZR1X’s upgraded 1.9 kWh battery offers higher usable energy and peak voltage for improved track endurance, with dedicated modes for endurance lapping, qualifying, and push-to-pass power bursts.

Inside, drivers get a redesigned cabin with a modern three-screen layout, an updated console without the wall of buttons found in earlier C8 Corvettes, premium materials, and a built-in Performance App for real-time data, all packaged in either a coupe or hardtop convertible body style.

Like other Corvettes, the ZR1X will be assembled at General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky, with a hand-assembled LT7 engine coming from the Bowling Green Performance Build Center. Chevrolet is keeping mum on prices for the 2026 Corvette ZR1X, but with the Corvette E-Ray 3LZ starting at $119,745 and the Corvette ZR1 3LZ priced at $186,195, I’d expect a price tag close to $250,000 for the ZR1Z.