How a rear-wheel drive engine delivers supercar acceleration
The 2025 Corvette ZR1 has achieved a 0-60 mph time faster than its all-wheel drive counterpart. This video examines the engineering behind how 1,064 horsepower manages to propel a rear-wheel drive car to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds.
While the all-wheel drive Corvette E-Ray reaches 60 mph in 2.7 seconds using 655 horsepower, the ZR1 uses significantly more power—1,064 horsepower—to hit the same mark in 2.5 seconds. This performance makes the ZR1 the quickest rear-wheel drive production car ever tested by Car and Driver, which recorded a 2.2 second time when deleting rollout.
The video explores the technical procedures required to achieve such rapid acceleration and investigates the ZR1's secret redline, which exceeds the stated 8,000 RPM to help the car reach a top speed of 233 mph. Additionally, the footage tests the chassis and cooling capabilities under extreme conditions, specifically during track driving at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, during 100º F ambient temperatures.
Source: Corvette ZR1 Engineers Proved Me Wrong - The Quickest RWD Car Ever!?
