Chevy to Hault ZR1 Production?
There have been some rumors lately that, come 2011, GM will pull the plug on ZR1 production. While, at first, this seems like a genuinely negative move by Chevrolet, it does make some sense. The rumors cite poor sales versus cost of production as reasons for the potential end of the production run, but there are most likely other factors at play. We've been told we'll see a C7 Corvette come either 2012 or 2013, so haulting production on the ZR1 opens it up for that new C7 to be the top dog. Doing it in 2011 also gives them a year to convert those plant resources to C7 production.
The question then becomes, not when the ZR1 Production will end, but when will it start again? Here's where the issues with this come in. I love the ZR1, and I'm sure most of you do also. With the new, more stringent, MPG laws taking place, it doesn't seem that there's really a place for the ZR1 in the Chevrolet line-up anymore. Getting Z06 power to meet the MPG demands will be a task, and asking someone to do that from an engine as potent as the ZR1 is really pushing it (or pushing the price skyward). So, we shouldn't worry then about the C6 ZR1's end, but instead about the C7 ZR1's beginning. It would be nice to see a C7 ZR1, but nothing can be certain. I'd be inclined to believe that Chevrolet would find a way to get even greater performance from their C7 'Vette past the promised Z06 build a few years in to its production, but nothing's certain. Maybe then, those of us without ZR1s, should start saving up our extra change to get one while we still can. I'm certain that the ZR1 will be quiet a collector's item one day, as its hand-produced engine, rarity, and beauty will keep it coveted for decades to come.
