When the Bugatti Veyron was officially introduced in 2005, it became the first production car to break the 250 mph barrier thanks to its 8.0-liter W16 quad-turbocharged producing 1,000 horsepower. That milestone cemented Bugatti’s place in history, and for years, four-figure horsepower remained the domain of million-dollar hypercars.
Now, two decades later, that level of performance is no longer exclusive. Enter the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: a 1,064-horsepower American supercar priced from just $175,000. At its heart is a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane-crank DOHC V8 that revs to 7,000 rpm and generates 828 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. It’s the most powerful production V8 ever built in America—and the most potent factory Corvette of all time.
GM achieved this with the largest flat-plane crank V8 in production history, bolstered by the largest turbochargers ever fitted to a factory car. The result is a monstrous engine that delivers hypercar output without resorting to exotic fuel or all-wheel drive. For context: it makes more power than a Veyron, using half the cylinders and turbos, and sends that power to only two wheels.
In the newest episode of the ICONS by Hagerty on YouTube, Jason Cammisa and Randy Pobst tested the C8 ZR1 in a series of drag races and track battles. Watch the video to see how this new 1,000-hp American supercar against the likes of a Lamborghini Revuelto, Ferrari 296 GTS, and Ferrari SF90.
