THIS C4 CORVETTE ZR-1 HAS ONLY DONE 30 MILES FROM NEW
The C4 Generation Corvette really became a genuine competitor to the big boys in Europe with the introduction of the ZR-1 for 1990. Thanks to the folks over at Fusion Motor Company, you have the chance to buy what might be the nicest remaining example of that first generation ZR-1. Still fresh in its wrappers with just 30 actual miles on the clock, it’s one special Corvette time capsule.
While on its face the ZR-1 doesn’t look much different than a typical C4 Corvette, there are a lot of tweaks hiding under that bodywork. The car itself is actually three inches wider than an L98 car, making room for the gigantic 275-section front and 315-section rear tires. Under the hood sits a unique 5.7-liter V-8 engine, known as the LT5. Whereas every Corvette V-8 before it utilized the small-block’s traditional push-rod layout, the C4 ZR-1 received an all-aluminum DOHC V-8 with four valves per cylinder. The engine was co-developed with Lotus and constructed for GM by Mercury Marine, with each unit being hand assembled and dyno tested before delivery to Chevrolet. The engine produces 380 hp and 370 lb-ft, and comes mated to the same ZF-supplied six-speed manual shared across the model lineup. The engine remains the centerpiece of this car, though the Bilstein suspension setup derived from the Porsche 959 and Lotus F1 endeavors is also a highlight.
Chevrolet built a total of 6,939 ZR-1s over the course of the car’s six-year production run. This particular example is from the first model year in 1990, and has remained in a dealer-fresh state since new. The car retains all of its factory interior plastics, while all dealer documentation remains intact and with the car. Other items included from the initial purchase such as a ZR-1 coffee table book, music sampler cassette, and a gold key ring are included. These 1990 examples also did not include the traction control system found in later models, offering a bit more purity for the die-hard fans. Not that the next owner is going to drive this thing, as that 30-mile-from-new status is hard to ignore. Regardless of its seemingly static future, the car isn’t cheap. The seller is asking $119,950, which is more than the base price of a new Corvette Z06. Coincidentally, that’s probably the best way to find another DOHC Corvette in a similar as-new condition.