Toad Hollow Photography

The creation of an engineering masterpiece does not preclude striking beauty from the end result.  A combination of both form and function can come together in one stunning package as evidenced by Chevrolet’s latest supercar concept, the C6 Corvette ZR1.  Make no mistake about it you can seriously get the groceries in this baby, and you can do it fast, and you can do it in style.

We’re taking you back again to the recent “Vette to Victoria” event hosted here in Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island in Canada by the Victoria Corvette Club.  This post is a continuation of our running photoblog series “Vette to Victoria” that showcases these gorgeous cars and the fun-filled weekend that wrapped it all up in one package for the enthusiast to really enjoy.

Each and every car that came to the event was absolutely beautiful and noteworthy in its own right.  We hope to showcase most of the cars that were at the show over the coming months with this photoblog series for you all to enjoy, and to get a real taste for the level of passion and enthusiasm that is found at these events.

Even with that being said, certain models and years of Corvette can really cause a hush to come over the crowd as if a superstar has entered the building.  The ZR1 badge has always been reserved for very special editions of Corvette starting in the late 60′s when the first renditions came with aluminum big block 427′s under the hood.  Today these cars fetch stratospheric numbers at the car auctions as the number of units built were very low.  And many of them have long since been lost to accidents and other such heart-wrenching catastrophes.  Let’s not dwell on this incredible sadness when we have such a gorgeous example of a contemporary ZR1 to view and enjoy.

When you take something like a Corvette that is rather formidable in its normal attire and start doing things like beefing up the internals to be able to handle the extra oomph of a supercharger, things quickly go from the realm of downright scary to bordering on more frightening than a ride on Montezooma’s Revenge.  I’ve been on that roller-coaster before and quite honestly I would expect it to be a much tamer ride than one in this monster of a supercar, the ZR1.

That’s not to say I don’t want to drive or go for a ride in one, I’m just saying that it would be tantamount to strapping yourself to a rocket and just trying to hold on.  Fun, right?

Reborn in 2009, the modern-day version of the ZR1 hosts a highly modified LS3 motor with a supercharger and intercooler, complete with a new designation: the LS9.  638hp and 604 ft/lbs of torque are all available under the throttle foot of the driver to propel this lightning bolt to jaw-dropping speeds quicker than you can say “Jiminy Cricket!”  These numbers in-and-of themselves are totally mind-altering, but when you wrap up all this world-class engineering in such beautiful lines you’ve really created a masterpiece.

All that power might make most very nervous and even make you wonder how reliable a car like this would be.  Is it driveable due to the outrageous horsepower?  Does it always break down due to the super-exotic nature of it?  You’d be very surprised to know that this car is the best of all worlds: tame when you want and need it to be, and monstrous when let loose.

Every line and detail was carefully considered during the design phase.  And it shows.  No detail is too small and no feature is left unimplemented in this car that can act quite nicely both on the track as well as showing up at the front door of a very ritzy hotel for a grand evening gala.  Whether you’re in a racing suit or a three-piece suit, this gorgeous car fits the bill!

Low and wide is the name of the game here.  With almost no perceptible body roll and a super-wide stance, this car can carve its way around any obstacles, and can do it in style.  A quick glance at the front of the ZR1 gets most hearts racing and most certainly makes everyone who encounters it consider this a very serious platform not to be trifled with.

There isn’t a single feature or line on this car that I don’t absolutely love.  This is an exotic and expensive car, but when you compare it to super-exotic imports that cost 4 and 5 times more, this car can totally hold it’s head high in a group of pretty lofty players.  Quite honestly every model of Corvette does a great job of exemplifying the concept of comfort at both a racing venue as well as a black-tie event.  But even with that being said, you can’t help but admire that there’s something really special about the ZR1, something that’s almost difficult to put your finger on.  Something that makes your heart race a little, and the palms of your hands sweat.  Something that is awe-inspiring and captivating at the same time.  This is definitely one of those cars that can turn an adult man into a little boy in 2 seconds flat.

Pretty much the time it takes you to get from zero to the speed of light.

Thank you so much for your visit today, we hope you enjoyed reading about this incredible car as much as we did in bringing this feature to you.  As always, we love to hear from all our visitors so please don’t hesitate to leave us any comments you may have.