2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Car and Driver's Aaron Robinson serves up a colorful description of the ZR1's absurd power reserves, writing that the "the LS9's accelerative violence will be terrifying to anyone who hasn't saddled up a Tomahawk cruise missile. Many passengers will simply freak out."

Too bad Chevy couldn't spring for a decent interior in the ultimate Corvette, critics say. Basically, it's the same one you'll find in the regular Corvette. The Wall Street Journal particularly enjoys ripping into the "big, ugly, rubbery piece of junk" steering wheel that's straight from the economy-class Chevy Cobalt, and the $11,700 "so-called luxury package" with its stiff leather trim. The navigation system, optional chrome wheels and hood window (for showing off the engine) don't escape the wrath of critics, either. Autoblog.com's Sam Abuelsamid calls out General Motors over the Corvette ZR1's inferior seating, too. "Any car that can go 200+ mph and pull 1g on the skid-pad should really have an outstanding pair of seats," he writes. Unfortunately, the ZR1 gets the same lackluster thrones as the base Corvette.

Cabin materials take some knocks

If you don't mind the lackluster cabin ambience, most reviewers say the ZR1 is compliant enough to drive every day. Magnetic ride control is standard equipment, and Car and Driver notes that the system helps the ZR1 ride more quietly and smoothly than the step-down Corvette Z06, even on crummy Michigan roads. Autoblog's Abuelsamid also drove the car over several days in Michigan and notes that while it's "insanely fast," the ZR1 is "utterly usable as a daily driver."  He points out that even in stop-and-go traffic, the Corvette ZR1 isn't punishing to drive, thanks to a lighter clutch effort than the now second-banana Corvette Z06.

Not everybody feels the Corvette ZR1 is an optimal daily driver, however. Ed Hellwig at Edmunds.com says the ZR1's power is "difficult to harness" in anything but a straight line. In a test at Edmunds.com's Inside Line, reviewer Henry Catchpole says the Corvette ZR1 feels "like you're wrestling an accident that's about to happen." These experienced critics find the powerful Nissan GT-R (*Est. $80,790 to $83,040) and class mainstay Porsche 911 (*Est. $76,300 to $130,000) far easier to drive.

The Corvette ZR1, like all other Corvettes, seats two and is rear-wheel drive. It's only sold as a fixed-roof coupe (base Corvette coupes let you remove the roof panel and stow it onboard), and it's got a good-sized cargo area for a sports car. The sole transmission offering in the ZR1 is a six-speed manual. Fuel-economy estimates, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are 14 mpg city, 20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined for the ZR1.

The Corvette isn't a very reliable car in general. Owners report average reliability in one major survey and poor reliability in another. (The ZR1 is too new to have been included in either so far.) Chevy backs the Corvette ZR1 with a three-year, 36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Nearly every source we looked at has tested the top-of-the-line Chevy Corvette ZR1. Motor Trend and Edmunds.com's Inside Line test it head-to-head against other high-powered sports cars, and The Wall Street Journal and Autoblog.com do in-depth, single-car reviews. We found fuel-economy estimates at the EPA's FuelEconomy.gov and reliability ratings for the Corvette in general at J.D. Power and Associates.