Chevy Corvette Civil War Shows the E-Ray Taking On the ZR1 at Mission Raceway Park

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Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Wheels

Usually, whenever the C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette gets filmed at the drag strip doing its thing, it is usually against an equally punchy opponent from a different brand, with the outcome going either one way or the other.

However, in this case, it was pretty much a family feud. That’s because there were two ‘Vettes sprinting down the drag strip as fast as possible, and despite looking pretty much the same, albeit to the average Joe, because Corvette fans know what to look for when deciphering the models, they are quite different from each other. You see, one of them features all-wheel drive and partial electrification, and the other boasts a lot more power from its more traditional powertrain.

But there’s no need to build up the hype for nothing, because we already told you what these models are in the title. Thus, you are looking at the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, both from the model’s C8 generation. These two rides met each other, presumably not long ago, at the River Valley Drag Strip, part of the Mission Raceway Park, in British Columbia, Canada, with the sole intention of settling their dispute the best way they could: by engaging in a quarter-mile battle from a standing start.

The video embedded at the bottom of the page, which came directly from Wheels on YouTube, is a little over two minutes long, and starts by showing the battle between these two Corvettes. After the end of this race, it is time for another one, though that’s for you to find out by scrolling down and hitting the play button. However, before doing that, you may want to keep on reading, because we have still to tell you the specs of both rides, and they are definitely important, because one of them definitely holds the upper ground over the other.

We will start with the underdog, which is none other than the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. This model debuted at the beginning of 2023, and it was the fastest production ‘Vette back then. Not only that, but it was also the first of its kind to feature all-wheel drive and partial electrification. The firepower is supplied by an electrified 6.2-liter V8 engine, which is officially good for 655 bhp (664 ps/489 kW) in total, with 160 bhp (162 ps/119 kW) coming from the electric drive unit.

So, are you curious how fast this model is from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph)? Well, the sprint takes just 2.5 seconds, and for the standing quarter mile, you are looking at 10.5 seconds. That’s one-tenth of a second slower than its successor, the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport X, which features an electrified 6.7-liter LS6 V8 engine, making 721 bhp (731 ps/538 kW). This model hits 60 mph in 2.4 seconds, runs the 1/4-mile in 10.4 seconds at 131 mph (210 kph), and can also be driven on EV power at up to 50 mph (80 kph).

While the Corvette E-Ray is the underdog here, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 definitely holds the upper ground over it. That’s because it boasts a whopping 1,064 brake horsepower (1,079 ps/794 kW) and 828 pound-feet (1,123 Nm) of torque. The 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V8 engine with dual turbos rests behind the passenger compartment, turning this model into a veritable supercar killer, and enabling it to venture into the hypercar realm, albeit with a very skilled driver holding the wheel.

But how fast is the Chevy Corvette ZR1? Well, from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph), it takes just 2.3 seconds, which is two-tenths of a second faster than the E-Ray. The quarter-mile is a 9.6-second affair, or 0.9 seconds faster than its ad-hoc rival on that day, with en exit speed of 150 mph (241 kph). Keep the right pedal pinned down, and the model will eventually run out of breath at a dizzying 233 mph or 375 kph. Not bad at all for something that starts at $197,700 (MSRP), right?

The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 depicted on video below definitely needs a better driver, as you are about to see, so does that mean that the Corvette E-Ray actually managed to beat it at the end of the standing quarter-mile battle? That is for you to find out by watching the footage, as we won’t spoil the outcome for you. What we can do, though, is tell you that the winner crossed the finish line in 10.60 seconds, with an exit speed of almost 129 mph (208 kph), whereas the loser did it in 11.02 seconds, at just over 120 mph (193 kph).

So, can you spot the winner from the loser based on the information we gave you? Now, head on down to see if you were right. By the way, the action starts at the 1:18 mark, if you do not have any time to lose. That said, enjoy!