2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible: Extreme, Extroverted, Expensive

Barely two weeks after the most awe-inspiring Corvette in modern history, the bewinged and beastly 2019 Corvette ZR1 coupe, made its debut at the Dubai auto show, that car’s drop-top counterpart roared into Los Angeles, the next-sunniest city on the major-auto-show circuit. Not only does the 2019 Corvette ZR1 convertible look incredible, but Chevrolet promises that the first convertible since 1970 to earn the vaunted ZR1 designation will be every bit as thrilling to drive as its coupe counterpart.

Convertible versions of performance cars as extreme as the ZR1—which is powered by a supercharged LT5 V-8 with 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque—often require structural reinforcements that add weight to the detriment of ultimate performance. As with the lesser Corvette convertibles, that appears not to be the case with the new ZR1 variant.

Chevrolet claims that the strength of the Corvette’s aluminum chassis meant that structural changes for the convertible are reduced to repositioned seatbelt mounts and accommodations for the folding top. The result is a car that weighs within 60 pounds of its coupe counterpart.

The power top can be operated while driving at speeds of up to 30 mph, and it also can be opened or closed from outside the vehicle when parked, via the remote key fob.

The ZR1 convertible shares most everything below the beltline with its coupe sibling. That includes its ZR1-specific front fascia, fenders, and hood, the latter featuring a giant cut-out through which the top of the LT5 V-8 is visible. Like the coupe, the convertible comes standard with the Low Wing on its tail (optimized for top speed), while the adjustable High Wing (optimized for downforce) is optional, part of the $2995 ZTK Performance package. The open-topped car also is available with a seven-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic.

While the ZR1’s chassis was tuned a bit more for comfort than that of the more track-focused Z06, there was no further softening of the suspension for convertible duty. “Thanks to the strong structure,” said chief engineer Tadge Juechter, “the suspension tuning between coupe and convertible models is identical, meaning the ZR1 convertible offers the same benchmark performance, including a top speed of over 200 mph.” (The coupe is good for 212 mph.) Chevy also promises a zero-to-60-mph time of less than three seconds and a quarter-mile time under 11.0 seconds.

We will of course be verifying such claims ourselves, but over and above the ZR1’s massive performance potential, the ability to drop the top should make for an especially inebriating way to experience its exhaust system, which, in Track mode, is said to be even louder than the already anti-social blare trumpeting from the Z06’s quad pipes.

For more details on the ZR1, check out our initial in-depth coverage of the 2019 Corvette ZR1 coupe from its Dubai debut. In that story, we speculated that the coupe would cost about $120,000 when it arrives next spring, but it turns out we were off by five dollars—the ZR1 coupe starts at $119,995 and the convertible comes in four grand higher, at $123,995. That makes the ZR1 convertible the most expensive Chevrolet passenger car ever. And it will likely hold that title until the oft-spied mid-engine C8 Corvette arrives next year. Fasten your (newly repositioned) seatbelts, it’s going to be a wild ride in Corvette land.