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CORVETTE TODAY #236 - Harlan Charles Talks Everything ZR1
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Jul 12, 2025
It's another VERY important show on CORVETTE TODAY...Corvette Brand Manager, Harlan Charles, joins your CORVETTE TODAY host, Steve Garrett, to discuss everything C8 ZR1. Harlan also talks about what's new for 2025! Get all the latest ZR1 information right her, right now on CORVETTE TODAY!
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0:00
[Music]
0:03
Welcome to Corvette Today, the show that
0:06
talks about everything Corvette with
0:08
your host Steve Garrett, lifetime member
0:11
of the National Corvette Museum,
0:13
president of the Corvette Club of Kansas
0:15
City, Missouri, and radio disc jockey at
0:18
the number one radio station in Kansas
0:20
City for over 45 years.
0:23
Here's Steve Garrett.
0:28
Thanks for listening and watching
0:29
Corvette Today, the show that talks
0:31
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0:33
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0:36
I'm your host, Steve Garrett. I
0:37
appreciate you tuning in. Corvette Today
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is brought to you by Wheelcraft. Want to
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dress up your Corvette with bright
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advanced PVD chrome finishing. They can
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Corvette enthusiasts from around the
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C8 ZR1 with my good friend and friend of
3:50
the show, Corvette brand manager Harlon
3:53
Charles. Harlon, welcome back to
3:55
Corvette today, buddy. How are you?
3:57
I'm doing great. Always great to be on
3:59
your show. Appreciate what you do.
4:00
Thank you, buddy. Harlon, first let's
4:02
talk about the debut that everyone's all
4:05
excited about, the ZR1. Let's break down
4:07
all the big pieces first. It's a,64
4:10
horsepower and 828 pound- feet of
4:13
torque. Those numbers, my friend, are
4:15
mind-boggling. Did you think those
4:17
numbers, did they take you by surprise
4:20
or you thinking they would be that high?
4:22
Well, I think we were all I don't say
4:25
surprised, but very pleased with the
4:27
results. We basically asked our
4:29
excellent tower train engineers to give
4:32
us the most possible. That's why it's
4:34
not like an even number, you know, like
4:35
we didn't have a target. We just said no
4:38
holds barred. Let's give us the most
4:39
powerful Corvette engine in history,
4:42
right?
4:42
They were even surprised, too, because
4:44
they actually maxed out our dinos and
4:47
some of their testing. We had to beef up
4:49
the testing because the engine is
4:50
stronger than the test equipment.
4:53
It's amazing how that happened, isn't
4:55
it? And we have a number of visual
4:57
changes for the ZR1. The most obvious
4:59
one is the large vent that takes the
5:01
place of the frunk.
5:03
Yeah. So, in order to harness that
5:05
power, create more downforce and cool
5:08
this engine, we created a new hood and
5:10
cooling system, and also helps the
5:13
downforce the way the air passes
5:14
through. So, it's a all new hood for the
5:16
ZR1. New cooling up there. And there's
5:19
also a front spoiler that goes around
5:22
there. There's also on the side of the
5:25
car exposed visible carbon intakes and
5:28
brake duct standard as well as the
5:30
visible carbon ground effects that are
5:32
standard on all the ZR1's as well. And
5:34
actually the roof on both the coupe and
5:37
the convertible are standard visible
5:40
carbon.
5:40
That's awesome. Now, let's talk about
5:42
those because we do have more visual
5:44
changes like you were alluding to. The
5:46
wishbone has that vent in it. And then
5:48
on the upper shoulder of the rear
5:50
quarter panel, we've got that vent, too.
5:52
It kind of reminds me of the C7, Zo6,
5:55
and the ZR1 with the little vent on the
5:57
top there. But for the hard top
5:59
convertible, there's not that vent on
6:00
the shoulder. Isn't that correct?
6:02
Yeah, that's correct. So, the coupe has
6:04
a special visible carbon hatch duct and
6:07
a special split window and surround
6:10
invisible carbon as well. It's a lot of
6:12
difference in that hatch area on the
6:14
coupe. talk about that for the ZR1 as
6:16
well. Obviously, the hardtop convertible
6:18
didn't need that vent. Isn't that
6:20
correct?
6:21
Yeah, the hard top convertible obviously
6:23
with the mechanism and the power there
6:26
couldn't really benefit from that vent.
6:27
But I just want to reiterate both the
6:29
coupe and convertible get that full,64
6:32
horsepower.
6:33
That's fantastic. And the ZTK package is
6:36
back. I love the big wing. We have the
6:39
big wing and that puts down 1,200 lb of
6:42
downforce. That's amazing. Yeah, it is.
6:44
So, if you want the ultimate track
6:47
Corvette to set lap records, the ZTK
6:49
package is really where it's at. And
6:51
you're right, it includes the arrow
6:53
package. We have a new carbon wing and
6:56
it's a dive planes, strakes, cup tires,
6:59
and special chassis calibration. And it
7:02
does achieve at top speed over,200 lb of
7:05
downforce.
7:06
That's crazy. And let's talk about top
7:08
speed for just a minute. Tell me the
7:10
story because I know there's a story
7:12
about four test drivers starting out and
7:14
their initial run was more than anybody
7:17
expected, wasn't it?
7:18
Yeah. So, the initial run at Nurburg
7:21
Green, I think everybody was wondering
7:22
on that. Anybody's familiar with that
7:24
track, but there's a long straight where
7:26
you can see how fast you go and they're
7:28
wondering if they would hit 200 on that
7:30
straight. And actually, just like you
7:31
said, all four drivers did that. They
7:34
hit that and actually even at the
7:35
Milford proven ground test track the
7:38
first time out we surpassed the previous
7:40
ZR1 7th gen top speed and so they're
7:44
testing in Germany to get our true top
7:46
speed numbers which will be coming out
7:48
in the future. So we're excited about
7:51
that but nothing to announce today but
7:53
that'll be something everybody's excited
7:55
about when we do.
7:56
Absolutely excited. Well buddy let's
7:58
take our first break. When we come back,
7:59
we'll talk more about the new C8 ZR1.
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You're listening and watching Corvette
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Today with Steve Garrett.
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Hey, thanks for checking out Corvette
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Corvette brand manager Harlon Charles.
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We are talking ZR1. Harlon, let's talk
11:42
more about the ZR1 tradition
11:43
specifically because I love that and the
11:46
EdgeBlue accents for this upcoming ZR1
11:48
look fantastic. And I think you're going
11:51
to have to correct me if this is wrong,
11:52
buddy, but I think the accents, the edge
11:54
blue, go back to the C6 era. But we've
11:57
got for this one, for the C8, we've got
12:00
edge blue seat belts. We've got the
12:02
engine cover. We've got the racing
12:04
stripes and the edge blue wheels, which
12:06
I absolutely love. Talk a little bit
12:08
more about that and the tradition.
12:10
Yeah, good question. So, the tradition
12:12
goes back, like you said, to the sixth
12:14
generation car. And actually our CEO at
12:17
the time, Rick Wagner, after he saw how
12:20
great the Z06 was going to be, he
12:22
challenged us, "What could you do if you
12:24
had a car over $100,000? What kind of
12:26
car would you make?" And so we named
12:28
that project Blue Devil because he was a
12:31
Duke basketball player and we did that
12:33
in his honor.
12:34
Oh.
12:34
So that became kind of a theme for the
12:37
ZR1. When the sixth gen came out, we had
12:39
the blue brakes and some blue accents
12:42
and things like that. So we've continued
12:43
that through the seventh and now the
12:45
eighth generation ZR1's. One of our show
12:48
cars that we showed was really in that
12:51
theme. So we had the black car, but
12:53
everything else had all the engine have
12:55
the edge blue. We had the blue brakes,
12:57
edge blue stripes. We've added a blue
12:59
stitch interior option, of course, blue
13:02
seat belts, and we have two exterior
13:05
blue colors available as well. And then
13:07
the neat thing that we've never done
13:09
before are these new edge blue wheels
13:12
where you can get the whole wheel edge
13:13
blue. And a lot of people thought that
13:15
was pretty cool.
13:16
I thought that was awesome. I saw that
13:18
car at Corvettes at Carlilele and at the
13:20
anniversary celebration at the National
13:22
Corvette Museum. I think that would be
13:24
my spec with the ZTK package and the
13:26
homage to the C2 Corvette with the split
13:29
window in the back. That was absolutely
13:31
fantastic. And I don't know about black
13:33
cars, but I'll tell you what, that
13:35
screams ZR1, doesn't it?
13:37
It does. And our exterior designer, Kirk
13:40
Ben, he totally agrees with you. That's
13:42
what he's looking to get for his
13:43
personal car.
13:44
Yeah, I think so, too. Now, as long as
13:46
we're talking about visual things, tell
13:48
me more about the new carbon fiber ZR1
13:51
wheel from Carbon Revolution.
13:53
It's an allnew carbon fiber wheel from
13:55
the one that we've used on the Z06 and
13:58
the -ay previously. It's an allnew next
14:01
generation carbon wheel. It's a elegant
14:03
10-spoke design. And actually, all the
14:06
wheels on the ZR1 are specific because
14:08
they do have an increased bolt circle on
14:10
the rear wheel to handle all that power
14:12
and torque. And these carbon wheels
14:14
actually save you 47 lbs of unsprung
14:17
mass.
14:17
Wow.
14:18
So, something you can feel.
14:19
Yeah. And speaking of mass and things
14:21
like that, the new exhaust makes 37 lbs
14:24
of thrust. Car and Driver magazine said
14:26
that's like six F-15 engines strapped to
14:28
the bumper, which I thought was a really
14:30
neat analogy comparison.
14:32
Yeah, that's true. It's pretty amazing.
14:33
It's like half a jetpack thruster. And
14:36
also some other neat facts are the
14:38
turbos 2/3 the temperature of a shuttle
14:41
re-entry. Yeah,
14:42
the turbos are 1.7 times the speed of
14:45
sound and can consume an Olympic
14:48
swimming pool volume of air in just 4
14:50
minutes.
14:51
Wow. And one thing you think too, if
14:52
people remember the LS7 on the Z06, the
14:55
505 horsepower, think about that one
14:58
bank is more than that whole engine. So
15:00
it's basically more than double that
15:02
incredible engine at its time. We
15:03
thought that was amazing. This is double
15:05
that.
15:05
That is amazing. And we've got two
15:07
different types of Michelin tires for
15:09
the ZR1. I think the ZTK package has
15:12
different tires, don't they?
15:13
Yeah. So, the standard ZR1 has the PS4s
15:17
and when you go to ZTK, you get our
15:19
excellent PS cup tires. Now, one thing I
15:22
should point out is we really designed
15:24
these two chassis to bracket the Z06 in
15:27
ride. So, for example, the standard car
15:30
might actually be a little bit more
15:32
comfortable on the road and say the
15:34
standard Z06 because we have the -ray in
15:37
that price class. So, for somebody that
15:39
wants a comfortable road car, still very
15:41
capable on track, the standard ZR1's the
15:44
way to go. But if you want the ultimate,
15:45
you know, the ZR1 with the ZTK is like a
15:48
Z06, Z07, and then some.
15:50
Yeah.
15:50
A lot firmer, a little stiffer, but
15:53
that's really the ultimate track. So, we
15:55
kind of have these two personalities
15:57
even within the ZR1.
15:58
Yeah. You know, they always say go big
16:00
or go home. Well, with Corvette, I
16:01
always say go big wing or go home.
16:04
Right. That's a good one.
16:06
Yeah. And also, I think this is
16:08
fabulous. There is a tribute to Taj in
16:10
the window. Tell everybody a little bit
16:12
more about that tribute to Taj.
16:14
Yes. So, we had to hide this from Taj
16:17
because if he knew about it, we were
16:19
afraid he wouldn't let us do it. So, we
16:21
we knew his retirement was going to come
16:23
eventually and the ZR1 was going to be
16:25
the last Corvette that he gets to
16:27
introduce. So, the team came with this
16:29
idea of having this little Taj icon
16:32
silhouette in the rear window. When Mark
16:35
Royce, our GM president, found out about
16:37
that, in honor of Taj, he said, "You
16:39
know what? Let's put this on all the
16:42
Corvettes for 25 on all the windshields,
16:44
replacing the Zora icon. Let's make this
16:46
going forward tribute to Taj, you know,
16:49
our executive chief that we miss
16:51
already. He's done so much for us and
16:53
this is our way of celebrating him on
16:55
every Corvette going forward."
16:57
That's a fantastic deal, Mark. Thank you
16:59
for doing that, Harlon. Let's take our
17:01
final break. When we come back, we'll
17:02
talk more about the engine, the ZR1, and
17:04
get some final thoughts from him. Coming
17:06
up next on Corvette Today.
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[Music]
19:34
This is the Corvette Today podcast with
19:37
Steve Garrett.
19:39
Thanks once again for listening and
19:41
watching Corvette Today, the show that
19:43
talks about everything Corvette.
19:44
Corvette Today is brought to you by
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19:48
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call 833639-4231.
20:09
I'm your host Steve Garrett. With me is
20:10
Corvette brand manager Harlon Charles.
20:12
We are talking everything ZR1. Harlem,
20:15
before we talk more about the ZR1, let's
20:18
talk about the new interior. I love the
20:20
Hobanero interior that's new for 2025.
20:24
Yeah, I do too. Like we talked about
20:25
previously all the blue accents. Well,
20:28
in 2019 ZR1, we did a Sebring Orange
20:31
special. So, we brought some of that
20:33
back for this ZR1 as well. So, we have
20:36
the Sebring orange coming back and the
20:38
special habanero interior which goes
20:41
really well with that or with other
20:43
colors as well. We showed it in a white
20:45
convertible with orange stripes and
20:47
orange brake calipers. It really looks
20:50
stunning.
20:50
And we're going to talk more about
20:51
what's new for 2025 in just a minute.
20:54
But I want to get back to the engine
20:55
because this is the first time Corvette
20:58
has been turboed with twin turbos that
21:00
are 67 mm. Tell me more about those and
21:03
how you got such a great big turbo into
21:06
this engine compartment. Yeah. So, these
21:08
turbos are very big and they're actually
21:10
were designed in house and they're dual
21:13
mono scroll turbos. We have a 67 mm
21:16
turbine wheel like you said, 76 mm
21:19
compressor. They're part of an
21:21
integrated exhaust manifold. And these
21:23
support over 20 PSI of boost. So, that's
21:27
really a part of what helps give us that
21:29
massive torque curve where it really can
21:31
be over 800 foot-lbs. Everywhere from
21:34
3,000 RPM all the way to 6,500, you're
21:37
getting that massive torque.
21:38
Yeah, that's amazing. And I also love
21:40
the tribute to the 63 split window
21:43
because the 63 split window was the car
21:45
that really got me into Corvette. Was
21:48
that always planned for the ZR1 when you
21:50
guys introduced the C8? Well, there's
21:52
always been design proposals since I've
21:55
been on Corvette for years about should
21:57
we bring back a split window? That's a
21:59
lot of people's favorite car, the one
22:00
they remember is that 63. Ultimately, we
22:04
wanted not to just do it for styling
22:06
sake or design sake. We wanted to do it
22:08
for a functional reason, and this ZR1
22:11
gave us the perfect opportunity to do
22:13
that. It ties in with what we also
22:15
planned for the GT3 race car. And it
22:18
offers extra cooling vents right down
22:20
the middle of the hatch over the engine
22:22
where you want it. And the neat thing
22:24
about it, too, is it's visible carbon,
22:27
but we also show this in our show car.
22:30
You can get that body color, which
22:31
really emphasizes that split window
22:33
look. And then it's all surrounded by
22:35
visible carbon fiber around the two
22:37
panes of glass.
22:38
That's fantastic. It's nice that you can
22:40
either get it in carbon fiber or in the
22:42
body color. And with that body color, it
22:44
really accentuates that split window
22:46
design, which is really good looking.
22:48
Now, I know the engineers have tackled
22:50
and they overcame the well-known problem
22:52
with turbos, which is turbo lag. That's
22:55
really exciting because everybody says,
22:57
"Oh, turbos. That's awesome." But you
22:59
got that turbo lag, but we have overcome
23:01
that, haven't we?
23:02
Yeah, we have. They did that with
23:04
electronically controlled wastegates.
23:06
They have creative engine controls that
23:08
reduce turbo lag on the street and
23:10
eliminate it on the track. It really
23:12
features controlling the boost level
23:14
when the throttle's closed during
23:15
dynamic driving. So when you exit the
23:17
braking zone and you hit that
23:19
accelerator back, you have positive
23:20
pressure already built up on the
23:22
throttle bodies.
23:23
And I love it that the ZR1 is now talked
23:25
about in terms of being a hypercar with
23:28
over the 1000 horsepower. As a matter of
23:30
fact, I think you even talked about it
23:31
in some of your presentations. It
23:33
actually has one more horsepower than
23:35
the multi-million dollar Mercedes AMG1.
23:38
One more horsepower.
23:40
Right. Right. A lot of people like that
23:41
when I brought that up because we have
23:43
1064. That car has a $2.7 million car
23:46
with 1063. So I said maybe they should
23:49
have called it the AMG one less.
23:53
That's funny. I like that.
23:55
Or we could have called ours the ZR1
23:57
more, too. That works both ways.
23:58
It does work both ways. That's pretty
24:00
funny. Now, this is still going to be a
24:02
2025 car, isn't it? We're looking
24:04
forward to seeing pricing and then the
24:06
release of that sometime next year.
24:07
Isn't that correct?
24:08
Yeah, that's exactly right. During the
24:10
time, we'll make sure that we have
24:12
pricing and ordering and all the options
24:14
and everything and plenty of time before
24:17
production starts, so people don't need
24:18
to worry about that.
24:20
Perfect. Now, in closing, let's talk
24:22
about what's new for 2025. Also, the
24:25
build and buy configurator is up and
24:27
running, and it's got a new name,
24:28
doesn't it?
24:29
That's right. Yeah, the the build and
24:31
buy is up and running for 25 for the
24:34
Stingray, the -ray, and the Z06. And
24:36
then we also have, if you go to the
24:38
upcoming cars or upcoming vehicles, we
24:41
have a ZR1 customizer, which doesn't
24:43
have every possible option, but it has
24:45
the main things, wheels, exterior,
24:47
interior colors, so you can even get a
24:50
head start on configuring your dream 01
24:53
as well. But we have the full pricing
24:55
configurator out for 25. And some of the
24:58
things that you're going to see there
24:59
that are new that we've shown them both
25:01
the 01 and at the different Corvette
25:04
events car museum etc that we've been
25:07
this year the new colors. So we have a
25:09
new competition yellow tint coat. We
25:11
have a new hysteria purple and of course
25:13
the sabering orange which we talked
25:15
about and you mentioned the habanero
25:17
interior that's available in both
25:19
leather and suede. We also have the blue
25:22
stitch option which we talked about. The
25:24
Stingray with the Z-51 package gets an
25:27
allnew spoiler, which is a wing type
25:29
spoiler. And the Z06, we now have four
25:32
new wheel choices and a new design. So,
25:35
a new 10-spoke wheel, which is really
25:38
beautiful as well.
25:39
That's awesome. I'm looking forward to
25:40
seeing 2025 cars coming off the line.
25:42
That's for sure. Buddy, thank you so
25:44
much for taking time to be on Corvette
25:46
today. Can't wait for the ZR1 to start
25:49
being built and hit the streets.
25:50
Yes. again. Thanks for always having
25:52
having my show and very proud that you
25:54
told me I'm your most common guest.
25:57
You're welcome back anytime on Corvette
25:59
Today, my friend. Anytime.
26:01
Thank you.
26:01
Thanks again for listening and watching
26:03
Corvette Today. And be sure to tell your
26:05
family, friends, and other Corvette
26:06
enthusiasts about the Corvette Today
26:08
Show. And thanks to our sponsors,
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26:13
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26:17
finishing. They can refinish your wheels
26:19
or offer a wheel exchange for most
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models and it comes with a 5-year
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And Hendrickk Chevrolet in Kansas City
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at chevusa.com.
27:02
Thanks for checking out Corvette Today
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27:09
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27:37
[Music]