If you’ve watched enough of “Jay Leno’s Garage,” you’ll know that Leno likes cars built for a singular purpose. He also appreciates American cars made by American workers. And Leno is not averse to hybrids. So, of course, he added a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X to his enormous collection.
Leno went all out spec’ing it, too. He started with the convertible model and added the ZTK Track Performance Package, which includes the stiffer ZTK suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control and aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires. Leno also ticked the box for the Carbon Fiber Aero Package’s dive planes, hood spoiler, and massive rear wing. The wheels may appear black at first, but they’re made of carbon fiber; behind those are giant Alcon carbon ceramic brakes.
That’s some hardcore stuff, but it’s well matched to the power it has to handle — both halves of it. Chevrolet pairs the hand-built LT7 twin-turbo 5.5-liter DOHC V-8 from the ZR1 with a more potent version of the the E-Ray’s electric front-axle motor that generates 186-horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, giving the ZR1X a total output of 1,250 horsepower and all-wheel drive. At the drag strip, those numbers equate to 60 mph in under two seconds and a quarter mile time in the 8s at nearly 160 mph. On the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the ZR1X’s power and aero enabled it get the number 5 spot on the board with a time of 6:49.275 — without a pro driver behind the wheel.
But what is the ZR1X like on the street? It feels billet-like yet has a relaxed ride quality. Fortunately, Leno’s car is past the 500-mile break-in threshold, so he’s able to unleash the enormous power behind him. After one particularly deep press of the gas pedal, the car launches forward so hard that even Leno, a man who’s driven shockingly fast cars for decades, is taken by surprise.
Leno comes away impressed by his purchase, which he deems the “most incredible Corvette ever built.” At the same time, he’s able to see beyond its singularity and appreciate the moment in American automotive history that it shares with another ultra-high-performance machine: the Ford Mustang GTD (which he also owns). To Leno, the “Golden Age” of cars, in which stratospheric horsepower is paired with competent handling and impressive science, is now.
What a time to be alive!
