2025 Corvette ZR1 Is Seriously Underrated and It’s Making Way More Power Than Chevy Claims

It’s not every day a car comes along and rewrites the rules, but the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is doing just that—and apparently, doing even more than Chevrolet is letting on. While GM officially quotes the new ZR1 at 1,064 horsepower, recent dyno tests reveal the real story: this beast is putting down more power to the wheels than most cars make at the crank. In other words, Chevy is drastically underrating this machine.

The first to prove it? Paragon Performance, who strapped the ZR1 to the dyno and watched the numbers climb to an eye-widening 1,028 horsepower at the rear wheels (STD) and 1,010 rwhp (SAE corrected). To put that into perspective, this level of power at the wheels would typically translate to well over 1,100 horsepower at the crank, depending on drivetrain losses. That’s hypercar territory—and then some.

Paragon proudly stated that they were the first company in the world to get the new ZR1 on the dyno and deliver these results—an achievement they say no other can claim. But beyond the bragging rights, the results suggest that Chevrolet has either sandbagged the numbers for conservative marketing or they’ve engineered one of the most efficient drivetrains we’ve ever seen.

The ZR1 Isn’t Just Fast—It’s a Game Changer

Let’s not forget, even before this dyno data, the ZR1 was already shocking the industry. As we previously reported on Automotive Addicts, the ZR1 rockets through the quarter-mile in 9.6 seconds at 147 mph—and it does it on factory Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. That kind of number was once reserved for multi-million-dollar European hypercars or heavily modified drag machines.

But the ZR1 isn’t just a straight-line monster. As shown in our coverage of its latest feats, it also crushed five lap records at major U.S. tracks like Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta. That combination of top-end power, handling prowess, and now verified dyno dominance makes it clear: the ZR1 is in a league of its own.

Under the hood is the all-new LT7 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane crank V8—a masterwork of engineering derived from the naturally aspirated LT6 found in the Z06. This engine revs high, builds boost with twin snails, and doesn’t rely on hybrid assist to deliver mind-bending power. It’s a pure internal combustion powerhouse.

Yet with Paragon’s dyno showing over 1,010 horsepower at the wheels, it’s clear this motor isn’t just strong—it’s borderline heroic. Either Chevrolet is keeping a lid on its real capabilities for marketing strategy or they’ve achieved one of the most efficient driveline packages ever seen in a street-legal production car.

So Why Underrate It?

This isn’t the first time an automaker has been conservative with horsepower figures, especially when launch performance needs to live up to the hype. But in this case, the discrepancy is massive—larger than most would expect. It might be that Chevy wanted to underpromise and overdeliver. Or maybe the engineers knew the car’s real-world performance would speak for itself once it hit the streets.

Regardless, the result is the same: the 2025 Corvette ZR1 is putting out more real-world power than Chevrolet admits. And with over 1,000 rwhp confirmed, it’s not just a fast Corvette—it’s the most powerful American production car ever made, and perhaps the first true American hypercar.

The new Corvette ZR1 isn’t just a performance benchmark—it’s a statement. A dyno-proven overachiever that’s making significantly more power than advertised, it crushes the quarter-mile, destroys road course records, and now sits among the hypercar elite without the seven-figure price tag.

Chevrolet may be modest in its official specs, but the ZR1 is anything but. Thanks to Paragon Performance’s dyno test, the secret’s out: this car is far more powerful than Chevy is telling us.

The ZR1 isn’t just underrated. It’s rewriting what American performance means.