
Want a factory convertible supercar with over 1,000 horsepower? Why wouldn’t you? Well, the C8 Corvette ZR1 might be your best bet.
1,000 horsepower is an increasingly common presence in the car market. From hypercars like the Bugatti Tourbillon and Rimac Nevera to swan-song muscle cars like the Dodge SRT Demon 170, four-figure power outputs aren’t science fiction anymore. Better yet, the latest range-topping Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 produces 1,064 horsepower from its twin-turbo LT7 V8. Add a drop-top, and you have the cheapest convertible on the market with over 1,000 ponies.
At $184,995, the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 1LZ is the cheapest production convertible on the market with over 1,000 HP
The Chevrolet Corvette has a history of being a performance bargain at its price point. Aside from some anemic options during the much-reviled Malaise era, the Corvette has always been about big V8 energy in a light, tail-happy package. The Bowling Green supercar’s story continues with the ZR1, an almost unnecessarily powerful addition to the Corvette lineup.
Corvette fans and critics expected the C8 ZR1 to break records. After all, the seventh-generation model produced 755 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2L pushrod V8. That figure established the swan-song front-engine ‘Vette model as the most powerful in the nameplate’s history. Until now.
Enter the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The new Z car summons 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbo 5.5L LT7 V8. It’s the first Corvette with over 1,000 horsepower. The ZR1 is the first Corvette with over 800 lb-ft of torque. It’s the first turbocharged factory ‘Vette. Sensing a pattern?
However, like the C7 model, the C8 is available as a convertible in addition to a removable hardtop. Better yet, at $184,995, the 1LZ Convertible is the cheapest new 1,000-horsepower drop-top on the market.
If you want another topless American hypercar with four-figure horsepower, you could look at the mold-breaking Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster. Like the range-topping Corvette, the Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster produces big power (1,817 horsepower) from a twin-turbocharged V8. However, at around $3 million, the limited-run Hennessey Roadster is quite a bit pricier than the Corvette.
Trim level | Starting price |
1LZ Coupe | $174,995 |
1LZ Convertible | $184,995 |
3LZ Coupe | $185,995 |
3LZ Convertible | $195,995 |
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