General Motors is calling the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 the fastest production car under $1 million and has proven the car’s worth on a recent test drive in Papenburg, Germany.

A team of GM engineers drove the 2025 Corvette ZR1 on the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg high-speed oval test track where five engineers and two ZR1 development cars exceeded speeds of 230 mph on multiple runs.

GM president Mark Reuss hit the top speed mark of 233 mph (375 km/h).

“Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally,” Reuss said in a news release. “With the current generation’s switch to mid-engine, we knew the outstanding performance and balance made this a real possibility. To go over there and get it done is a testament to the power of ZR1, and to the incredibly talented team that developed and built it.”

The ZR1 is powered by a 5.5-litre twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine producing 1,064 hp at 7,000 rpm and 828 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,000 rpm, making it the most powerful from-the-factory Corvette ever. The engine also happens to be the most powerful V8 produced by an American automaker, GM points out.

The pair of ZR1 coupe cars used for the record run sat on a standard chassis with an aero package, a standard spoiler with a short wicker, carbon fibre ground effects and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and aluminum wheels.

Chevrolet engineers developed the Top Speed Mode, to be used exclusively on a closed course. This mode adjusts chassis control systems for maximum speed.

The speed of 233 mph was reached at redline in sixth gear.

The ZR1 is expected to enter production in 2025. A price has not yet been announced, but we at least know it will be less than $1 million.