Another day, another drag racing event This time, the contestants aren’t the usual suspects. We have the powerful Ford Raptor R on one side, with its opponent a rather old Chevy. Not an old Chevrolet, we might add. This is a C4 Corvette ZR-1.
A sports car vs pickup truck? While it may not seem like an apples-to-apples comparison, the end result will, however, have you thinking otherwise. he did it from Ford the most powerful pickup truck beat a purpose-built sports car? Or has the 30-year-old Corvette taught the truck to stay in its lane? Honestly, we were surprised by the results.
The showdown comes courtesy of The Fast Lane Car YouTube channel. What we can say with confidence is that the race, while unfair on the face of it, isn’t necessarily so one-sided once you factor in the specs.
Meet the contestants: Ford Raptor R
As a pickup truck, the Ford Raptor R is beyond anything you could ever want. For starters, it has the 5.2L supercharged V8 engine from the Shelby Mustang GT500. Peak output is 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque, enabling a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Ford supplied its most powerful pickup truck with a 10-speed automatic, with four wheels.
From the way this Raptor is tuned, it’s clear that the truck is meant for serious off-roading. The truck’s oil sump is deeper, and the pickup also features an oil cooler and a new model-specific air intake design. Ford also recalibrated the supercharger and improved the pulley on this vehicle, greatly improving low- and mid-range performance. Ideal for someone who wants to travel off the beaten track.
The Raptor R is not necessarily a drag build. However, its abundance of torque and punchy low end should help get this nearly 6,000-pound rocket of a truck off the line. It is impressive that a pickup truck, among the most utilitarian vehicles, can match the pace of a Ferrari. You’ll be surprised how competitive the Raptor R is against the mighty Ferrari F8 Tributo.
Meet the contestants: Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR-1
Car enthusiasts have multiple reasons to buy the fourth-generation Chevrolet Corvette. Its beautiful design is backed by accessible performance and years of history. Especially considering that they are not that expensive per say, the new Corvette C8. However, things change when we talk about the ZR-1.
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 was intended to be the fastest and most exciting sports car of its time. Under the hood is a Lotus-developed 5.7L LT5 aluminum V8 that produces 375 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque. Later models, however, had the same engine with a power of 405 horsepower and 385 units of torque.
You get a six-speed manual transmission that only drives the rear wheels. The 32-valve V8 engine propelled this 3500-pound Corvette to a top speed of 180 mph. Reviewers at the time clocked 0-60 mph in about 4.4 seconds in this C4 Corvette ZR-1. Even today you could expect similar numbers, provided the vehicle has been well maintained. Thanks to the involvement of Lotus, the C4 was quite an engineering feat. The ZR-1, in particular, was more of a sports car than a muscle car.
As you can see, the C4 ZR-1 is pretty competitive even by the standards of 2023. While times have changed, 375 horsepower in a 3500-pound chassis is still a recipe for big smiles. In fact, this 30-year-old Chevy is more exciting to drive than most modern runabouts with their little turbo-fours.
Ford Raptor R vs Corvette C4 ZR-1: Who won the drag race?
At first glance, it might seem like the Ford Raptor R has an advantage. Despite making a few more horsepower, the Corvette is significantly lighter. The ZR-1 weighs about half the weight of the Raptor R. But interestingly, the Ford has twice the horsepower. That makes this drag test almost even, dare we say. But is it, though?
Well, not quite. TFL’s first attempt was a standing quarter mile, and unsurprisingly, the Raptor R beat the Corvette ZR-1. However, the second attempt was a run. This time, the 30-year-old Corvette ZR-1 blew us away with its impressive performance. The Corvette held on to its early lead and crossed the line first, leaving the Raptor R in second.
While we’re impressed by the Raptor R’s insane straight-line acceleration, it’s the Corvette ZR-1 that blew us away. Even the brake test saw the mighty Raptor lose out to the C4 Corvette. This is quite surprising. Of course, physics comes into play here. But keep in mind that the Raptor R is no Friday afternoon exercise. A lot of development has gone into this truck.
The key point here is that the Corvette C4 ZR-1 is an impeccably engineered performance car. While the 2023 Raptor R is by no means a slow vehicle, it may not be as capable (on the road) as a purpose-built sports car. Even if the aforementioned sports car is almost 30 years old.
Sources: YouTube/The Fast Lane Car
