How many 1970 Corvette ZR1s were built?

Chevrolet built 25 Corvette ZR1s for the 1970 model year.

The 1970 ZR1 was a rare competition-oriented package for the third-generation Corvette. It was available only with the LT-1 small-block V8 and added equipment such as a heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission, upgraded brakes, an aluminum radiator, and revised suspension components. Chevrolet designed it for serious performance rather than luxury or everyday convenience.

The package came with significant compromises. A 1970 ZR1 could not be ordered with features including air conditioning, power windows, power steering, a radio, or a rear-window defogger. Those restrictions helped keep the car focused on racing use and explain why so few buyers selected it.

The figure is also easy to confuse with the total number of third-generation ZR1s. Across the 1970–1972 model years, Chevrolet built 53 examples: 25 in 1970, eight in 1971, and 20 in 1972. The 1970 total included eight convertibles.

This early ZR1 should not be confused with the much later C4 ZR-1, introduced in 1990 with a four-cam, 5.7-liter V8. The shared name represents different generations and very different engineering approaches.