Early Road&Track ZR-1 issue.

[TommyL]

It is amazing the attention these cars got in the day 10 years later they faded away some what. Now 20 years later they are becomming popular and getting a little attention again. =D>

[Aurora40]

I took our Buick over to the dealer recently for some work, and when picking it up noticed the calendar they had up. It was an AC Delco I think? But the picture was that '89 red ZR-1 up on some rocks overlooking the ocean. Considering it was a 2010 calendar, I thought that was pretty cool.

I imagine the new Z is partly responsible for the resurgence.

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

I took our Buick over to the dealer recently for some work, and when picking it up noticed the calendar they had up. It was an AC Delco I think? But the picture was that '89 red ZR-1 up on some rocks overlooking the ocean. Considering it was a 2010 calendar, I thought that was pretty cool.

I imagine the new Z is partly responsible for the resurgence.

Was it this one? if so this is again most likely #003 Red/Red.



You can buy a copy of this photo from the GM Photo Archive. They misrepresent it as a 1990 ZR-1.

http://www.gmphotostore.com/1990-Che...info/53217958/[

[Aurora40]

Yup, that's the picture. They do say it's a 1990, but that only makes sense. It was a press car to sell the 1990 model year. Saying it was a 1989 ZR-1 on a calendar would just be confusing, since there was no 1989 model year for the Z. Most press cars are not production cars or else they wouldn't have any press until the car had been out for months (magazine lead times were terrible). I wouldn't call it misrepresentation.

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

I took our Buick over to the dealer recently for some work, and when picking it up noticed the calendar they had up. It was an AC Delco I think? But the picture was that '89 red ZR-1 up on some rocks overlooking the ocean. Considering it was a 2010 calendar, I thought that was pretty cool.

I imagine the new Z is partly responsible for the resurgence.

And yet some on this board originally objected to the name ZR1 for the new Z. I felt then, and still do now, that the new ZR would raise the overall visibility of the ZR1 line and people would appreciate more what had been done by McClellan back in the late 80's. The legacy and the legend have been rekindled and now with 20 years gone by, the C4 ZR-1 is still thoroughly up to the task of holding its own.

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

Yup, that's the picture. They do say it's a 1990, but that only makes sense. It was a press car to sell the 1990 model year. Saying it was a 1989 ZR-1 on a calendar would just be confusing, since there was no 1989 model year for the Z. Most press cars are not production cars or else they wouldn't have any press until the car had been out for months (magazine lead times were terrible). I wouldn't call it misrepresentation.

Not to nitpick, but they did have an 89 MY (Either that or someone owes me a refund). And GM also had several 1990 press, media, advertising pilots. The 1990 is quite a bit different. The wheels and the interior for starters. THat was not a press car to sell 1990s that was a press car to sell 1989s. They did not shelve the 89 MY until 4/19/89. They built 44 produciton saleable 89s (#40 to #84)This is a mistake/error. whoever labeled it as a 1990 probably did not know there was an 89, but that is an 1989 built in 03/1988 to introduce the 89 MY ZR-1. That is not a 1990 ZR-1.

[Aurora40]

Originally Posted by 1989ZR1#74

Not to nitpick, but they did have an 89 MY

They did?? What were the fuel economy numbers? What was the MSRP of a 1989 ZR-1? How many did they sell?

Here I thought the production cars started with the 1990 model year.

[1989ZR1#74]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

They did?? What were the fuel economy numbers? What was the MSRP of a 1989 ZR-1? How many did they sell?

Here I thought the production cars started with the 1990 model year.

Fuel Economy:

17mpg City
25 Mpg Highway.

MSRP on #004 was $60,034.00 (#004 had the $915 dual top option and a $58 Illuminated visor mirror)
MSRP on #074 was $59,734.00
Dealer invoice on #074 was $47,867.20
both had a destination charge of $500

Although none were sold to the public in 1989 GM did sell 2 on MSOs last year. So total MSO sales for 1989 was 2
All cars produced are sold to someone. #004 was sold to GM Photo/Cambell Ewald.

And the fact that none were sold (to the public) in 1989 does not mean there was not an 1989 model year. #003 was produced to sell 1989s, not as you stated "It was a press car to sell the 1990 model year." They fully intended to sell 1989s when it was made. any period use of #003 as a 1990 advertising car was/would have been a secondary decision.


Bob I am not trying to be anything but informative. but to call #003 a 1990 is a misstatement.

[1989ZR1#74]

Here is a "period" picture of one of the 1990 Media/advertising pilots. This picture was taken in 1989. What is interesting about this ZR-1 is it also had its seat backs painted Saddle like the 1989 Advertising Pilot #004 has. This car may infact have a 1989 VIN number. 7 1989 VINs were used to build the 1990 Pilots. All of the 1989 Pilots had 1989 VINs, only ZR-1 "prototypes" had earlier VINs.

[Aurora40]

Originally Posted by 1989ZR1#74

Bob I am not trying to be anything but informative. but to call #003 a 1990 is a misstatement.

I think it's really cool that there are prototype cars running around, and it's really cool that people like you and Tyler and others have gathered so much information about them.

But the fact remains that actual production of the ZR-1 spanned the 1990-1995 model years. And for the sake of a calendar, calling the car a "1989" would simply cause confusion.