4 Must-See New Sports Cars at 2025 Montreal Auto Show
The 2025 Montreal Auto Show is officially kicking off today and The Car Guide continues its coverage of the event with a look at some of the new sports and performance cars on display—whether electrified or conventionally powered.
Well-known car collector Luc Poirier’s lineup of Ferraris worth over $60 million sure ranks among the top attractions at the show, but we’d like to focus here on production models that have freshly hit the market in Canada or are about to. Which one from the four below is your favourite?
- Also: Three New Nissan SUVs Among Stars of 2025 Montreal Auto Show
- Also: 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 Makes Canadian Debut in Montreal
2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Let’s start with the most powerful of all. Blessed not with an electrified powertrain but rather a twin-turbocharged, 5.5-litre DOHC flat-plane crank LT7 V8, the new Corvette ZR1 cranks out an insane 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque. It’s the most powerful V8 ever produced in America from an auto manufacturer.
Chevrolet was able to achieve a quarter-mile run in less than 10 seconds and an American-best top speed of 375 km/h. In order to help the car fulfill its immense potential, engineers fitted a massive carbon fibre wing in the rear that contributes to over 1,200 lbs of downforce at top speed, which is unprecedented in Corvette history. And of course, it’s impossible not to talk about the return of the iconic split rear window, which was last seen on the second-generation Corvette.
2025 Ford Mustang GTD
Officially the most powerful production Mustang ever made, the track-focused, 815-hp Mustang GTD is reserved for a select group of customers. It recently fulfilled the promise made by Ford in August of 2023, becoming the first car from an American brand to complete a lap of Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes (watch the video here).
The Mustang GTD was created over the course of two years by a small team of engineers and designers who worked to turn the Mustang GT3 race car into the first-ever Mustang supercar. It features carbon-ceramic brakes, active aerodynamics, a supercharged V8 and semi-active suspension from Ontario-based Multimatic, which happens to take care of production just like it did with the Ford GT.
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona
The first-ever purely electric muscle car is finally hitting the market, much to the dismay of purists. Built right here in Canada and actually cheaper than the U.S.-spec model, the new Charger Daytona doesn’t pack a big old V8 engine, despite what the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system may suggest, but rather a pair of electric motors.
Output ranges from 496-670 hp, and the car will travel 418-510 km on a full charge. In Scat Pack trim, 0-100 km/h sprints are achieved in less than 3.5 seconds, while Donut and Drift modes take exhilaration to another level. Our first-drive experience was a success. Watch out for four-door and gas-powered variants coming in 2025.
2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 63
Mercedes-Benz is part of several brands making a return to the Montreal Auto Show this year, and one of its featured stars is the second-generation AMG GT coupe. Shown in top-line GT 63 trim, the car boasts a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that produces 585 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes just 3.2 seconds, and top speed is rated at 315 km/h. Don’t miss our review!
Incidentally, if you’re not satisfied with that, the AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE adds a rear-mounted electric motor and F1-derived technologies to form an absolutely electrifying hybrid setup. With 805 total horsepower and up to 1,047 lb-ft of torque, it’ll take you to 100 km/h in a blistering 2.8 seconds.
