GM has recently put a halt to any development work on all new cars and trucks, including the Corvette. A blanket email was sent out to internal departments and official parts partners by Executive Director in charge of program management, Michelle Braun, outlining which parts and programs to put on hold. Hagerty, being an insurance partner as well as a media partner, somehow was included in that blanket email. With this being a leak, take it with a hefty pinch of salt, but since the email came from inside GM, it is likely to be somewhat accurate.
We already knew that Chevrolet is working on a 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 that is going to power the upcoming C8 Corvette Z06, the ZR1, and the hybrid Zora. We were aware it could produce 600 to 1000 horsepower with turbochargers and an electric motor and have a Ferrari-rivaling sound. New information suggests that the Grand Sport variant could be powered by a hybridised version of the 6.2-liter V-8 that powers the 2020 Corvette Stingray, according to a leaked document obtained by Hagerty. That leaked information also lays out the model years and powertrains of all the upcoming high-performance Corvette variants.
Engines and specifications only alluded to through whispers and rumors are seeming to be coming true. While the 2020 C8 Corvette has been cut short, with any orders (when dealerships accept them again) being for 2021 model year C8’s, it’s what happens in 2022 that many people are wanting to know about. It looks like there are going to be 4 major variants of the C8, but the Z06 is what is expected to be the big one that people are waiting for. Using what is most likely a variant of the C8.R's 5.5 litre engine, with the current codename of LT6 and needing to be in a road car for homologation reasons, 650 HP and 600 lbs-ft of torque makes for a pretty tasty mix.
2023 looks to bring the rumoured hybrid system to the market in the new Grand Sport, using the base C8’s engine with hybrid assist putting in about 105 to 110 extra HP.
2024 looks to be bringing the big guns to the table with a new ZR1, with a twin-turbocharged version of the LT6 named the LT7 chucking out 850 HP and 825 lbs-ft of torque to melt your local freeway or highway.
2024 looks to be bringing the big guns to the table with a new ZR1, with a twin-turbocharged version of the LT6 named the LT7 chucking out 850 HP and 825 lbs-ft of torque to melt your local freeway or highway.
2025 looks to be bringing out a special edition, the Corvette ZORA, which takes the ZR1 and adds a hybrid system, and plants the car squarely in the face of things such as a McLaren P1 or Ferrari LaFerrari. Because of the insane power and aerodynamics needed to handle speeds that could be generated, it’s fair to assume that an evolution of the body shape, or a long-tail version, may be in development to keep the thing on the road. The electric motor will live where the front trunk is on other models and will power the front wheels independently. The eight-cylinder engine will drive the rear. The Zora will be the most powerful C8 Corvette, producing 1000 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. The Zora's all-wheel drive and instantaneous low-end torque will make it one of the quickest cars on the planet.
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