Z06-like prototypes of the C8 have been recently spied in a Colorado parking lot. Camouflaged from head to toe, said prototypes feature a split backlite à la the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe, a one-year-only affair for the second-gen 'Vette.
Following a set of photographs uploaded to Facebook, the prototypes have been caught on camera by a YouTuber from the Colorado area. The footage reconfirms the split rear window design, but also thickens the plot with some interesting engine sounds. The prototypes in question are joined by a bone-stock Z06 in blue, with said Z06 sounding more aggressive at low speeds than the camouflaged vehicles. The Z06-like prototypes exhibit a faint turbocharger whistle, and they also sound similar to the Z06, albeit quieter.
The only modification that comes to mind for this muted exhaust sound at low engine speeds is – of course – forced induction by means of a turbocharger. Actually, a couple of turbochargers. Internally referred to as LT7, the force-fed engine of the ZR1 is based on the LT6 of the Z06. This yet-to-be-detailed engine shouldn't be confused with the Blacking V8 from Cadillac. The biggest of the Big Three in Detroit produced the hot-vee turbocharged V8 between 2018 and 2020 under regular production order code LTA. The Blackwing was exclusive to the CT6-V Blackwing and the CT6 4.2 Platinum.
As you're well aware, the LT6 of the Z06 cannot accommodate turbochargers in the 90-degree V created by the cylinder banks. The LT7 features a turbocharger on each side of the flat-plane crankshaft V8. Based on a CAD image of the LT7, said turbos are located up front rather than out back, near the exhaust.
The belt routing of the LT7 from the leaked image is identical to that of the LT6, yet the intake manifold is different. The CAD image's LT7 also features the outer-tipped exhaust setup of the Stingray rather than the Z06, but do bear in mind that the Z06 comes with an outer-tipped exhaust setup in Europe. The reason? Emission regulations, which require General Motors to equip the Z06 with gasoline particulate filters.
Expected to arrive for the 2025 model year at the earliest, or 2026 model year at the latest, the ZR1 will presumably mark the mid-cycle refresh for the eighth-generation Corvette. Multiple reports on the ZR1 speculate over 800 ponies from the twin-turbocharged engine, with some peeps expecting 850 horsepower. Even with 800 ponies, the C8 ZR1 would outpower the previous generation. Torque, however, may favor the C7 due to its dual-injection system, larger displacement (6.2L vs 5.5L), and thumpin' great blower.
As a brief refresher, the LT5 small block in the C7 ZR1 belts out a whopping 755 horsepower at 6,400 revolutions per minute and 715 pound-feet (969 Nm) at 3,600 revolutions per minute. The LT6 flat-plane crankshaft V8 with a DOHC valvetrain of the eighth-generation Z06 makes 670 horsepower at 8,400 revolutions per minute and 460 pound-feet (624 Nm) at 6,300 revolutions per minute. As opposed to the LT5, the LT6 comes exclusively with exhaust-side direct injection.
On that note, want to bet a tenner that GM will market the C8 ZR1 as a bonafide supercar to ruffle some Italian feathers? Think Ferrari and Lamborghini.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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