Chevrolet has introduced three highly acclaimed versions of the eighth-generation Corvette over the last couple of years. The C8 Corvette and C8 Corvette Z06 grabbing the headlines, along with the first ever hybrid of the Corvette, the C8 Corvette E-Ray. One version we are waiting for still is the next Corvette ZR1, set to release in 2024 at the earliest. While Chevrolet hasn’t officially confirmed any details, we have enough information to work out what might be on the way.
We are potentially looking at the most powerful edition of the ZR1 in history. A twin-turbo V8 with extra power over the regular C8 is likely the powertrain of choice. While like the last generation of the ZR1, it will feature more aggressive bodywork and styling over the standard sports car.
Insiders in the U.S. state the ZR1 will have a new, uprated LT7 V8 engine under the hood. An upgrade over the current LT6 that is in the C8 Z06 Corvette. The engine will be a 5.5-litre twin-turbo DOHC V8. With a pair of turbochargers making it the most powerful production V8 General Motors has ever produced. Power levels are set to be around the 800-850 hp mark. That is a big jump over the 755 hp of the C8 ZR1.
Gearheads may be happy to learn it’s unlikely the new ZR1 will have hybrid power. Although the possibility exists, the C8 ZR1 could be the last ever ZR1 to be solely powered by an ICE powertrain. And one of the last ICE-only Corvettes in history. The twin-turbos will add some weight to the ZR1, and the expected weight gain is likely going to be around 90 kilos. That does come with nearly 200 more hp than we find in the standard C8 Corvette.
AUTOMEDIA
The ZR1 usually boasts several aerodynamic upgrades and bodywork changes over the standard Corvette. The C7 ZR1 featured a large rear wing on top of the tailgate which was part of the more aggressive ZTK aero package – and we find engineers in Germany playing around with exactly that: two different rear spoilers – and it’s unclear at this stage whether the bigger one will be an optional extra or Detroit is still uncertain which one fits best. In any case, the C7 rear wing produced an impressive 430 kg of extra downforce for the ZR1. As standard on the ZR1, the front sees the Corvette gain a lip spoiler to increase the front-end downforce. Features like this are likely to make their way onto the C8 ZR1, with our spy shots revealing some aspects of the new design.
What we can also see in these images is a splitter protruding from the bottom of the sports cars front fascia, giving the new ZR1 the menacing look we would expect it to have. There is a large, central front grille, flanked with deep intakes near the bumper’s corners.
Besides the wing, the rear fascia of the prototype is very similar to the Z06, sporting the same centre-mounted four exhaust tips. Further enhancements such as active aero are likely to be an optional package for the ZR1.
Finally, the size of those wheels is extra huge, with as much footprint as possible to help put that extra V8 power onto the tarmac.
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