We've known for a while now that Chevy has been working on a hot C8 Corvette, but now we have the first confirmation of that model. It's the 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06, continuing the name introduced on the C5 generation. But perhaps more importantly, we get to hear it, too.
The above trailer doesn't show the car at all, but it features plenty of samples of the exhaust. It has a high-pitched shriek like a Ferrari or Lamborghini, rather than the rumbly, lumpy sound of most American sports cars. This squares with previous spy footage we've seen, and it sure seems to indicate that the Z06 will feature a flat-plane crankshaft. Besides bestowing that unique sound, a flat-plane crankshaft makes it easier to achieve extremely high revs. A past rumor suggested the engine could reach 9,000 rpm. The Shelby GT350 Ford Mustang had a flat-plane crank-equipped V8 and it would hit 8,250 rpm.
That past rumor also suggests that the engine will be a 5.5-liter unit derived from the C8.R racecar. That engine also uses double-overhead cams rather than the regular C8's pushrod engine. The DOHC heads would likely be necessary to hit the hypothetical redline. The racecar engine makes about 500 horsepower, but that's partly due to race series regulations, and a road-version likely could make more.
The good news is that we don't have to speculate for long. The car will be revealed this fall, and with a 2023 model year, it should go on sale sometime next year.
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