New Leak Allegedly Reveals All Engines For Mid Engine Corvette C8
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A chart purported to be leaked from within General Motors has been posted online and allegedly reveals every powertrain option that will be available for the mid engine Corvette C8.
The chart was posted by a Corvette Forum member who says it was passed onto him by “a guy who knows a guy.” It’s a little hard to decipher and some of the engine output figures seem to be off, suggesting that this chart, assuming it is legitimate, was put together earlier on in the mid engine Corvette’s development cycle and contains preliminary engine outputs.
The naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8 engine from the base model and Z51 of course appears on the chart, but it is also joined by a naturally aspirated, 32-valve 5.5-liter V8 that is referred to as LT6. Rated at 600 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, this motor could be for the C8 Corvette Z06, though considering it is less powerful than the C7 Z06’s supercharged LT4 V8, it may also be destined for the Grand Sport or a new type of Corvette variant.
Next up is the LT7, which appears to be a twin-turbocharged version of the 5.5-liter LT6. Rated at 850 horsepower and 750 pound-feet of torque, this engine would be appropriate for the C8 Corvette Z06 or even the C8 Corvette ZR1. This is the motor we’ve heard so much about in recent months (in part thanks to our exclusive report on the new twin-cam V8) and also the same engine we believe is pictured in the leaked CAD drawings that have been floating around the internet for a year or so.
Then there’s the most powerful engine: the twin turbocharged 5.5-liter LT7 hybrid. This electrified V8 powertrain is good for a head-spinning 850 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque, so it seems inevitable that this is for the range-topping Corvette. Whether GM decides to call its range topper ZR1, Zora or something else remains to be seen.
All the information in the chart is on-par with well-placed rumors we’ve heard in the past, although the output numbers may not be exactly correct. The naturally aspirated 32-valve 5.5-liter LT6 engine is the same motor that was set to appear in the sixth-generation Camaro Z/28 before it was canned, so we have it on good authority that this is a legitimate engine program being worked on within GM, while we’ve already written all about the twin-turbo LT7 engine and a potential hybrid Corvette C8. Nothing in the chart is confirmed, but the info displayed doesn’t seem wildly unrealistic, either.
We’ll be first with details on any new mid engine Corvette C8 model variants, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Source: Corvette Forum
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I have a feeling that with the proliferation of the 6.2 throughout the Silverado/Sierra 1500 lower trims/models, that a more potent engine is inbound for the Denali/High Country. A detuned, truck purposed, version of the 5.5 would be amazing. Something like 500-525hp and 575-600lb-ft
I wonder if we will see something like a Scottsdale model return to slot above High Country as an ultra-luxury truck
Off topic from the story I know, but talk of new engines has me thinking truck talk
Scottsdale was a cheaper truck trim level under the Cheyenne.
I know, but when was the last time it was offered? Other than in Mexico. They don’t need more low and mid range trucks, the new frontier is truck luxury and Scottsdale has a great ring to it
If I remember back in the day the Scottsdale model was the bottom model for Chevy pickups not the top of the line!
Let think for a second if the Z51 has 500 hp and does sub 3 seconds 0-60. Then what would the 0-60 times be at 600 hp, 700 hp, 850 hp?
Can the new Corvette get below sub 2 second 0-60 times?
Mathematically/physically impossible. Peak acceleration of street tires pegs fastest 0-60 possible at 2.05 second.
Look at F1 cars, they are doing it in 1.7sec but they have insane down force and tires are super sticky. I think the closest a road car with street tires on it has come to the 2.05sec barrier is the Porchse 918 hybrid and it was still over 2.2 seconds.
Granted at that acceleration your brain is jumbled and an extra .2 or .5 seconds wont feel any slower lol
Didn’t Lingenfelter’s 2003 TT C5 go 0-60 in 1.97 on street tires (Mickey Thompson E.T. street slicks, DOT approved)?
I don’t remember the exact number, but I think it was in the 2.1-2.3 neighborhood…with now 20 year-old tech, front engine, RWD. However, I do recall Lingenfelter putting that same engine (LS 427 TT, ~800hp) in an AWD S-10 pickup and getting under 2.0 seconds 0-60. I specifically remember they toasted the first few transmissions in the truck because they were accelerating so hard they lost fluid circulation; they had to develop some unique parts to keep it lubricated.
I think the point I was trying to make was that we all thought the c7 performance numbers were impressive. The C8 takes things to a level we have never seen before at this price point.
What I love about it the most is Ford and Dodge doesn’t have anything to compete with it
Don’t know why you put f1 race cars in the same category as street cars. Now your mathematically / physically impossible , well you got that problem WRONG! Tesla Roadster does 0-60 in 1.9 seconds an that’s not a race car it’s a street car!!
Not much downforce at 60mph.
Those are cheater slicks and it was on a prepared surface. I don’t want to nit pick, but those are the differences and they matter.
Sam, or anyone, correct me if I am wrong, but I have a weird feeling that that hybrid engine, if it is true, will be powering some sort of an AWD Corvette and yeah I believe it will be top range version, probably commanding six figures.
If it is, my goodness GM, you already have the best selling sports car, at least in the US, now you going after the best selling sports car in the world? GM have put the world on notice!
I thought the Z/28 was supposed to get the 6.6, not a 5.5…
This is what I was speculating that GM might be incorporating into C8 Corvette with the hybrid system and possibly putting it at all four wheels for better power, performance and traction.
https://insideevs.com/news/337591/new-ring-drive-in-wheel-ev-motor-claimed-to-be-a-breakthrough/
I want one, sign me up!
There is no way an NA 5.5 is going to make 620 lb-ft. Only way that’s happening is with forced induction.
Ford’s 5.2 Voodoo makes 530hp. Lambo and Ferrari are making over 700hp from NA engines.
High compression, more revs, more fuel, more air
Horsepower yes, torque no way.
Agreed. To make that kind of torque, the stated peak power would have to occur in the low- to mid-5,000 rpm neighborhood. No scenario where the 2V OHV 6.2 (LT2) spins to 6,400 to make peak HP, while the 4V DOHC only spins to 5,500. Those numbers are nearly 2 ft lbs per cubic inch – not realistic without boost.
I can see the NA 5.5 replacing the lt2 at some point. 540-550 hp, torque probably just a touch under what the lt2 makes. It will be a sad day when the pushrod is gone.
Agree on all parts, except you should expect to see a little more torque out of the 5.5 NA. Even though it’s smaller, it’s superior volumetric efficiency and ability to tune the intake tract should make for enhanced torque production.
I hope that’s the case. Would hate to see the torque that the ls and lt engines make go away.
I thought the Z/28 was supposed to get the 6.6, not a 5.5…
Why does everyone wanna see Chevrolet deny their heritage and go dohc? What’s wrong with a 6.6 naturally aspirated with direct and multi port fuel injection for the Grand Sport, a 6.2 supercharged with direct and multi port fuel injection for the Z06, and a 6.2 twin turbocharged with direct and multi port fuel injection for the ZR1?
Why are we talking about a hybrid, GM as flat said they are done with hybrids?
It will not be your standard hybrid, think Porsche 918, two electric motors up front for acceleration. That’s how the 1000hp corvette will come to be.
Or were you just being sarcastic, I don’t know.
A C8 Corvette Hybrid would follow what Europeans are doing as the electric motor is to handle off-the-line acceleration duties while the regular engine is for top end duties; this is also how to achieve great gas mileage as the C8 Hybrid essentially be an EV when under 60 mph.
Ferrari’s LeFerrari equipped with a 6.3L V12 generating 949 hp can accelerate from zero-to-sixty miles-per-hour in 2.60 seconds while the current 2020 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z51 can do the 60 in 2.9x seconds; this means a C8 Corvette Z06 even with 900 hp may only improve acceleration times by 0.30 seconds and to drop it below 2.60 seconds would need an electric motor.