A recent report from a major publication has indicated that the upcoming Corvette C8 Z06 will come equipped with a twin-turbo 4.2L V8. GM Authority is here to set the record straight.
For the last year, GM Authority has reported that the Corvette C8 Z06 will in fact come equipped with the naturally aspirated 5.5L LT6 V8, featuring dual overhead cams, 32 valves and a flat-plane crank. Redline is expected to be set between 8,500 and 9,000 rpm.
This engine was previewed in the race-spec Corvette C8.R, where it delivers a decidedly exotic exhaust note. We’ve also heard the engine give a few blasts in prototype Corvette C8 Z06 models, as featured in the video below.
The reasoning behind the implementation of a naturally aspirated V8 in the upcoming Corvette C8 Z06 gets back to the model’s roots as an atmospheric track rocket. As GM Authority has covered on numerous occasions in the past, the Z06 nameplate is all about street-legal performance paired with high track capability. Although the C7-generation Z06 came equipped with the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4, it also experienced widely publicized overheating issues when pushed on a racetrack.
Indeed, forced induction can actually hamper track performance due to added heat it creates. What’s more, forced induction systems can also add weight, which also hampers on-track performance. As such, the Corvette C8 Z06 will utilize a high-revving, atmospheric V8, as GM Authority has reported for the last year.
That said, there will be twin-turbo models offered in the future C8 lineup, including the ZR1 and Zora, the former of which is expected to produce roughly 700 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque thanks to its twin-turbo 5.5L V8 LT7, and the latter of which will produce roughly 1,000 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque thanks to its hybridized twin-turbo 5.5L V8 LT7. Check out GM Authority’s exclusive coverage of the future Corvette C8 models and variants for more information.
Both the C8 ZR1 and C8 Zora will slot above the C8 Z06, but are not intended as track beasts. Rather, these models fall more into an exotic or grand tourer categorization, and although both can obviously be driven on the track, they are intended for different purposes overall, unlike the Corvette C8 Z06.
We’ll continue to provide the straight news and info expected, so make subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
Comments
olf video af
One has to wonder whether transplanting the guts developed for the C7 Corvette work in a C8; replacing the 6.2L V8 with the Hennessey HPE1000 that develops 1,000 hp.
that’s beyond Mary’s train of thought…
use what’s🤔 proven…
6.2 LT4….
ugh, forgot Mary directly oversees all aspects of the Corvette. How ludicrous of her!
All John Hennessy does is slap big displacement blowers on his tunes mate! Nothing special about his process. He has just marketed himself very good! They charge so much compared to other tuners.
When can we place an order????
More than enough power for Mark Reuss to plant the new C8 Vettes nose into a concrete barrier before a worldwide audience.
i think you jokers are wrong !!!!
Great, the vette finally gets a track engine and dumps the cheap pushrod.
BJ
really ?
A “cheap” pushrod that has been tried and true for decades upon decades? LOL!
Don’t get me wrong, as the owner of a bolt-on C7 GS, I welcome the 5.5L V8 in the new Z06. Watching this thing scream in IMSA makes me want to create more room in the garage. She is going to own all opponents. Get it!
No way it will see over 8000 rpm. Fuel cut off at 8200 max.
Most of you all fail to realize how awesome this makes GM Engineers look.
While Ferrari is getting rid of NA engines due to lack of tech, GM is still utilizing NA engines in their sports cars, yet achieving benchmarking performance.
From a conversation i had in 2018, with a top GM engineer, the 5.5 liter is a destroked 6.2 liter. Interesting that with a deststroked version, the block will be the same as the larger 6.2 or even the same block dimensions as the 6.6 liter gas engine in the HD pickup trucks. GM offers industrial engines and the various GM base engines are also used in marine versions.In fact, the 6.6 gasser with a longer stroke of 4.1 inches, gives 6.96 liters or 424.8 cubic inches. If they cast the block with thicker cylinder walls, stroking and poking the 6.6 gas will give 468.33 cubes, or 7.674 liters. That’s with a 4.125 inch stroke and a bore of 4.25 inches. Remember that the existing 454 LSX small block is not aluminum. It also does not have full water jackets as required for max constant RPM use. For racers, an aluminum larger LS type small block, will be perfect and great for a twin or triple engine offshore racer. How about dropping that light 7.67 liter engine in a single or twin engine plane. Nice.
this may not happen because IMSA may be doing away with the class the corvette races in and they had to sell the engine they race to the public. corvette may be the only car in the class after several other manufactures are dropping out
I could see them combining GTLM and GTD. Porsche is dropping out, so Corvette and BMW will be the only two vehicles to compete. I could see IMSA adding some weight to the remaining GTLM cars (and/or some other changes) and making a larger GTD field.
I would rather fit the latest LS7 crate motor and go out on the Nurburgring and beat the hell out of the Porsche 918 lap time. Better yet would be a d.f.i. LT7, you hear me Tadge?
Mary wants to put a Black Lives Matter sticker on every engine, and a trans flag on on the shifter. Corvette needs to be woke and inclusive.
I think the news of a naturally aspirated engine in the Z06 is great news. I will be one of those in line for the new Z06 convertible when it is produced. We can only hope that a manual transmission is offered… but that is not a deal breaker for me. The more choices we have in power train options for the Corvette makes it more appealing to a broader market. Just my 2 cents.
Getting a stick shift out of a company that abandoned a stick shift is likely not going to happen. On top of already having addressed that decision, is that the world and legislation is actually taking “ice” off the road, slowly up until 2021, and then faster and faster, with electric cars. Newer battery technologies will give these electric cars 500 mile capacities on one charge. The technology will also allow the same battery pack for up to a million miles or recharging. The new tech will also keep the batteries from being a fire risk any longer. Hopefully, gasoline engines can continue to be used by sports car drivers and enthusiasts and racers. Of late, the direction even in racing seems to be more and more EV. Demands of the world’s governments. We may not have a choice. AF
ZO6 5.5 NA 600 plus HP. Now the 5.5 TT around 700 HP ? Where did the HP go ? I hope the ZO6 isn’t going to only 500 hp like the C8R.
That being said, if IMSA changes the classes, will that change the ZO6 because they have sell at least 300 cars like the race car ? Just wondering.