The original Chevrolet Corvette L88 is one of the most sought-after Vettes ever produced, offering that ideal combination of high performance, rarity, and beauty. Designed by Zora Arkus-Duntov, the “father of the Corvette,” as a factory racing option package, the L88 was a potent track weapon, unleashing well over 500 horsepower to slay the motorsport competition. Which got us thinking – what would a modern C8 Corvette L88 look like?
Inspired by the original, we rendered up the following monster machine. Unlike the upcoming C8 Corvette Z06, which combos street and track duty into a single beastly bundle, our C8 Corvette L88 rendering is designed from the off as a track-focused model. Like the original L88, this thing is intended for race teams, which means we looked to another race-ready C8, the C8.R, for some cues.
Without the constraints of road-going validation to hold it back, our C8 Corvette L88 comes with a variety of high-performance details to help it hunt apexes. Up front, there’s a new aero treatment with carbon fiber canards in the lower bumper corners, as well as an intake in the hood and vents by the fenders.
The fenders are also massively flared out to accommodate the extra-meaty rubber. As for the rollers, we went ahead and rendered our C8 Corvette L88 with two sets of wheels, including a set of standard aluminum wheels, and another set of black carbon fiber wheels.
The tail section is dominated by a massive GT-style wing to keep the drive wheels planted in the pavement, as well as a large rear diffuser to help this thing slice through the atmosphere with ease. Making it all go is the same 5.5L DOHC V8 that motivates the C8.R.
Unfortunately, there’s no indication GM will actually build a new C8 Corvette L88. Rather, we created this rendering just for fun. That said, the closest thing we’ll get to this is the C8 Corvette Z06 with the anticipated Z07 performance package.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
Comments
Waiting for the C8 Z06/Z07 3tz loaded……would very much like the L88 version but street legal for Show and Go!
If GM cannot do this I think with a little effort a speed shop could create a version of the L88 out of the C8 Z06/Z07.
Maybe GM could redirect buyers to an outside shop and create more interest in their Corvette line….i.e. Carroll Shelby… Gt350 ..Gt 500…. and Cobras for Ford!?
It’s a “rendering”… Not a “render”. If you are going to pass yourself off as a an automotive website please learn the proper nomenclature.
Render is a verb; it means to make, exhibit, or show. So “rendered” (past tense) is correct. So the author “rendered” the vehicle with two different sets of wheels. Rendering is a noun, meaning a “picture.”
“Render” can be used as a noun, and is perfectly acceptable in this case.
Oh Mike… Render is a relatively new word in the world today and your feeble attempt at trying to define its parameters is laughable.
Render can be a verb or a noun. A rendering is strictly a noun.
Please educate yourself before trying to educate others and being wrong.
Given that General Motors can use 3D printers to make exterior body components for the C8 Corvette; it shouldn’t be difficult for Chevrolet to design special edition models featuring unique exterior body panels or a third party company can use 3D printers and develop custom body panels.
Easy to build just not easy to make live in the real world.
The rear defuser would die the first time you pulled our of an inclined drive and if you put it up higher to live it would look silly.
I love there CR.8 look but there are things that just will not work in the real world.
If they offered it as a modern upgraded big block with twin turbos and all of the modern available cylinder heads in a 427 inch displacement it might be viable but anything less than the original style big block would be a slap in the face to the icon of yore.
I agree with Dan. Katech sells a LT1 that is bored and stroked to 427 Cubic Inches. It makes 700 Horsepower. I’m not sure if it is emissions legal. But, it’s a start.
Love the aggressive look of these. I’ll take one with the black carbon fiber wheels please
L88 is an *engine* code for an aluminum head, cast iron block 427, which made 550hp gross with headers. It was never a vehicle package, so your premise is moot.
And we’re in 2020, going on 2021. Things change.
More than the engine, the L88 vettes were all about track performance with no luxuries.
The rear diffuser is cartoonish!
It is moving in the direction of the “rendering”. Ultimate destination? Close or beyond? Corvette is influenced by attractors, and 2 of them are [1] company profit, [2] customer/fan fantasy.
Carry on.
And yet many of the original 1967 – 1969 L88s were street driven. Only a handful were track raced.