As far back as 2020, GM Authority has been at the forefront of C8 Corvette reporting, correctly predicting the entirety of the eighth-generation Vette lineup so far, including the C8 Stingray, C8 E-Ray, C8 Z06, and new-for-2025 C8 ZR1. Now, there’s a new mid-engine sports car on the horizon, namely the upcoming C8 Corvette Zora. But where (and how) will the Corvette Zora slot into the lineup when compared to the ZR1? Here are our thoughts, as outlined by GM Authority’s own Alex Luft on the Chevy Society podcast (video below):
We’ve already seen the new C8 Corvette Zora testing on the infamous Nurburgring race track in Germany, providing us with a good idea of what we can expect. The images appear to confirm that the new Zora will have a hybrid powertrain setup, as indicated by the tell-tale two-piece radiator design seen in the driver’s-side front intake, providing cooling to the front-mounted electric drive unit that delivers additional power and all-wheel grip, similar to the C8 E-Ray. However, unlike the Corvette E-Ray, the Zora will replace the LT2 for the substantially more powerful twin-turbo 5.5L V8 LT7 from the ZR1.
This likely means that the Zora will be even more powerful than the 1,064-horsepower ZR1, which would indicate it would slot above the ZR1 in the C8 family. But some interesting commentary from now-retired Corvette executive chief engineer, Tadge Juechter, indicates that the C8 ZR1, and not the Zora, will be the most-expensive model in the C8 lineup.
“As the range-topper, you know, [the ZR1 is] the most expensive Corvette we’ll be doing,” Juechter told Car and Driver during an interview this past August. “You want to give people exactly what they want.”
That begs the question – what about the upcoming Zora? With more power, a hybrid powertrain, and all-wheel-drive, wouldn’t the Zora be the most expensive model in the lineup? Perhaps not necessarily. One explanation that seems to tick all the boxes is that the upcoming C8 Zora will be de-contented in the name of outright track prowess. By “de-contented,” we of course mean the deletion of several features to shed weight (and cost) to give the Zora a greater focus on performing on the race track.
To that end, some of the items that seem ripe for removal include tech that’s unnecessary at the track, such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and their associated sensors and modules, the wireless phone charger, speakers (perhaps all but a couple), and various sound absorption and deadening materials. There’s also an opportunity to replace typical features with lightweight versions, including lightweight glass with less sound absorption and lightweight, race-specific seats without heating and ventilation capabilities, thereby saving even more weight. In fact, prototype C8 Zora units running on the Nurburgring seem to be equipped with Racecraft seats.
This approach would be vaguely similar to the one taken with the fifth-generation Chevy Camaro Z/28, which was lightened by 300 pounds compared to the Camaro ZL1 through the elimination of interior sound deadening materials, the trunk carpet, HID headlights, and air conditioning, as well as the installation of thinner rear window glass.
It’s also worth mentioning that, so far at least, we’ve only seen prototype units of the Corvette Zora in the Coupe body style, with no Convertibles in sight. Every unit also appears to be equipped with the optional ZTK Performance Package, seemingly further underlining the idea that the Zora will be track focused, both inside and out.
Add in the extra power and torque of a front-mounted electric motor, and we could end up with a machine that falls in line with the legacy of the model’s namesake, Zora Arkus-Duntov – a racer who dreamed of turning the Corvette into a world-beating race car.
Comments
…or the Zora is a package on the ZR1.
…or he’s a liar.
I’m just hopeing I’ll live long enough to see the ZORA built. At 80 yrs old I could possibly make it.
You’re never too old, I’ll be 80 next week. I bought my first new Corvette in 1964 and my everyday driver in Fla in the winter months, is a 2009 ZR1 that I drive the snot out of. I placed an order for a “Zora” with Stanford Chevrolet in Michigan, September 2021.
I suppose if you were to follow the Porsche way of doing things (heaven forbid!) you could decontent the “Zora” and make it a real Track Beast, but that just might not be The American Way. The Germans might see this approach as being the way of expressing the ultimate track rated Porsche, but let’s think American, so the lighter decontented C8 Zora would be a few ticks quicker on the track, but seriously, except for a few “richer than god” souls out there who’d risk totaling their limited edition Zora’s on a race track and just going out and buying another one (sic) like you and I would risk our current Corvette’s on an impromptu “stop light to stop light drag race”, to me it stands to reason to simply build an extension of the current design ZR1 going “balls out” with a dual electric motor, all wheel drive, twelve hundred horsepower (or more!) with perhaps some lightweight chassis and body additions keeping the weight “reasonable” and yet delivering every option known to man on every “Zora” produced! Damn the sticker price, and the damn dealer markups, it’s going to be expensive as hell, but who really cares, it’s the American Way, building and selling the biggest meanest, fastest all American Sports Car with all of the “bells and whistles”, kicking ass and taking names! Now that’s what I’m talk’n bout! God Bless The USA
I’m with you on that one
It doesn’t make sense to de-content the Zora given the added mass of battery and electric motor(s). ZR1 is already a p!g for it’s almost 3900 pound curb weight and adding battery and electric motor(s) and then stripping some weight won’t make it light enough for track duty.
Stripping some weight off the Z06 and ZR1, then adding downforce and shorter gearing to take the crown from Porsche GT cars makes the most sense to me atm.
Not to mention the Z/28 was like $75k and easily the most expensive Camaro
They could be like the clowns at Ford and add $100K in carbon fiber then claim they reinvented the wheel
If you look at my post on this on the Zora testing on Sept 10th at 10 pm I said this.
“I think this is a de contented ZR1 that will add the front drive and be targeted as a track car.
Tadge has said the ZR1 will be the most expensive car. So the Zora will have to leave out things.
This will lighten up the car and the addition of the front drive will add more performance. I expect the price to be similar yo the ZR but more performance.
Zora was a racer so what better car to wear the name.”
I have seen the car and it is a ZR1. Adding AWD will add weight so to remove things like power seats and the line will off set the added drive and battery.
Also the drive snd Battery are as low in the car as you can get it so it should have no effect on handling. The added power and traction will make it quicker than the ZR.
This will still be a car you can street drive but it will be track go used.
de contenting cars tricky. Options are where the money is. Taking away options can make for little profit. But if priced like a ZR they will be fine.
But to add the extra weight and not removing not needed options would negate much of what the AWD would add.
Also remember the final SAE numbers are not in yet so we still will get a few more hp.
This car would destroy a GT3 911 RS
I think unlikely. Not sure how they could take enough content away from the car to compensate for the cost of the battery/motors. And the odds of them going so far as to remove things like AC are practically nil, and much of the safety stuff these days is mandated by law if you want it street legal.
Most people probably aren’t going to drive them they will have man cave parties looking at it and take turns jerking off on it and they will spend time together cleaning the car together and drinking beer and talk about women who have left them.
Never under estimate. I am going to a show Sunday that will have near 100 exotic high end cars.
My one friend will have at least six cars driven there from a F40, Miura, and a Carbon Gt and GT 40 with a Gurney engine in it.
His wife is still happy.
The others will have rare cars like a Cheatah Bugatti and others. A Cobra is nothing there.
*gravelly voice* Joker…….
Hey Jamoke. You can’t even drive a Stingray on the street to anywhere near it’s limits. I vote you for the “Clean up” crew. LOL.
They will keep AC. Note no one has said how much money they will make on the ZR. They can cut the price and still make money.
Don’t expect a ton of Zora’s yo be built each year. Pent up demand keeps people buying. Build them all in one years who is coming back to buy the remaining years.
Cars like the ZR1 are incredibly profitable vs say a Enzo or other duper car that was not based on existing models and not made in normal production lines.
The Corvette Z06 GT3.R has less horsepower than the roadgoing Z06 and it is a professional racecar. It seems odd that GM would make a higher horsepower track-focused model available to consumers.
If you remember in the late 60’s corvette came out with the L88 corvette which was void of amenities and was strictly for the track.The Zora is basically the same thing. I feel in order to celebrate Zora this Corvette should have its own body sculpture away from the C8 to make it truly special!!!
Series regulation are why it has less power. The series want to keep the cars vlose and not let cost run away as mfgs will leave.
Most use air restrictors.
C8.R,
My point is that the power-to-weight ratio. The Zora, if a weight reduced variant of the ZR1, will have twice the horsepower of a Z06 GT3.R and therefore a higher p/w ratio. That would open the GM up to a massive lawsuit if they market it as a track version of the car that is street legal.
And also it would be a PR disaster.
I do not know the exact numbers, but many people buy a range-topping SR8 as their first Radical. A SR3 (the lowest US spec) quickly becomes their second and a replacement for their SR8.
It is one thing if you cannot enjoy driving your ZR1 on track as you can drive it on the street. But if you buy a track-focused Zora and cannot handle it in the esses, then you will quickly return it to the dealer for a ZR1 allocation.
The most powerful cars in the world are sold and street driven. Several over 1000 HP. Warnings are in the owners manuals and often releases are signed that they buyer was waned of the cars abilities.
The GM legal will be all over it so if someone offs themselves GM will be clear.
Luckily most people in this price class are smart enough not to be that stupid. But the disclaimer is There.
Ford survives the Mustang Youtube crashes well.
Doubt it will be de contented. The C8 was designed from the jump with this in mind.the only thing we got wrong were the HP numbers. We all thought the 1000 hp model was the zora and the ZR1 was gonna have 800 hp. The engineers out did themselves there. The Zora will likely be an extension of the ZR1. Taking Tadge’s word on pricing isn’t a logical way to make assumptions on unrealeased product. Him admitting more is coming would be bad for business.
Frankie,
I am of two minds about Tadge’s statement. On one hand, you make a valid point. On the other, it was an off-the-cuff statement made by someone who has played a hand in models for years prior to their announcement.
I lean more toward your thinking that it will not be decontented if it will have 1000+ horsepower.
Zora was a performance guy and I think this is a car he would love to see built.