First look: the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, debuting Oct. 26, with a screaming flat-twin V8.
A new American hero is poised to make an appearance.
On Monday, General Motors released the first official images of the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ahead of its full reveal on October 26. The images reveal new bodywork with large intakes to cool the flat-plane crank V-8 located behind the cabin, along with a new wheel design.
In July, General Motors released a teaser image of the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, announcing its debut on October 26.
The teaser video shows the soundtrack of the new Z06's powertrain as it makes its way from the Nürburgring to the Circuit de la Sarthe. From the sound heard in the video, the Z06 is indeed powered by a (Ferrari-like) flat-plane crank V-8 engine that sounds very different from the previous street-legal Corvettes.
The engine is probably the 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V-8 found in Chevrolet's Corvette C8.R racing car; in the C8.R, this engine produces 500 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, but is limited by regulations It is mated to a six-speed sequential transmission. In the Z06 street car, the engine produces 625 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque with the engine uncorked. 8-speed automatic transmission or dual-clutch automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels, while manual transmission is not available on the option seat.
Redline is expected to be at 9,000 rpm, which would make the sound even more intoxicating.
Punched-out rear fenders are expected to cover the massive 345 mm rear tires and an overall wider stance (the standard C8 Corvette's rear tires are 305 mm maximum). Prototypes have been spotted with 275 mm tires up front, and some have been seen with sticky Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tires.
The Z06's interior was teased in 2019 with two large red buttons on the steering wheel marked "Spec Mode" and a sketch with carbon fiber instead of leather on some surfaces. The digital meter cluster in the sketch also shows a racetrack layout, which could be a performance feature for use on various circuits.
News regarding the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will be updated as we get closer to the American supercar's debut this fall.
