The 2020 Corvette C8 has been met with rave reviews, but everyone is looking forward to the hotter Z06 variant.
There’s good reason for this as Chevrolet twins the development of the high-performance model with their Corvette race car. In this case, it’s the C8.R which was introduced last fall.
When Chevrolet unveiled the C7.R, they noted it was “co-developed” with the C7 Z06 and represented the “closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road, sharing unprecedented levels of engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technologies and aerodynamic strategies.”
Also Read: Chevrolet Confirms C8.R Will Have A 5.5-Liter Flat-Plane Crank V8
That trend will continue for the C8 Z06 and the connection to the racer will be even more pronounced as they’ll both feature a 5.5-liter V8 engine. While the C7.R also had a displacement of 5.5-liters, the new model has a flat-plane crank V8 which is naturally aspirated and produces 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS) and 480 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.
That engine will also show up in the road-going Z06, but there it won’t have to be detuned to meet regulations. Chevrolet has been tight-lipped about the upcoming model, but Car & Driver says the C8 Z06 will produce more than 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) and have a red line that could go up to 9,000 rpm. The model is also slated to eschew a manual and be equipped exclusively with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
While the final numbers remain the topic of much debate, the C7 Z06 had a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that developed 650 hp (485 kW / 659 PS) and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm) of torque. This enabled the model to rocket from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 2.95 seconds when equipped with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission and Z07 Performance package.
The Corvette Z06 is expected to be introduced next year as a 2022 model and the publication says it should cost around $85,000. If that pans out, it would be slightly more expensive than the C7 Z06 which began at $80,900.
