Shortly after our spy photographers snapped the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 undergoing tests at the Nurburgring, footage of the tests have been posted online by YouTuber Automotive Mike.
While Chevrolet has done its best to keep testing of the Z06 as secretive as possible, a handful of prototypes have been caught on film in recent months. This clip is particularly noteworthy as it allows us to hear the supercar’s high-revving engine being pushed to the limits for the very first time. It sounds nice. Extremely nice.
Powering the new Corvette Z06 will be a mid-mounted 5.5-liter V8 engine with a flat-plane crank. Some reports claim this engine will produce around 617 hp and 480 lb-ft (651 Nm). Regardless of whether or not those figures are accurate, this video perfectly demonstrates just how different this engine sounds from the Corvette Stingray’s standard 6.2-liter V8.
Read More: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Caught Testing At The Nurburgring And It’s Looking Quite Angry
The presence of the flat-plane crank has transformed the engine note, making it sound more like a European supercar than a performance machine from the U.S. However, with many other supercars now going down the forced induction route, such as the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the new Z06’s naturally-aspirated engine sounds even better than Italy’s finest V8s.
Chevrolet brought along at least two prototypes for testing at the Nurburgring. One of them was equipped with a pronounced aerodynamics package with a fixed rear wing and large front canards. The second prototype had small aerodynamic fins as opposed to a large wing and also lacked the canards, prompting speculation that the car will probably be offered in two different specifications.
The long-awaited 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will be unveiled this coming fall.