The long-awaited Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will debut this summer, but you can hear its high-powered V-8 engine revving up now. Photos and video were recently posted on C8 Corvette Owners (and Friends) Indonesia group, and we have it here courtesy of the person who originally shared it.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a ZR1 prototype, but it’s probably the clearest look we’ve gotten at the rear of the car so far. One prototype remains under cover, but the other two are simply clad in thin camouflage. The different rear wings (one of which appears to be adjustable) suggest we’re seeing the car with and without the track package, though it’s possible Chevrolet is simply testing out different wings for production or motorsport use. What’s more interesting here, though, is the spy footage that captures the massive winged car at rest.
It sounds like the 5.5-liter DOHC V-8 used in the Corvette Z06, and there’s strong evidence to support that beyond the exhaust note. It’s been rumored for a while that the new ZR1 would get a twin-turbocharged version of the Z06’s engine, and last October, a listing for a turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 called the LT7 leaked in a General Motors parts catalog. There’s no such engine currently in GM’s lineup, at least publicly, so the logical conclusion is that it’s destined for the ZR1. But there’s a bit more mystery than that.
While it appears the 5.5-liter engine will be used, other rumors suggest the Stingray's 6.2-liter V-8 will be turbocharged for ZR1 duty. The aforementioned engine leak mentions Active Fuel Management (AFM)—a feature on the 6.2 but not the 5.5. A member of Mid Engine Corvette Forum stated that the mention of AFM was a mistake, but it could also mean full list is a mistake. Another theory suggests that the 5.5-liter engine will use a cross-plane crankshaft instead of the flat-plane crankshaft found in the Z06. That would put the AFM back in play, and the cross-plane design might be better for turbocharging.
In essence, Chevrolet hasn’t confirmed anything other than the ZR1’s world premiere this summer. The prevailing theory is that a cross-plane twin-turbocharged version of the DOHC 5.5-liter V-8 will be used, producing more than 800 horsepower. All will be revealed later this year, but in the meantime, check out the video and share your theories. 5.5? 6.2? Fusion turbo regulators built by aliens on Nova Centauri? Let us know in the comments.
