© Motor1.com UKCorvette Z06 Launch Control Spy Video
The engine screams.
This new spy video doesn't provide a good look at the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette Z06, but it offers a fantastic opportunity to hear the V8 engine. Judging by the sound, the engineers are finetuning the performance machine's launch control system.
The Corvette Z06's driver stops on the test track several times to bounce off the rev limiter and launch down the road. The engine loves to rev and has the high-pitched sound that we usually associate with European supercars using a flat-plane crankshaft. In several instances, the tyres chirp after the shift to second gear.
This fits with the rumour of the Z06 using a version of the 5.5-litre V8 from the C8.R race car. The engine has dual overhead camshafts and a flat-plane crank. Rumours suggest it might have a redline at 9,000 rpm or maybe even higher. The mill allegedly makes 617 bhp (460 kilowatts).
The gearbox is allegedly still an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Although, the engineers would strengthen it to withstand the extra power.
A fascinating thing about these Corvette development vehicles is that we're seeing them testing with two exhaust layouts. The one in this clip has a design similar to the existing model by having a pair of square-shaped outlets on each side. However, a recent spy video also shows vehicles with four circular pipes coming out of the centre.
It's not clear at the moment whether the Z06 might be available with both of these layouts. Or perhaps some development vehicles have different engineering focuses. Maybe one of them is actually the ZR1.
Z06 news:
Aesthetically, Chevy is doing a very good job of keeping the Z06 under camouflage. This one wears a wing with a complex shape that attaches to the rear deck. The development vehicles have a bonnet bulge, but its function isn't clear because the engine is in the back. The side inlets seem to be larger, too.
A rumour says Chevy might unleash official details about the C8 Z06 on 18 July 2021. This date is exactly two years after the standard C8's debut.
Source: KGP Photography