Are you the 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06? [UPDATE]
Fri, 06 Dec 2013
We have on good authority that this is the all-new Chevrolet Corvette Z06, the hotter version of the 455-horsepower Corvette Stingray. Feast your eyes upon it, and know that we'll have a lot more when it makes its official debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
First, you'll notice we're calling it "Z06" instead of "Z07." That's because Chevy isn't going to shake things up too drastically, despite a previous report from Car and Driver. Like the C6, the model will be called Z06, but there will be a Z07 package. It's not clear what that will entail, but on the C6 generation, it included a number of upmarket style and performance features from the Corvette ZR1. As there is no ZR1 yet, we've no idea what to expect.
As we're still a bit in the dark in terms of details, here's what we think we know: It's very likely that the Z06 will receive a forced-induction engine. We previously reported that that could mean a twin-turbocharged setup, but considering GM's aversion to big, turbocharged engines in favor of big, supercharged engines, it'd be foolish to not consider that the Z06 will arrive wearing a blower. In fact, the engine shown above, which looks to be a supercharged LT4, has popped up on Instagram this morning thanks to American Velocity Performance. Regardless of what extras Chevy fits to the 6.2-liter V8 (that's right, the 7.0-liter is rumored to be kaput), power output is expected to far outpace the 505-horsepower of the C6 Z06, with rumors of over 600 ponies.
Visually, the Z06 looks even more aggressive than the already pugnacious Stingray, with prominent side sills and rear fender ducting, a jutting front air dam and a much larger rear spoiler. Note, too, the absence of the Stingray's namesake silver emblems on the front fenders.
We'll have much, much more on the next Corvette Z06 when it makes its live debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January. Until then, have your say about this newer, hotter Vette. Is 600 hp enough? Would forced induction ruin the whole point of the track-minded Z06? Let us know in Comments.
UPDATE: It appears that the yellow Corvette above is a well-done Photoshop product, not the real Z06. That said, we still believe it to be a very close representation of the real thing. The engine pic, however, is still believed to be authentic.
By Brandon Turkus