C8 Zora Rumored to Launch With Over 1,000 Horsepower
C8 Zora Rumored to Launch With Over 1,000 Horsepower
C8 Zora is shaping up to be the ultimate swan song for the ICE-powered Corvette of its namesake’s dreams.
As we’re mere days away from the unveiling of the C8 Corvette Z06, it’s worth noting that this new variant is only the beginning. We already know that several more special versions of the mid-engine Corvette are coming, including the ZR1, E-Ray, and C8 Zora, all of which promise increasing levels of performance. Just how much performance is anyone’s guess at the moment, but if a recent rumor holds true, at least one of those models will launch with four-digit horsepower.
A recent article from Wheels Magazine (which can be found here) contains a host of details on all of the upcoming C8 Corvette variants, much of which we’ve heard before. However, the most interesting tidbits from this piece relate to the powerplants present in both the C8 Zora and ZR1 – both twin-turbocharged beasts with outputs that have mostly been preserved for million-dollar hypercars to this point.
According to Wheels, both the ZR1 and Zora will employ GM’s new twin-turbo 5.5-liter LT7 V8 underhood, with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. In the ZR1, this powerplant will offer up around 700 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque, the former of which actually seems a bit low considering the C7 ZR1 made 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet.
Regardless, the C8 Zora will be the new king of the proverbial Corvette hill, adding electric motors to the front wheels – just like the E-Ray – for all-wheel-drive performance and a serious power boost – a rumored 1,000 even horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque, which is truly insane for any off-the-shelf supercar.
Wheels reckons that the Zora could launch in 2023, but considering how long we’ve waited for the Z06, that seems to be wishful thinking. Surely, GM will launch the E-Ray and ZR1 prior to unleashing the most powerful Corvette ever made, especially considering the C7 ZR1 launched for the 2019 model year as sort of a swan song for the seventh-gen model.
In the same manner, the Zora – named for the legendary Zora Arkus-Duntov – figures to be the swan song for the internal combustion-powered Corvette. With GM committing to an all-electric future, it seems as if even America’s sports car is destined to move on from ICE power, which is undoubtedly sad. But if there’s an appropriate way to send it off with a bang, it’s with the 1,000 horsepower, mid-engine Corvette of Arkus-Duntov’s dreams.
Photos: Chevrolet
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