RUMOR: C8 Z06 Will Be More Powerful Than C7 Z06
If you were betting on a twin-turbo C8 Z06, just wait. The ZR1 will feature a twin-turbocharged variation of the LT6, dubbed the LT7.
Anticipation is boiling over as we all wait for GM to unveil the 2023 Corvette Z06, so we figured, why not entertain one more rumor before we learn the truth directly from the source.
GM wants to put the world on notice by making a genuine supercar. But I think the biggest question remaining about the new C8 Z06 are those power specs. Specifically, will it have more power than the C7 Z06? And would GM dare to release a Z06 that isn’t “better on paper” even if it’s ultimately faster around a track?
We can’t answer all of your questions, Corvette faithful. But we heard a pretty interesting rumor that the LT6-powered C8 Z06 will, in fact, have more horsepower than the previous-generation C7 Z06. North of 660, if this rumor ends up being correct.
But let’s back up a little bit with some context…
Based on the Corvette Racing C8.R engine, the street-legal LT6 will be a 5.5L dual overhead cam flat-plane crank engine. For those who aren’t into engine building, flat-plane cranks weigh less than cross-plane cranks (found in most V8 engines) allowing FPC engines to rev higher. It’s an engine type designed for Formula 1 racing, for Ferraris and other exotics. And until now, the only other 21st-century American car to feature one was the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350/R.
All of this ain’t exactly news, mind you, but some folks are still clinging to the idea that the LT6 will need forced induction to make peak power. It won’t. The LT6 is naturally aspirated and revs, as we saw yesterday in a new GM video, up to 8,500 or 8,600 rpm.
What about those leaked CAD drawings of a twin-turbo engine, you ask? Let’s go ahead and call that the LT7. Imagine a twin-turbo variation of the LT6 destined for the forthcoming C8 ZR1.
Most Powerful Z06 Ever? (Yes and No)
Yes, if this rumor is true, the C8 Z06 is going to be the most powerful Z06 ever and the most powerful naturally aspirated Corvette ever. But only if you rank by horsepower.
With a high revving dual overhead cam flat-plane-crank engine, expect two things. Peak power won’t arrive until after seven or eight grand, with much of the fun factor coming above 3,000 or 4,000 RPM. And prepare for C8 Z06 torque figures to be lower than the C7 Z06. The GT350’s flat-plane crank V8, for example, made 100 fewer lb.-ft.of torque than horsepower. So while we don’t know C8 Z06 torque figures yet, I’d guesstimate somewhere in the mid-400 to mid-500 lb.-ft. range, a sizable drop from the LT4’s 650.
To some, that in and of itself is a dealbreaker. They prefer the chest-pounding power of a supercharger from an old-school single-cam V8. (And they still want a manual transmission.) And I understand. But if you’ve never revved an engine past eight grand, you are in for a treat.
Either way, we’re only four days out from learning the truth directly from GM, putting an end to all the rumors and leaks and speculation. (But not the debates.) Regardless of final numbers, just hearing the LT6 screaming toward redline makes me giddy. Bring on the C8 Z06!
What do you think?
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