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The powertrain for the 2025 ZR1 has been a huge topic of debate. Back and forth about whether it’s a twin turbo or an electric motor with a Z06 motor. New evidence including an article with photos from Motortrend magazine suggests the unthinkable , both !
An LT6 Z06 motor (possibly modified) with a twin turbo coupled with TWO electric motors up front!! If this is true it would produce well over 900hp and be an absolute beast!!
There would likely be NO Zora as this would be a true Supercar. If this is true (and it’s starting to sound that way) we will have a super/hyper car on our hands.
The Motor Trend artical is nothing but clickbait. Those leaked CAD drawings first surfaced in 2017, two years before the C8 was officially announced. There's no new information from those. The CAD drawings released in that group also showed a ZF transmission, which we know didn't happen. So there's no reason to assume anything else seen on them is accurate.
Two motors? Anything is impossible, but doubtful. A big reason GM went with one motor on the E-Ray was weight. Add turbos and two electric motors (and the extra battery capacity to support them) and that car is going to be a pig. A fast pig, to be sure, but outrageously heavy.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain (Motor Trend).
Last edited by Red Mist Rulz; Oct 18, 2023 at 10:48 PM.
If it’s just twin turbo can they do that to the existing Z06 engine ? The car will be heavier and can’t sound as good as the Z06. Sure it’ll be faster but I’m not sure better..
It won't simply be the LT6 plus turbos. At a minimum, they'll reduce compression ratio to accommodate the boost, change valve timing and fuel injection to accommodate the turbos, possibly strengthen some internal components, maybe change to a CPC (but I doubt it).
Last edited by Red Mist Rulz; Oct 18, 2023 at 10:47 PM.
This could have been made by literally anyone in 5 minutes on Excel. Literally proves nothing and provides zero indication of authenticity.
- Z06 year is wrong.
- Z06 horsepower is way off.
- No mention of an E-Ray
- No mention of a full EV version which is supposedly coming?
- Grandsport is not happening.
- ZR1 year is wrong.
Why people think this has all these errors and the general issues above that, yet it is definitely right about the Zora is beyond me. I don't buy it. This does not even meet an incredibly low bar for evidence.
Yet the overall gist of it is correct. Timing is off due to COVID.
Marketing decided to change Grand Sport to E-Ray. Yet details of what it was going to be was correct.
There is no full EV based off the C8 coming. Any EV ‘Vette will be the C9 or built else where( Lansing Grand River) on an entirely separate architecture, not on the C8’s.
The lineup has shaken out exactly how that document has shown so far.
Details like year and HP may be off, but it has been accurate on the what each vehicle will be before anyone else ran BS rumors.
Yet the overall gist of it is correct. Timing is off due to COVID.
Marketing decided to change Grand Sport to E-Ray. Yet details of what it was going to be was correct.
There is no full EV based off the C8 coming. Any EV ‘Vette will be the C9 or built else where( Lansing Grand River) on an entirely separate architecture, not on the C8’s.
The lineup has shaken out exactly how that document has shown so far.
Details like year and HP may be off, but it has been accurate on the what each vehicle will be before anyone else ran BS rumors.
This exactly... the schedule is overall accurate.
The "EV" Corvette coming is Corvette's expansion into a brand with a performance CUV and Sedan to compete with Porsche in the Macan/Taycan arena. They won't be based on the C8 at all. There will not be an electrified traditional Corvette until late C9 or C10 even. We know the GEN6 ICE V8 is in development. If I were to guess, we'll see an enhanced version of the eRay powertrain in the C9, but I'm hoping for one last non-hybrid new Corvette.
You have been correct in the past and I think you are correct now. The one thing that bugs me from the videos is the down turned exhaust, presumably to meet track noise limits. If the ZR1 is using the a TT version of the LT6, why would it be louder than the Z06 that didn't require modifications to meet the noise limits. If it is the same engine with TT's wouldn't it be quieter that the Z06?
You have been correct in the past and I think you are correct now. The one thing that bugs me from the videos is the down turned exhaust, presumably to meet track noise limits. If the ZR1 is using the a TT version of the LT6, why would it be louder than the Z06 that didn't require modifications to meet the noise limits. If it is the same engine with TT's wouldn't it be quieter that the Z06?
This could have been made by literally anyone in 5 minutes on Excel. Literally proves nothing and provides zero indication of authenticity.
- Z06 year is wrong.
- Z06 horsepower is way off.
- No mention of an E-Ray
- No mention of a full EV version which is supposedly coming?
- Grandsport is not happening.
- ZR1 year is wrong.
Why people think this has all these errors and the general issues above that, yet it is definitely right about the Zora is beyond me. I don't buy it. This does not even meet an incredibly low bar for evidence.
Originally Posted by chevyrules727
Yet the overall gist of it is correct. Timing is off due to COVID.
Marketing decided to change Grand Sport to E-Ray. Yet details of what it was going to be was correct.
There is no full EV based off the C8 coming. Any EV ‘Vette will be the C9 or built else where( Lansing Grand River) on an entirely separate architecture, not on the C8’s.
The lineup has shaken out exactly how that document has shown so far.
Details like year and HP may be off, but it has been accurate on the what each vehicle will be before anyone else ran BS rumors.
Exactly. Timing is delayed due to COVID lockdowns/mandates. Horsepower is an ESTIMATE before they began development- it literally says estimate at the column header. This was leaked in 2020 and so far the Z06 and eRay (renamed from Grand Sport) powertrains have been realized according to the leaked doc.
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
ZR1... Zora... whatever comes, but if it doesn't have an electric motor, it won't be all-wheel drive. Without AWD, that means ERays would still reliably be the quickest Corvettes on the street. Would the Corvette engineers design it that way? I don't know.
Originally Posted by dgoldenz
Some of the early Eray reviews don’t seem too keen on the electric assist so let’s hope their top dog isn’t ruined by it.
Originally Posted by msm859
Well I haven't seen any negative reviews. To the contrary they are pretty much all positive - pointing out the ERAY is the quickest production Corvette ever. Marrying the ERAY with the Z06 motor would be the perfect marriage.
@dgoldenz, please tell us which reviews didn't "seem too keen on the electric assist." Admittedly, I could be biased, but I watched about 15 YouTube videos from the major players on Oct. 13th when the embargo was lifted, and I didn't hear the ERay negativity you've described.
ZR1... Zora... whatever comes, but if it doesn't have an electric motor, it won't be all-wheel drive. Without AWD, that means ERays would still reliably be the quickest Corvettes on the street. Would the Corvette engineers design it that way?
The E-Ray 0-60 time is only 1/10th of a second quicker then the ZO6. You don't think a ZR1/Zora with 150-200 or so extra H.P. without AWD wouldn't be able to meet or beat that?
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by Broken Halo
The E-Ray 0-60 time is only 1/10th of a second quicker then the ZO6. You don't think a ZR1/Zora with 150-200 or so extra H.P. without AWD wouldn't be able to meet or beat that?
Those are the official GM times, but I think the ERay is probably quicker than that, which is something I plan to test and report on.
The engineers may come up with some traction magic that sometimes helps (depending on the surface), and that's why I used the term "reliably." An AWD ERay hooks up basically every time it's called upon, and that's mentioned numerous times in the most recent review videos. Not sure how they'd accomplish that without AWD and an electric motor that has so much extra andimmediate torque, but we'll see if they can!
Those are the official GM times, but I think the ERay is probably quicker than that, which is something I plan to test and report on.
The engineers may come up with some traction magic that sometimes helps (depending on the surface), and that's why I used the term "reliably." An AWD ERay hooks up basically every time it's called upon, and that's mentioned numerous times in the most recent review videos. Not sure how they'd accomplish that without AWD and an electric motor that has so much extra andimmediate torque, but we'll see if they can!
I agree with you on the "reliably" notion, especially with less-skilled drivers behind the wheel. That said, Mclarens like the 720S and 765 give me hope that there is a way to transform all that additional HP into impressive acceleration numbers on a mid-engine car. They are of course lighter than the Z06 & ZR1 (presumably, since we don't have "official" specs for the ZR1 yet) but for not being all-wheel drive, they still put that power down really, really well.
You have been correct in the past and I think you are correct now. The one thing that bugs me from the videos is the down turned exhaust, presumably to meet track noise limits. If the ZR1 is using the a TT version of the LT6, why would it be louder than the Z06 that didn't require modifications to meet the noise limits. If it is the same engine with TT's wouldn't it be quieter that the Z06?
Last night on Instagram I came across a ticktock video of a Z07 Z06 in yellow ahead of a ZR1 in camo on the road outside of the ring. I cannot find it now. It was the best I've found at comparing the sounds. The ZR1 sounds like a more muffled Z06 to me.
Last night on Instagram I came across a ticktock video of a Z07 Z06 in yellow ahead of a ZR1 in camo on the road outside of the ring. I cannot find it now. It was the best I've found at comparing the sounds. The ZR1 sounds like a more muffled Z06 to me.
The one thing that bugs me from the videos is the down turned exhaust, presumably to meet track noise limits. If the ZR1 is using the a TT version of the LT6, why would it be louder than the Z06 that didn't require modifications to meet the noise limits. If it is the same engine with TT's wouldn't it be quieter that the Z06?
yes, turndowns were ONLY installed due noise since they tried it with what appears to be the Z06 exhaust but apparently it wasn't....maybe because the turbos quiet the exhaust somewhat, the ZR1 HAD a lower restriction/louder exhaust, because of the higher power output, however, GM just didn't bank on it exceeding the Nurburgring noise limits.
It is strange because on all of the videos, the ZR1 LT7 sounds quieter than the LT6 but now it may be because they put a stock Z06 exhaust back on it with turndowns.
I doubt they are just throwing on exhausts at this point. I'm sure the exhaust was developed for the TT engine (assuming that's what it is). I also doubt that the LT6 exhaust will fit with turbos. I hope the ZR1 does sound amazing but like JMB said, in all of the videos so far the ZR1 is quieter.
The ZR1 spy pics from the Nurburgring suggests that it is not electrified. There were no telltale yellow stickers to identify the car as being electrified. The ERay had those stickers when they were at the Nurburgring. Pics from ERay forums and Car and driver.
Exactly!! The ZR1 is not electrified in my humble opinion!!
Further, It amuses me that a couple of personalities suggest the ZR1 is not a FPC just because it does not scream like the Z06. Different cams, lower compression ratios and lower rev-limiters will change the sound. Not to mention the exhaust is channeled through a pair of turbines. These people should listening to the city street and parking lot rpm and tell us that it's not a FPC... The audio I'm hearing sounds exactly like the 5.5L FPC in the Z06. Some of you out there must be tone def
I once believe it was going to be the Z06 LT6 with ERay electrics up front 670hp + 160hp = 830hp and would be easy to do.
But not anymore I'm convince now it will be a twin turbo (based on the new air ducts) the question is attached to what engine? The Z06 LT6? Don't think so too much effort to add twin turbo's to a flat plane crank. Also HP would be at least 850+
I now believe it will the the SR LT2 (based on exhaust sound) plus twin turbos which they should be able to get 700-800hp out of it.
Then Zora could be this combo plus ERay electrics for close to 1,000 hp
