It’s been almost a year since the world was last teased with a C8 Corvette Z06 exhaust video. So far, the mysterious supercar—which is what Chevrolet actually called it in a press release—has made quite an impression thanks to its high-revving engine and Ferrari-like sound.
Now, Chevy itself is teasing its upcoming flagship, only this time there’s no shaky camera, no camo-clad disguise, and no distractions—just straightforward mechanical bliss.
The details surrounding the C8 Z06’s potent powerplant haven’t been revealed by Chevrolet directly. However, a source within GM reportedly leaked the specs to Motor Trend last fall, well ahead of the official launch. At the time, the source claimed that the upcoming Z06 would pack a 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft and 625 horsepower. Perhaps the most exciting tidbit is the rumored 9,000-rpm redline—that’s coveted territory reserved for supercar engines like the Lexus LFA’s V10, plus an honorable mention to street gems like the Honda S2000.
GM’s video, which was posted on Twitter and can be watched below, doesn’t reveal anything else, numbers-wise. But it does give us the best sound clips of the engine to date. Put on your headphones and hear some flat-out driving at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, plus high revs and quick shifting, all of which are reminiscent of the C8.R race car with a supposedly similar engine.
You may have noticed the “crank it up” message at the beginning of the clip. In typical automotive teaser fashion, we predict this is an Easter egg to hint at the rumored flat-plane crankshaft. Of course, we won’t know that for sure until GM reveals more this fall, but we expect some active aero and carbon bodywork to make an appearance, too.
This is probably also a good time to remind you that Chevrolet was allegedly considering a Camaro Z/28 with the same engine. Sadly, it was reportedly killed in the name of slipping model sales. It’s worth appreciating the Z06’s powerplant, as it might be one of the last times the world gets to enjoy such a pure American car without battery power getting involved. The rumored top-shelf ZR1 is predicted to utilize a hybrid system and all-wheel-drive to offer hypercar-like performance in the form of a Corvette.
Chevy says that the C8 Z06 is a supercar, and its high-revving motor certainly has the exotic sounds to back it up. Either way, it looks like the wait for the Z06 is almost over.
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