It was almost two years ago to this day that Chevrolet dropped the first-ever production mid-engine Corvette on the world. Specifically, that day was 18 July 2019, and now we have the first ultra-high-performance follow-up confirmed as coming this fall. Yes, the high-revving C8 Corvette Z06 is confirmed in Chevrolet's first official teaser video, featured above.
The video is only 24 seconds long, and we don't get a look at the new Z06. We don't even get a shadowed glimpse of an up-close body panel, but then again, we already know what the Corvette looks like. Of greater importance here is the engine sitting behind the driver, and if there was any question about its high-revving design before, those are erased now. This thing sounds absolutely wild.
Gallery: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C8 Spy Shots With Wing
In case you haven't been paying attention for the last year or so, The new Z06 won't follow quite the same formula as previous versions. It will certainly be track-focused with aero enhancements and suspension tweaks, but it won't use a boosted version of the C8 Stingray's 6.2-litre pushrod V8. In fact, it will be only the second production Corvette to wield a DOHC V8 engine, which was last seen 26 years ago in the final C4 Corvette ZR-1.
This engine doesn't just have four camshafts though – it also utilises a flat-plane crankshaft design that rumours say will spin to a sky-high 9,000-RPM redline. The same rumours also say this engine will be naturally aspirated, and listening to the engine sounds in this teaser video, we're more inclined than ever to believe every word.
This isn't the first time we've had a taste of the exotic engine in the Z06. Numerous spy videos capturing prototypes have cropped up in the last year or so, with a video from May 2021 capturing a test vehicle doing full-on acceleration runs with launch control. The only variable in all these sightings has been whether the cars in question were Z06 prototypes, or new ZR1 models. Comparing previous engine sounds with the engine clips in this teaser there's no doubt we've been hearing the Z06. However, that doesn't mean the ZR1 won't also wield the bonkers new engine.
The new Z06 is coming soon:
With the teaser campaign officially underway, what else will we see from Chevrolet before the official reveal? We aren't given a specific timeframe beyond fall, but a special event at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show in November isn't out of the question.
Source: Chevrolet