Manoli Katakis 
The C8 Corvette Z06 feels like the most anticipated American car in the pipeline these days, perhaps along with the 2022 Ford Bronco Warthog. After all, it’s hard not to get excited about a mid-engined supercar, built in America, powered by a naturally aspirated, flat-plane crank DOHC V8 sending power to the rear wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Highly sophisticated, and yet, highly simplistic. No all-wheel drive, no hybridization, no forced induction, no BS.
Recently, a convoy of C8 Corvette Z06 prototypes were spied testing on public roads somewhere in Sedona, Arizona, which is driving distance from the General Motors Yuma Proving Grounds. Z06 sightings have been happening a lot out west lately.
Per MidEngineCorvetteForum, the video is provided below. The video is pretty low-res, bu physically, it appears nothing is too different from what we’ve seen before, but it’s always nice to get a sound bite of the C8 Corvette Z06 fitted with a center-mounted exhaust.
MC&T first confirmed that the C8 Corvette Z06 would offer a center-mounted exhaust, which has been seen on some Z06 prototypes, but not all of them, for reasons being that it was approved later in the car’s prototyping stages. It’s unclear at this time if the exhaust system will be standard or optional.
The 2022 Corvette Z06 will also be wider than the base C8 Stingray, as it needs to house massive steamroller Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. The C8 Corvette Z06 will also offer a high downforce rear spoiler, likely part of the traditional Z07 package, with high-tech active aerodynamics likely coming later in its lifecycle.
Word on the street is that the new Corvette Z06 – a “race car with a license plate” – will debut sometime this summer, in July, though Chevrolet remains hush-hush on the official details. In any case, it’s coming, so be sure to check in with MC&T regularly for the latest C8 Z06 news.
