C8 Corvette Z06

The C8 Corvette Z06 was introduced in the fall of 2022 as a 2023 model year vehicle. It stands to be the highest-revving, most track focused and exotic Corvette to-date. It’s available in both coupe and convertible bodystyles.

C8 Z06 Design

Compared to the base-level Stingray, the C8 Corvette Z06 features a wider stance that’s 3 inches wider, while featuring a unique front fascia, side intake vent elements, wheels, tires, and exhaust system. The key differentiators to look for when spotting a C8 Z06 is the center-exit exhaust and winged design elements in the lower grille. The Z07 package adds carbon fiber wheels, a high-downforce rear wing, carbon ceramic brakes, and carbon rocker panels.

C8 Corvette Z06 Horsepower

The 2023 Corvette Z06 will debut with 670 horsepower from its 5.5L LT6 DOHC V8 engine, spinning at up to 8,600 RPM. This makes it the most powerful naturally aspirated DOHC V8 to ever reach production, by far and away. The LT6 stands above the legendary 6.2L Mercedes-Benz M159 in the SLS AMG Black Series that had 622 horsepower, and the 4.5L F136 FL V8 engine in the Ferrari 458 Speciale that had 597 horsepower. It’s also nearly 150 hp more powerful than the beloved Ford Voodoo V8 engine in the Mustang Shelby GT350, which had 526 horsepower.

C8 Corvette Z06 Torque

C8 Corvette Z06 will have 470 lb-ft of torque from the LT6 V8. While not nearly as impressive as the record breaking horsepower figure, 470 lb-ft of torque is more powerful than the 429 lb-ft from the Ford Voodoo V8 engine in the Mustang Shelby GT350, more powerful than the Ferrari 458 Speciale which had 398 lb-ft, and more torque than even the M159 in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series that had 468 lb-ft.

For an atmospheric DOHC V8 engine, the LT6 is breaks all the horsepower and torque records.

C8 Corvette Z06 Engine

The engine in the 2023 C8 Corvette Z06 is a 5.5L V8 known as the LT6. Its design features a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC), a flat plane crankshaft, and naturally aspirated induction. A DOHC design is significantly different from the overhead valve design (cam-in-block) engines traditionally found in the Corvette. The LT6 is based on an all-new engine architecture that isn’t shared with any GM small block engines, or the bygone Cadillac Blackwing V8 engine which was also DOHC. Its displacement is 5.5-liters, making it one of the biggest displacement production DOHC V8 engines ever made.

The redline of the LT6 in the C8 Corvette Z06 is 8,600 RPM, making it the highest-revving Corvette ever produced. This is made possible by its flat-plane V8 design, compared to slower spinning and more traditional cross-plane crankshafts. Its sound is unmistakably high-pitched thanks it its incredible redline.

General Motors benchmarked the Ferrari 458 Italia during testing of the C8 Corvette Z06 on account of its DOHC V8 engine design. Engineers used the Ferrari 458 and its 4.5L V8 to understand how NVH levels are in a mid-engined DOHC V8 supercar. The Ferrari 458 Speciale produced 597 hp at 9,000 RPM and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 RPM and was only sold from 2013 to 2015. It’s been considered the most powerful naturally aspirated DOHC V8 ever made. But not anymore. In terms of displacement, only the 6.2L Mercedes-Benz M159 engine is a bigger DOHC V8 than the LT6 in the C8 Corvette Z06.

Packages:

Z07 Package: The Z07 is a high-performance, track focused package that adds carbon-fiber wheels, high-downforce aerodynamics, unique suspension tuning, carbon ceramic Brembo brakes, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires.

70th Anniversary Edition Package: Exclusive for the 2023 model year, the 70th Anniversary Edition Package celebrates 70 years of the Corvette nameplate with unique paint, badging, stripes and interior details.

C8 Z06 Price

Pricing for the 2023 Corvette Z06 is still unofficial, but it’s estimated to start around the $85,000-$90,000 USD range.

Production

The C8 Corvette Z06 will be exclusively built at the GM Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky. Start of regular production (SORP) and deliveries are expected to commence summer of 2022.

Marketing

The marketing of the C8 Corvette Z06 has so far consisted of high-budget videos, highlighted by a 45-minute docuseries of the development of the Z06 featuring the likes of Tadge Juechter, Aaron Link, Alex McDonald, and select influencers/celebrities.