2022 Chevy Corvette: Next-Gen Corvette Z06 With Powerful DOHC V-8
2022 Chevy Corvette Now that the bubble of anticipation surrounding the mid-engined Corvette has exploded, excitement is being built for the more powerful Z06 model. With an exotic flat-plane-crank V-8 engine, the Chevy Corvette Z06 2022 will sound like nothing like the Vette that came before it.
It will also look ruthless than the mainstream C8 thanks to the widened fenders, larger air scoop, and aerodynamic additions that actively adjust to maximize high-speed downforce and cornering traction. Along with the exclusive powertrain and enhanced appearance, the Super Chevy will inherit all the best features and technology from the regular model. While we still don’t have all the interesting details about the new Z06, here’s what we know so far.
The mid-engined Corvette Z06 is expected to go on sale in early 2021 as the 2022 model. As is tradition, this is a more hardcore, track-focused version of the standard Vette, complete with bolder styling cues and serious performance attributes.
2022 Chevy Corvette Report
It was only yesterday that we learned of something quite significant happening at General Motors. The automaker’s top management has reportedly shifted a large part of the Corvette’s engineering team to autonomous and electric vehicles. GM did not deny this when asked for comment, but the C8 Corvette program was not completely abandoned. One of the main reasons GM felt it could move these talented engineers elsewhere was probably because they were close to completing the long-term development of the C8. And the next Z06 will be their latest creation.
Set to debut in 2022, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will be powered by a high-revving flat-plane crank V8 engine along with several track-focused enhancements to prepare it against the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and other similar supercars. One area, in particular, is receiving a lot of attention too: active aerodynamics.
According to information obtained by Muscle Cars and Trucks, Chevy offers not only one, but three rear wing options. Currently, the Chevy Corvette Stingray can be had without the Z51’s fixed-wing or wing, and the latter is basically where the Z06 will start.
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The low-base fixed rear wing will have a similar design to the Z51 and will be equipped on the Z06s without the Z07 performance package. That is expected to include bigger brakes, stickier tires, thicker swing shaft, and, of course, improved aerodynamics. The uniquely designed Z07 spoiler will be quite large, although not as large as the C8.R. Carbon fiber wheels are another expected feature.
And finally, the adjustable rear wing will be part of the Z06’s active aerodynamics package aimed directly at fans. Apparently, these packages and spoilers are still under development, meaning that not all Corvette technicians have been moved. The complexity of the package required a lot of development work apart from the rear wing. Features such as side flaps and other components that can be used to help the car slow down, maneuver, and stay stable at high speeds require additional time to perfect.
As such, the active aero package, including the rear wing, will not be ready for 2022 but will be good for use in 2024 – just in time for the twin-turbo ZR1.
2022 Chevy Corvette Redesign
The Chevrolet Corvette 2022 will represent the third model year of the eighth-generation Corvette, otherwise known as the Corvette C8. We expect the Stingray model from the Corvette 2022 to receive some minor changes and updates, while also seeing the introduction of two new, higher-performance variants – the E-Ray and the Z06.
Expected Changes, Updates, New Features
Here are the changes, updates, and new features we are expecting for Corvette 2021:
Corvette Stingray:
- Several new exterior color options
- One or two new interior color combinations
- Minor feature and equipment changes in trim levels and packages
- The addition of two variants of the new high-performance model – E-Ray and Z06
- E-Ray is expected to be a plug-in hybrid model with AWD, based around Stingray
- The Z06 is expected to be powered by a naturally aspirated 5.5L V8 DOHC engine with a flat-plane crank, wider body, and higher performance suspension.
2022 Chevy Corvette Rumors
It’s definitely no secret that the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is coming. This is perhaps the current worst secret from the Detroit automaker, especially since the C8.R race car featured its engine. It’s a 5.5 liter DOHC V8 with a flat area crankshaft and an exhaust note unlike the ‘Vette you’ve ever heard of. Now, a new rumor might explain the sound.
The racing version of the C8 certainly tickles the spine, but according to Motor Trend, the road-usable Z06 will hit the stars with a 9,000 RPM limit. The magazine cited anonymous sources for this story, and quite frankly, we wouldn’t blame you if you were skeptical. That’s very exclusive territory for production engines, associated with hypercars like the Porsche 918 and Ferrari LaFerrari. Can Chevrolet really steer its Corvette into a world of endless spin?
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These are certainly not the first rumors we hear about the Corvette C8, and they aren’t all the same. Before launch, we heard ‘Vette will pack a 4.2 liter V8 and it’s called the Manta Ray. Likewise, we’ve heard that the Z06 will be equipped with a turbocharger with 800 horsepower. Therefore, we take this latest rumor with a grain of salt, but this is not without significant supporting evidence.
We know the Z06 gets a high-rev, flat-crank-plane V8. Included with these rumors is an estimated 625 horsepower, which is close to other Corvette rumors that claim the Z06 will produce 650 hp. We knew the engine would naturally aspirate, so it took a few serious turns to generate power. We also know the engine is currently making 500 horsepower on the C8.R, and while we don’t have the engine RPM specs for the racer, it doesn’t seem like it hit 9,000 RPM in the various C8.R videos we have. seen. In other words, there might be room for the V8 to spin faster.
When will the truth be revealed? That’s one side of the rumor mill that is still rather quiet. At the moment we expect Chevrolet to launch the car next year as the 2022 model year.
2022 Chevy Corvette Specs
Are you ready? The next Corvette Z06 will have a 5.5-liter flat-plane twin-cam V-8 that spins up to 9,000 rpm. Again, naturally aspirated and the red line at nine grand. Can we have hallelujah? If possible, the Lamborghini Huracan Evo’s 10-cylinder engine spins up to 8,500 rpm, while the Lambo Aventador SVJ V-12 only reaches 8,700 rpm.
Ferrari 812 Superfast? It says 9,000 rpm attach, but everyone knows (winks) that the superlative V-12 is only good at 8,900 revs. No, only the 4.0-liter Porsche 911 GT3 / GT3 RS / Speedster stopped from rear-mounted perfection spins up to 9,000 rpm. Well, the upcoming 992 GT3 engine will (probably) do that too. Like the new C8 Z06.
We suspect that this, for now, the unnamed engine output will come in at exactly 625 hp, with a torque of over 400 lb-ft (figure 485 lb-ft). Not as much as the old Z06’s supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 –650 hp / 650 lb-ft of torque – but who cares? To use Porsche as an example for a moment, the 911 Turbo delivers more power than the 911 GT3. However, every car expert wants a GT3. Returning to that power for a moment, the more than 600 ponies naturally aspirated from just 5.5 liters were impressive.
Assuming we’re right about the 625 hp number, that means the Z06 will pack 99 more horses than the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated V-8: the 526-hp Voodoo V-8 found on the Shelby GT350 / GT350R. To put this possibility of 625 hp into perspective, the pitiful Dodge Viper is churning out 645 hp from the massive 8.4-liter V-10 engine. To quote our source, the Z06 engine “will become a screamer.”
Return to the Voodoo V-8 flat plane Shelby GT350 (526 hp, 429 lb-ft of torque, redline at 8,250 rpm) for a moment; its 5.2-liter displacement will be the closest to the Z06. It was too big for a flat-field engine, and Ford made up for that by placing a large rubber damper on the non-transmission side of the crankshaft to eat up unwanted vibrations.
We’re not sure how Chevy handled the unscrewed third-order vibrations that cling to the flat-plane V-8 (vibrations that grow louder as displacement grows), but the bowtie brand has raced with this (basically) the same, even though the engine detuned ( 500 hp, 480 lb-ft of torque) on the C8.R, so some sort of solution must exist.
Chevrolet had to repurchase the heat-soaked C7 Z06s in bulk thanks to a class-action lawsuit, which resulted in the company enforcing a much stricter testing procedure. We believe the problem of large displacement vibrations is not a problem.
What about the two turbochargers we thought we already knew? Well, we were right, only about the wrong car. As Chevy has done for the last two generations, there will be a high-powered version of the C8 ZR1. The car will get two turbochargers supplied to the 5.5-liter engine (along with all the accompanying hardware cooling). We think 800 hp seems a good fit for this dual camera engine variant.
There will also be a petrol-electric hybrid variant that uses a V-8 twin-turbo engine and at least one electric motor to produce a total system output of 1,000 hp (or more). Expects to bear the name Zora, after Corvette’s father, Zora Arkus-Duntov. One sad news (that’s how we heard) is that there won’t be a C8 Grand Sport. Why not? We don’t know. We just heard it’s not on the card – don’t shoot the messenger. However, there will be an electric Corvette. Unfortunately, we know almost nothing about that model … for now.
2022 Chevy Corvette Interior
The Bow Tie brand went so far as to ensure that the mid-engine Corvette interior couldn’t be called boring. While the design goes beyond what is found on every other Chevy model, the square steering wheel and the wall of the temperature control knobs on the center console are unusual elements.
However, the cab layout remains suitable for the driver, and the list of standard and optional features is extensive. This includes a 12.0-inch digital meter cluster, head-up display, heated and ventilated seats, and wireless charging. All of this and more will continue inside the new Z06. We hope that track worthiness is shown through the added carbon fiber and micro interior accents as well as a more aggressive set of reinforced seats. The Corvette ‘
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Tucked into the Corvette’s layered dashboard is the 8.0-inch touchscreen that supports Chevy’s Infotainment 3 Plus system. While we only had minimal exposure to this particular setup, we found it mostly intuitive and responsive. We’re sure the Z06 will share the same interface and features, which include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Wi-Fi hotspot. Likewise, two separate Bose stereos are expected to be offered: a standard 10-speaker system and an optional 14-speaker setup.
The new Z06 will continue to offer the Performance Data Recorder, which lets you shoot videos of everything from exploiting your trajectory to relaxing country road cruises. And if you dare to leave your Z06 with a valet, there is an arrangement that tracks any malicious activity the car parker might attempt.
2022 Chevy Corvette Engine
If the nearly 500-hp V-8’s Chevrolet Corvette Stingray engine fails to captivate you, then the upcoming Corvette Z06 with over 600-hp V-8 should do the trick. And it’s not just the horsepower output that’s changing. The Z06’s engine will be a completely different animal from its lesser sibling, increasing performance and bringing a completely different character to the car. Read on to find out why.
Unlike the LT2 engine from Stingray, the V-8 Z06 will disengage the pushrod valve and cross-plane crank for dual overhead cam and flat-plane crank. The resulting engine should have the rev-happy properties and aural sensation of a similar mechanical V-8 in the Corvette C8.R race car.
While we initially believed the Z06 would embrace forced induction via two turbochargers, a source inside Chevy recently told us that such an arrangement would be reserved for the more powerful C8 ZR1 and Zora models, the latter of which would use a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.
Instead, the Z06 will pack a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 behind its cabin. Thanks to a racing car-like construction, engines over 600 hp can rotate the crankshaft at an insane 9,000 rpm. How the Chevy will extinguish engine vibrations (an inherent problem with the V-8 with flat-plane cranks) remains a mystery. Nevertheless, we’re sure the bow tie brand learned a few tricks from the 5.5-liter C8.R.
Like the Stingray, look for the Z06 which relies on an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox to send all those horses up to its rear wheels. The revisions to the car’s suspension and a set of sticky summer tires – which are wide at the rear – are sure to keep the Z06’s power from weighing on the drive wheels and chassis.
The upcoming Corvette Z06 will receive a special engine that makes it sound similar to the supercar it’s trying to take down. The naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 features a flat-plane crank, meaning it must rotate between 8,500 and 9,000 pm. The engine is expected to produce over 600 horsepower, and a howl like a Ferrari is guaranteed to give observers shivering. The unconventional V-8 will be connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive.
Given that the 495 hp 2020 Corvette Z51 we tested rocketed from zero to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and completed a quarter-mile distance in 11.2 seconds at 122 mph, the Z06 would be even faster in a straight line. A wider, stickier set of tires and more powerful brakes will help it turn harder and stop shorter than the regular Vette too.
Chevy will also strengthen the structure and recalibrate the suspension tune on the Z06 to help ensure its superior performance is most evident on the race track. Several active aerodynamics that automatically adjusts to optimize downforce will join this new generation. We’ll have to wait until we get it to evaluate how the myriad improvements compare to the outgoing Corvette Z06.
2022 Chevy Corvette EPA
Neither the Chevy nor the EPA show how efficient – or inefficient – the Corvette Z06 2022 will be in cities and on the roads. Since the company’s current flat-plane-crank V-8 is only found in the Corvette C8.R race car, we don’t have a government rating for comparison. After the Z06’s fuel economy figures were released, and we had the opportunity to test them on our 75-mph highway route, we were able to evaluate real-world mpg.
2022 Chevy Corvette Price and Release Date
We expect the current eighth-generation Chevrolet Corvette to remain in production for at least 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 model years. A next-gen, future Chevrolet Corvette is likely to launch after the 2026 model year.
We expect variants of the higher-performing C8 models – such as the ZR1 and Zora – to launch after the 2023 model year.
Although we hear of the current pandemic forcing Chevy to discontinue debuting the Corvette Z06, we still hope the brand manages to take off the wrapping in early 2021 and ship them to dealers before the end of the year as a 2022 model. Even so, it’s possible that the Z06 won’t arrive until sometime in 2022 as the 2023 model.
Regardless, be prepared to spend a lot of change to get in the car. Frankly, we’d be surprised if the Z06 sticker cost $ 80,000. That’s expensive for a Corvette (consider the Stingray starting at $ 59,995). However, compared to the 572-hp Porsche 911 Turbo, which starts at just over $ 170,000, the Corvette Z06 2022 promises to be a relative thief given its performance capabilities.
It should make sense that, since Chevy hasn’t officially revealed the new Corvette Z06 yet, we can only speculate on how much it will cost. The predecessor’s front engines start at around $ 25,000 more than the base model, so we thought it safe to add that figure to the 2020 Corvette’s starting price, which starts at $ 59,995. That means the 2022 Z06 should unlock for around $ 85,000 when it finally goes on sale.
Z06 – $ 85,000 (estimate)
