The ZR1 has been the most powerful version of America’s sports car since the fourth-generation Corvette. The new ZR1, likewise, just debuted with over 1,000 horsepower making it the most powerful version of the C8. But there’s a new range-topping trim on the horizon.
If you haven’t heard already, Chevrolet is building a hybrid Corvette Zora—named after the famous Corvette engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. And that’s not just a rumor. Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter told us that they’re still “working on stuff in the future.” Recent spy photos from the Nurburgring provide even more evidence.
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Chevy has been testing the ZR1, Z06, and Zora around the ‘Ring in Germany for some time now. The first two of the previously mentioned Corvettes are easy to spot, even in camouflage, considering we’ve seen the production versions of both. The Zora is a little bit harder to distinguish, but its dazzling vinyl wrap can’t hide a few key details.
First and probably most importantly: The Nurburgring requires yellow stickers on any car with high-voltage electrification. We’ve seen Corvettes that look awfully similar to ZR1 with these stickers—pictured here. That’s more or less a dead giveaway that there’s a hybridized ZR1—or Zora—being tested. We also confirmed that the now-current generation BMW M5 was a hybrid via Nurburgring spy photos.
The second clue is related to the C8’s cooling system. Every eighth-gen Corvette is packed with radiators. Different trims get different configurations, and the E-Ray’s hybrid system requires a certain combination to keep it running at the right temperatures.
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Elements of the E-Ray’s cooling system, notably a vertical-finned heat exchanger on the driver’s side, are clearly distinguishable on these ZR1-looking prototypes. This component is only on the E-Ray, which is another dead giveaway in these spy photos. We’ve also seen some cooling hoses inside a ZR1 cutaway that appear to accommodate the E-Ray’s front drive unit.
This video shows the same prototype, which doesn’t sound quite as aggressive as the ZR1—most likely due to the batteries:
The total output for a potential top-trim Zora might be higher than you think. By adding the ZR1’s 1,064-horsepower figure to the E-ray’s 160-horsepower hybrid system, we get a total of 1,224 horsepower. That’s a lot—but the E-Ray’s battery isn’t giving everything it can.
According to Corvette engineers, only around half of the pack is being used in terms of capacity, and that’s mostly down to how high the cells get charged up in terms of voltage. If engineers think it’s safe to push the hybrid battery to a higher voltage for the Zora, the vehicle should get more available energy and more power to the wheels. Increasing the voltage would also give the hybrid system longer legs, making it able to assist the gasoline engine up at higher speeds.
That’s all speculation, though, and for safety’s sake, the system may just be a direct drop-in from the E-Ray. What is more certain, though, is that the Zora is definitely on the way, and it will be the most extreme Corvette ever.
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