New Chevrolet Corvette Z06 revealed

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has been officially revealed, confirming the brand’s most potent version of its mid-engined sports car will be without a giant rear wing.

As the photo reveals, the 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 features a more aggressive front-end design with a lower, sharper front lip spoiler, new wheels, larger side air intakes and also a low-rise rear wing, despite spy photos of the vehicle testing at the Nurburgring in Germany exposing a high-rise rear wing.

As such, Chevrolet may employ a retractable spoiler as part of an active aero system, or alternatively deploy a high-rise rear wing as part of an option pack.

Details of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 are being kept secret until its official launch on October 26, ahead of North American customer deliveries in 2022 and a potential Australian launch after that.

That said, Chevy’s Porsche 911 GT3 fighter will be wider, lower, lighter, offer more downforce and higher performance.

On the latter, the Z06 is expected to swap out the 6.2-litre LT2 V8 (369kW/637Nm) for a development of the Corvette C8.R’s high-revving naturally-aspirated 5.5-litre V8, dubbed LT6, which is expected to generate around 450kW and deliver a screaming redline above 8000rpm.

Chevrolet previously teased that the new Z06 would “crank it up”, suggesting the fitment of the flat-plane crankshaft configuration from the LT6, which not unlike the V8 in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 that revs to 8250rpm.

General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) is yet to confirm availability for Australia or New Zealand, with a spokesperson telling carsales today that “Z06 hasn’t been announced as a right-hand drive model yet; we’re concentrating on the right-hand drive C8 Corvette at the moment”.

“We’d always look at opportunities as they present themselves, but until there’s a confirmed [RHD] program we can’t offer anything further,” he added.

With the Holden brand forced into early retirement, the new Corvette will be sold via GMSV showrooms, priced from $144,990 plus on-road costs for the 2LT Coupe.

It’s understood the entire first batch of 250 C8 ’Vettes are sold out, despite drive-away prices starting as high as $188,000, with at least one GMSV dealer charging an additional $43,000 in vehicle delivery fees.

First customer deliveries are still expected before the end of this year, according to GMSV.