Super Corvette to come Down Under?

US publication Autoweek has published spy pics of a Corvette mule propelled by what is believed to be a supercharged 6.2-litre V8.

This is interesting in itself, but of equal interest is the possibility that this engine could power a future HSV flagship model.

The 'Super Corvette' spied by a reader of the US journal featured a prominent hood scoop/air intake -- a clear-cut indicator that it was something other than a Z06.

The existing Z06 is no shrinking violet -- it's powered by a 373kW 7.0-litre V8 and can top 300km/h -- but Autoweek suggests the supercharged 6.2 V8 could punch out as much as 485kW. That's roughly the same output as the HRT V8 Supercars driven by Mark Skaife et al.

The supercharged engine will be hand-built at a rate of 1500 to 2000 annually at the General Motors Performance Center outside Detroit, says Autoweek, and it will feature an integrated intake manifold intercooler similar to the one GM developed for the Cadillac STS V-Series.

Names for the 'blown' Corvette range from Z07 to Blue Devil to Corvette SS to Sting Ray, according to US sources.

The engine will reportedly debut in the next iteration of the classic American sportster, due to debut in the US in 2008 as a 2009 model.

Interestingly, GM product supremo Bob Lutz hinted earlier this year that the next-gen Corvette could be a starter for Oz, a move that would elicit a rapturous response from local musclecar fans.

"With the next iteration of Corvette we really need to look at right-hand drive seriously," Lutz was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald. "There is clearly a demand there (in international markets), if we get the car right, as the latest model has shown."

The 'Vette was introduced to the Japanese market earlier this year, and the entire year's allocation (400 cars) reportedly sold out within a month. Believe it or not, this is despite the fact that they were left-hand-drive cars. (Even though Japan is a right-hand-drive market, the transport authority doesn't ban left hookers).

"We would love to sell a right-hand drive Corvette in Japan," Lutz added. "And, of course, if you've developed it for that market, other right-hand drive markets can take the car if they want it, such as Australia and the United Kingdom."

[Ed: an alternative viewpoint could be that GM is testing a blown 'lower tech' 6.2-litre engine with a view to replacing the expensive 7.0-litre engine in the Z06's replacment. The so-called LS7 V8 in the current Corvette flagship features exotic engine internals and dry-sump oiling system and was largely built to allow the Corvette to be competitive in production-based GT1 sportscar racing. A blown 6.2 could produce similar performance figures without the expense and be a more likely candidate for local (ie: Australian) applications. For more on the LS7's potential role Down Under click