Chevrolet Corvette C8’s ZR1 Variant Will Be a 900-HP Hybrid With AWD: Report

GM is said to be dipping into hypercar technology to craft the top-shelf mid-engined ‘Vette. ChevroletThe 755-horsepower Chevy Corvette C7 ZR1 pretty much represented the apex of what an unassisted V-8 could do and was always going to be a hard act to follow. For its upcoming mid-engined C8 version, Chevy is said to introduce an electrified hybrid powertrain to boost America’s sports car to even higher performance levels, if a new report is to be believed.According to an anonymous “senior official at GM” speaking exclusively to Motor Trend, the next ZR1 will get a hybrid-assisted, twin-turbo V-8 making a total of 900 hp, not too far off from double the regular Stingray’s 495 SAE-certified ponies. The publication claims that the V-8 will be of the flat-plane-crank variety also present in a future Z06 and have its torque gaps filled by electric motors, just like the LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyder. While all three of those seven-figure hypercars use electricity to produce even more speed, expect the C8 ZR1 to be more in line with the Porsche since Motor Trend’s intel also alleges that the top-shelf ‘Vette will be all-wheel drive—this would make it the first Corvette ever to send power to all four wheels.ChevroletMotor Trend’s source also goes on to quash rumors that the Z06, ZR1, and C8.R’s V-8 would be related to Cadillac’s 4.2-liter twin-turbo Blackwing engine found in the short-lived, 550-hp CT6-V sedan. Thanks to GM granting Chevy and Cadillac separate budgets to develop their own V-8s a number of years ago, the Blackwing will reportedly remain a Cadillac-only affair.Other technical details on the mid-engined ZR1 remain a mystery but MT predicts the V-8 to be somewhere between 4.2 and 5.5 liters. How much weight all those batteries and electric motors add will also be a figure to watch considering the regular C8 already weighs a hefty 200 pounds more than the equivalent C7. We’ve reached out to Chevrolet for comment and will update this story when we hear back.
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