Chevrolet to debut new Corvette ZR1 this summer

“The unthinkable is coming this summer” is how Chevrolet announced a new Corvette ZR-1 is on the way in a teaser trailer that just dropped today.

What sort of wild Corvette will we see this summer? Let the speculation begin.

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If it's unthinkable, I'm going to say it'll have a four cylinder turbo. Ooh, and be hybrid. It'll be like an i8 with an extra cylinder. And you won't be able to take it on track at Corvette club events.

Twin/quad turbo, SC. DOHC, Hybrid, Black... Excuse me I'm having feelings this website shouldn't inspire 

ZO6 flat plane engine + E-Ray hybrid/FWD setup = 800+hp, AWD, Mid-Engine Corvette from the parts bin

Although they did these pretty CAD drawings for a reason:

In reply to STM317 :

But that's not unthinkable. That's just predictable.

Unthinkable? 3 cylinder diesel? Hit-and-miss engine? 

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to STM317 :

But that's not unthinkable. That's just predictable.

Oh yeah. Sorry. Uhhh... rotary powerplant, but used as a generator to power the front wheels only with the E-Ray's motor?

In reply to STM317 :

Now we're talking. And we finally got our mid-engined Vette, why not the rotary? And hey, it's the Volt that could have been! GM has already done some of the work. It's not so much parts bin as "hey, are those guys still alive", but there's prior art for both.

IIRC the original ZR1 ditched pushrods and introduced the Altezza of pickup truck taillights. Unthinkable :)

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Now I want to build a corvette Ute and  take it to the corvette expo at pigeon forge

The ZR1 is now a CUV.

Get your pitchforks ready.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to STM317 :

But that's not unthinkable. That's just predictable.

RadBarchetta said:

The ZR1 is now a CUV.

Get your pitchforks ready.

This is what I'm thinking. They've been talking about expanding the Corvette brand. Just like the Mustang Mach-E. It'll be a rebadge Blazer with Corvette trim and garnish and a hybrid drivetrain. That would be the most GM thing to do. 

The only unthinkable part will be the price tag.  No wait a minute, that will be for the Zora which will combine the ZR1 with the E-Ray electric front axle.  Or maybe its curb weight?

E-Ray electric powerplant + Z06 engine = 830hp

$200k?

Meh, it won't matter to me; I've aged out of being able to afford the latest of anything. Regardless of whatever it is, I'll guess "MSRP $179K, but selling for $200K+." How many here would actually, really spend that. Remind me what "grassroots" means again!

In reply to kb58 :

If I bought a car that expensive, grass roots would be about all I could afford to eat...

My guess is the ZR1 will be a turbo Z06. It's the easy button. Figure ~$200k, ~850hp. Why the easy button approach? Look at the C7 Z06 and ZR1. The ZR1 was just a Z06, turned up a bit.

To control costs GM has entered into a partnership with Ford.  The new Corvette will have a Coyote engine nicknamed the Zora.   Internal model designation is ZR-j1 where the j1 designates Job -1.
 

That is my guess.

I missed out on the Z06. Hoping I my spot in line allows me to snatch this one up

I am starting to see discounts on Z06's on dealer lots right now, 1-5K is what is being reported as people swap over to the ZR1 allocations. Making me think real hard about one. 

My guesses:

Supercharged LT2 with eray hybrid.

Zora gets TT LT6 with upgraded eray hybrid.