Chevy Unmasks First High-Performance Corvette Z06 Early

The eighth-generation Corvette has been a runaway success for Chevrolet, there’s no doubt about that. But when our automotive editor reviewed the C8 Stingray, he wasn’t as blown away as everyone else. In fact, instead of recommending you rush out and buy the affordable rocket right then, he said to “[look forward] to the upcoming mega-muscled Z06.” That time has (just about) arrived.

On Monday, Chevy released the first image of the 2023 Corvette Z06, the first high-performance version of the C8 model. The unmasking came as a surprise to many considering the official reveal date is less than a month away, on October 26. On the other hand, considering it’s a highly anticipated car that’s been the subject of many spy shots, Chevy may just be trying to get ahead of the automotive paparazzi.

Here’s how the upcoming Z06 compares to the base Stingray. Notice the more aggressive front end, side vents and rear wing.

The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 in silver sitting on the tarmac. It's the first high-performance version of the new C8 Stingray.

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the eighth-generation version of the sports car painted red and sitting still against a black background

As the full reveal is coming in a month, Chevy has not yet released the full specs for the Z06. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some details.

“The new Z06 will be powered by a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 that should rev to between 8500 and 9000 rpm, make over 600 horsepower, and use an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission,” per Car & Driver. “Our spy photographers spotted Chevy testing the car alongside a Ferrari 458 Italia, which also uses a high-revving flat-plane V-8, so it’s obvious what Chevy is going for with this new Corvette variant.”

The Z06 name has a long history with the Corvette, going back to the 1960s, so we’ve always known the general idea of what Chevy is looking to do with these models: something that can conquer the track as well as the street. We’ll have to wait until October 26 to see if these specific predictions are correct, but if you can’t wait for what Chevy is billing as the new Corvette “supercar,” there are plenty of those already available for your enjoyment.