2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Joins The Supercar Party On October 26

Chevrolet's been busy releasing teaser videos, silhouettes, and sound bites of the 2023 Corvette Z06, and we now have an official release date. According to Chevy, the much-anticipated C8 Corvette Z06 is debuting this coming October 26, 2021. Mark your calendars for the arrival of the highest-revving and best-sounding Corvette yet.

Chevy also released its first official photo of the car parked next to a Chevy C8. R racing car, although the Z06 in question is still wearing a camouflage wrap. There's also a new video you need to watch, and it features the Z06 Corvette prototype testing around various racetracks, including the Circuit de la Sarthe and the Nürburgring.

The video unveils a high-revving V8 sound, enough to send shivers to your spine. The stock C8 Corvette has a 6.2-iter V8 engine producing 495 horsepower and has a 6,500 rpm deadline. However, the rumor mills suggest a 5.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-plane-crank V8 is serving duty in the newest Corvette Z06, and it can spin up to 9,500 rpm.

The incoming Corvette Z06 will have up to 617 tire-shredding horsepower, a far cry from the stock Corvette's 495 horses. Power still goes to the rear wheels using an updated eight-speed dual-clutch transmission to handle the extra oomph. The incoming Z06 is not as powerful as the C7 Z06 (which had 650 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 mill), but we're betting the house the 2023 Corvette Z06 will be faster around the track.

The new Corvette Z06 will have a more aerodynamic body and a larger rear spoiler on the styling front. And of course, it could also come with wider and stickier tires to harness its newfound power. We're pining for a proper manual stick, but it seems Chevy will stick to its proven eight-speed dual-clutch shifter. All our speculations will come to rest this October, and we'll be back to report more on Chevy's newest track-ready supercar.