Listen to the Corvette Z06 vs. the regular Corvette

Recent spy videos have shown the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette Z06 circling the Nürburgring Nordschleife at high speed. If you’re curious about how the new model sounds compared to the existing Corvette C8, then this is a clip you must watch.

Carspotter Jeroen is one of the many people who are recording what automakers are testing on the “Ring.” He edited this video showing the standard C8 from July 2019 and the Z06 from August 2021 on the same sections of track. The differences, especially sound, are striking.

As a reminder, the standard Corvette C8 comes equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 developing 490 horsepower (365 kilowatts) and 465 pound-feet (630 Newton-meters). The optional performance exhaust pushes this to 495 hp (369 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm). The only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic.

We don’t know for sure which engine the Z06 uses, but the prevailing rumor is that it is a V8 version of the C8.R race car. The mill would have displaced 5.5 liters. It has two overhead camshafts and a flat-plane crankshaft, which allows a red line of 9,000 rpm. The power could be around 617 hp (460 kW).

The Z06’s gearbox is also a bit of a mystery. It appears to have a magnesium casing to save weight. From the videos, you can hear the transmission making rapid changes.

Where the C8’s 6.2-liter V8 sounds like a muscle car with plenty of bass notes, the Z06’s mill is a scream. It has a hoarse howl that sounds more like something you’d expect from an Italian supercar.

The Z06 also looks a lot more aggressive. It has larger openings in the front fascia, ducks in the corners, larger side entrances and the large wing. The exhausts are now coming out of the center.

The Z06 debuts on October 26 but won’t hit the market until model year 2023.