C8 Corvette Z06 to Debut in July per Salesman Facebook Post

Corvette Z06 with new flat plane crankshaft V8 and extreme aero could raise the supercar bar.

We have known for some time now that Chevrolet has been working on a higher performance version of the C8 Corvette, likely to be called the Z06. It was originally expected to arrive for 2021, but the Covid-19 pandemic and production delays stemming from the pandemic allegedly led the company to push the car back. There have more recent rumors that the Z06 could be pushed back to 2023, but with no official word from General Motors, everything being discussed online is based purely on speculation.

According to AutoEvolution, a post by a car salesman named Marcus Veiga of Estero Bay Chevrolet in Florida suggests that we will get our first official look at the C8 Corvette Z06 this July. There is still no official word as to when the Z06 will arrive, but this information from a member of the sales team from one of top Corvette-selling dealerships in the country has the community excited.

Corvette Z06 July Debut

The news of the possible July debut of the C8 Corvette Z06 comes from a screenshot of a Facebook post from Veiga. He simply stated “To everyone who is interested on Z06, July 2021 we will be able to tell you more about this amazing car. Z06 is not a project anymore!”

No other information from Veira was shared by the AutoEvolution piece, but that is all that we really need. If this dealership representative is correct, we could finally get the details on the C8 Z06 in five months or so. While this information isn’t official, it makes sense. The C8 Corvette Stingray was formally introduced on July 18, so another July introduction would follow suit. However, we don’t know if the July introduction will be a concept car or a production model, but so long as they give us a look at what is coming, the community is sure to enjoy the news.

What to Expect

Since there has been no official acknowledgement of the Corvette Z06 program, there is no company information on the high performance package. Many rumors and insider reports claim that it will be powered by a 5.5-liter flat plane crankshaft V8 with a dual overhead camshaft top end, making it unlike any engine that has ever been offered in a Corvette. The dual overhead camshaft design was featured on the C5 ZR1, but should the rumors be true, this will be the first Corvette with a flat plane V8. This engine should not only afford the new Z06 gobs of power, but it should also rev to the moon.

In addition to the new engine, the C8 Corvette Z06 is expected to have multiple aerodynamics packages, one of which will offer extreme downforce on the race track. We can also expect a uniquely tuned version of the magnetic suspension system, lightweight wheels wrapped in sticky rubber and perhaps bigger brakes.

In any case, we know that the C8 Corvette Z06 will be one of the best-performing sports cars ever offered by Chevrolet, likely rivaling the C7 ZR1.

C8 Corvette Z06 images courtesy of CorvetteForum.com.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com