Even before the eighth-generation Corvette debuted, there were rumors of a bonkers new model named after Zora Arkus-Duntov—the father of the Corvette. The famed Chevrolet engineer envisioned a powerful, mid-engine sports car decades before the C8 arrived. Concept cars through the 1980s and 1990s teased the future, but sadly, Zora wouldn’t live to see a production ‘Vette with the engine behind the driver. He died in 1996.
Corvette Zora rumors only grew after the 2020 Stingray debuted. We heard wild stuff about prototypes with twisted frames, cracked windows, and electrical systems unable to handle the load. Everything pointed to something with insane power, but those stories could’ve been about the ZR1. It’s been the most powerful Corvette for the past two generations, and this latest version packs 1,064 horsepower. It’s the most powerful Chevy ever—but it won’t hold that title for long.
Chevrolet hasn’t officially confirmed it yet, but there’s undeniable evidence that another model above the ZR1 is coming. Here’s everything we know so far about the Corvette Zora.
What Will the Corvette Zora Look Like?
At a glance, you probably won’t notice any difference between it, the Z06, and the ZR1. The camouflaged prototypes we’ve seen have similar front and rear fascias, big wings, and the same quad-pipe center exhaust. That’s not to say the production model won’t have some Zora-specific design cues, but such differences will likely be relegated to small trim items. And Zora badging, of course.
Our rendering attempts to predict the nuanced differences between the Z06 and ZR1, but ultimately, it still looks like a Corvette with a big wing. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.
Will It Be A Hybrid?
In a word, yes. Rumors have long pointed to Zora having the ZR1’s engine paired with the E-Ray’s hybrid system. Speaking with Corvette’s former Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter at the ZR1 debut, he all but confirmed it by saying the company was "still working on stuff in the future" for the C8. Considering the ZR1 already has 1,064 hp from its twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8, there’s little left to do aside from sticking the E-Ray’s front-mounted electric motor in there.
Beyond that, we had the opportunity to get an up-close look at the ZR1’s construction and noticed some peculiar features. Hoses are shaped in ways to accommodate an electric motor, despite one not being there. The ZR1’s center tunnel also has room for the E-Ray’s battery pack. The E-Ray uses a different gasoline engine, so ZR1 designers could have changed this up for better packaging. They didn’t—which strongly suggests electric assist was the plan all along.
And then we come to the prototypes. Cars with hybrid or electric powertrains lapping the Nurburgring must have yellow stickers, and we see them on recent C8 Corvette sightings. Looking closely at the front, we spot the same distinctive radiators used by the E-Ray. It’s the proverbial smoking gun for Zora’s all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain.
How Much Horsepower Will The Corvette Zora Have?
Going strictly by current stats for the ZR1 and E-Ray, we get 1,224 combined hp. That’s 1,064 from the engine with 160 hp coming from the electric motor, but there’s nothing stopping Chevrolet engineers from adding more to the pot. Longstanding rumors suggested the ZR1 would have around 850 hp with Zora topping 1,000, so there’s a precedent for Chevy coming in with higher-than-expected figures. Does the V-8 have more to give? Can the electric motor draw more juice from the battery? In any case, expect a minimum of 1,224 hp.
How Fast Will It Go?
With the extra weight of an all-wheel drive hybrid powertrain and potential limits to the electric motor, Zora may not outrun ZR1. Considering GM President Mark Reuss recently hit 233 miles per hour in a ZR1, only a few production cars in the world can beat it. That said, we expect the all-wheel-drive Zora to be the quickest accelerating of all Corvettes, trouncing ZR1 off the line. A 0-60 mph time in the low two-second range is likely.
How Much Will It Cost?
The Chevrolet Corvette Zora will be supremely expensive, or a straight-up bargain depending on your point of view. It will be more expensive than the ZR1, which is expected to start somewhere in the $150,000 to $180,000 range. It could be way more expensive if Chevy decides to make Zora a limited-production trim like the Ford Mustang GTD. But, it will have legit hypercar performance usually reserved for multi-million-dollar machines like the Mercedes-AMG One. We’d be shocked if Zora cracks $500,000, making it the hypercar bargain of the century.
When Does It Debut?
Thus far, Chevrolet has largely followed a debut pattern of roughly two years between trims. If that holds true, expect to see the Zora unveiled late in 2025 or early 2026.
