Hotly Anticipated Chevy Corvette C8 Z06 Delayed Years

Were you expecting the hotter C8-generation Corvette Z06 soon? Prepare to wait a while. The more powerful, track-ready Corvette variant has been spied testing a lot the past year—and a steady stream of juicy details have trickled forth, including that the latest Z06 will have a 600-hp-plus 5.5-liter flat-plane-crankshaft V-8 with twin cams (instead of pushrods) actuating its valves. According to GMAuthority.com, this spicy Corvette goodness won't hit dealerships for some time.

See All 4 Photos4

How long will you need to wait? Try until 2023. The sports car was expected to poke its head out sometime this year, perhaps as soon as this summer. A few reasons are behind the delay; first and foremost is the demand Chevy already has for the regular mid-engine Corvette. So many shoppers have sought the new Vette that Chevy had to cut short the C8's first model year (2020); the second model year's books are filling up fast. And already info is out on the 2022-model-year Corvette. Pandemic-related issues are also said to have played a role in the Z06's lengthened gestation.

In the meantime, GMAuthority says we can expect more special-edition models spun off the regular-grade C8 to satiate buyers looking for a little something extra from the Corvette. Other special Vettes, we assume, also will be pushed back; those would include the Corvette ZR1, a plug-in hybrid, an electric model, and even the hypercar-challenging Zora.