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The C8 Corvette With 800 Horsepower Could be the ZR1 and Have a Flat Plane Crank V8

ZR1 C8 Rumor

Rumors of the V8 and Its Horsepower Swirl

We recently reported that the upcoming high-performance version of the C8 Corvette that’s coming could get 800 hp or more. When the news first broke, everyone assumed that the car would be the Z06. Now, according to Muscle Cars and Trucks, the car might not be the Z06 after all. Instead, it could be the ZR1. 

The reasoning behind Muscle Cars and Trucks claims is that the C7 Corvette ZR1 made 755 hp. It would make sense for Chevy to make the next version of the ZR1 have that much horsepower and have the Z06 be somewhere between the ZR1 and the base Stingray. There’s a lot of space there for the Z06 to slot in there. 

Additionally, reports have indicated that the Z06 C8 Corvette could get a flat-plane crank V8 engine. MotorTrend reported on this and the obvious advantages and disadvantages of the flat-plane crank V8 engine architecture. What that publication seems to have gotten wrong is that this engine will be for the Z06. If the 800 hp Vette is the ZR1, then the flat-plane crank V8 will be for the ZR1, not the Z06.

If you think about it, it makes sense. The Z06 would be better off making something like 7o0 hp or 750 hp. From there, you could jump to the ZR1 for the full monty and the flat plane crank churning out 800 ponies. It will be interesting to see where the chips fall, but you can bet 100 percent on one thing. Chevy has some seriously powerful Corvettes in the making.