Twin-Turbo C8 ZR1 Testing In Plain Sight This Whole Time?
Spy photos, footage reveal quad exhaust tips from possible C8 ZR1 mules thought to be Z06s, smaller tips believed to be turbo waste gate pipes.
Don’t get us wrong. The C8-era Corvette already rocks our socks, especially with the Z51 package opening up more power from the 6.2-liter LT2. However, we all know more awaits the rear mid-engine dream machine. Specifically, the C8 versions of the Z06 and ZR1. We’ve caught sight of a few test mules from last summer, believing them to be Z06 mules.
Little did we know the ZR1 might’ve been among them this entire time. YouTube channel Brink of Speed recently dropped some new photos, plus reviews of previous footage, all hinting the ZR1 was there, and it’s packing a pair of turbos.
“[Corvette Ron Himself] was on vacation when he happened upon two C8 mules,” BOS says, “two C8 production cars, and a Porsche GT2 RS. As most of you know — and have most likely seen before — we have frequently seen the C8 mules with these two C8s and Porsche.”
BOS adds that Corvette Ron looked carefully at the mules, as well as spoke with the engineers driving them. Through his observations, he determined the mules were packing more heat than first noticed.
“Notice the weird center exhaust?” asks BOS. “It has two large pipes in the middle, and two smaller ones on either side […] There different conclusions being made as to why this mule has this setup. But there is an exact reason for it.”
That reason? Turbos. Two of them, to be exact. Per BOS, the smaller tips surrounding the main exhaust tips happen to be turbo wastegate dump pipes, attached to, as BOS believes, an LT7 V8. Under high pressure, excess boost needs to go somewhere. Thus, the dump pipes. This development setup allows engineers “to hear, evaluate, control, and tune engine boost, even recalibrate turbos.”
“NA torque versus turbo torque is not an equivalent match,” said BOS. “The GT2 RS twin-turbo benchmark would best be the target of the C8 ZR1 LT7 twin-turbo.”
A C8 ZR1 testing in plain sight after all? We live in truly exciting times.
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