Chevy Planning a Hybrid 1,000-HP Corvette Called the "Zora"

We’re only nine months out from the unveiling of the hottest American car of the year, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and already there have been multiple leaks about future variants of the sports car. Why is everyone so intent on learning what the uncertain future holds when they can’t even get their hands on a normal C8 because of the pandemic?

Maybe it’s because we need something to look forward to, or maybe it’s because there’s always room for improvement, or maybe it’s because the leaks are really that tantalizing.

As of this week, we’re going with the latter. According to an internal GM document leaked to and published by Hagerty, the most powerful new Corvette on the way isn’t the C8.R race car, the Z06 or even the ZR1. There’s another Vette in the pipeline called the ZORA, and not only is it listed as a hybrid, the spec estimates put it at a blistering 1,000 horsepower. (For reference, the new Corvette Stingray puts out 495 ponies.)

Fans of the marque will recognize the name undoubtedly comes from Zora Arkus-Duntov, one of the leading engineers who made the Corvette into the iconic car it is today. His work turned the sports car from just a pretty face into a real-deal contender, so it’s appropriate that one of the first hybrid models will allegedly be named after him.

Hagerty suggests a Corvette Grand Sport slated for 2023 will also by a hybrid, while the blog GM Authority writes that a model called the E-Ray will be the first hybrid variant. (Hey, these are leaks after all, so take them with a grain of salt.) Additionally, the release dates may shift due to coronavirus-related delays.

Conflicting reports aside, the Zora is the real surprise here, and there seems to be no disagreement about that release. But will it debut as a 2025 model year or be pushed back due to COVID-19? MotorTrend is betting on a delay, but we wouldn’t be surprised if most things stay on schedule. Automakers will want to recoup their losses and fire on all cylinders once the worst of the pandemic has passed, and there’s no shortage of people who would dive into the retirement fund for a 1,000 horsepower Corvette.

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