Spy photos of what is purported to be a convertible variant of Chevrolet’s mid-engine Corvette Z06 surfaced Thursday, fueling rumors that a drop-top variant of the performance halo model will return.
This prototype was spotted in the wild still wearing full camouflage, but all of the visual telltales are there: the revised side scoops, the quad-exit exhaust and, perhaps most notably, the sound of the rumored flat-plane-crank, 5.5-liter V8 – at least according to the spy photographer who was actually there to hear it.
While the V8’s signature engine note may seal the deal, we can’t help but point out the fact that there’s precedent for a Corvette model that shares many of the Z06’s exterior styling queues without benefitting from its high-performance powertrain: Corvette Grand Sport. Rumors regarding Corvette’s powertrain hierarchy have suggested that Grand Sport may evolve into (or be replaced by) a high-performance hybrid variant, which would certainly benefit from the aero and suspension bits that help make the Z06 such a world-beater.
The Z06 coupe is due to debut Oct. 26, so we shouldn’t have to wait too long to find out exactly what Chevy has in store.
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