The new right-hand-drive Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that will go on sale in New Zealand next year will almost certainly be powered by the last of parent General Motors’ current high-performance V8 engines.
But it won’t be the last V8 from the US carmaker, which is keeping petrol power alive while investing heavily in electric vehicles (EVs).
GM has announced it has committed $NZ1.3 billion towards production of its next-generation ‘small block’ V8s. The same media release also included a $NZ100 million undertaking for future EV projects, on top of the $NZ54 billion already in place for the 30 EVs it plans before 2025.
For V8 development, $NZ890 million will go towards preparing its existing Flint, Michigan, engine plant for the new powerplants; the remaining $NZ420m will be split between three other GM plants – in Michigan, Ohio, New York – that will make components for the V8s.
Two of the three plants will also tap into the $NZ100m add-on for EVs, Ohio getting $NZ12.5m to develop battery cells, and New York $NZ87.5m for cooling lines.
The new petrol V8 will be the sixth-generation version of GM’s ‘small block’ eights, which date back to 1955 and which Australian subsidiary Holden first used in Monaro and Statesman variants in the ‘60s and ‘70s before it developed its own V8s.
The Aussie-made V8s were in use until 1999, when Holden instead adopted GM’s Generation III V8, known as the ‘LS’ series. It was under the bonnet in different displacements in Commodore variants until Holden shut down in 2017.
The fifth-generation 6.2-litre V8 entered the GM stable in 2013. These days it powers the Corvette and Silverado 1500 ute, sold in New Zealand and Australia through Melbourne company General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV).
The V8 in next year’s Corvette is a 5.5-litre DOHC unit putting out 500kW/620Nm. Unlike the 6.2-litre it uses a flat-plane crankshaft, which allows it to rev to 8600rpm for a whole new soundtrack.
It rides on the largest wheels ever for a Corvette, 20-inch at the front and 21-inch at back. The brakes are bigger too, 370mm with six-piston callipers up front and 380mm at the rear.
The new ‘Vette will come with what GMSV says is a Z07 performance package, including suspension tuning and carbon-ceramic brake rotors. Inside also gets the treatment.
“This includes a steering wheel with carbon fibre, shift paddles made from carbon fibre, sueded microfibre on the upper interior trim, leather-wrapped interior door panels and instrument panel, as well as GT2 bucket seats with Napa leather upholstery and carbon fibre garnish,” said GMSV director Greg Rowe.