[SPIED] C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototypes Wearing New Wheels Drive-By With No Engine or Exhaust Sounds Audible

By
Keith Cornett
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15
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[SPIED] C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototypes Wearing New Wheels Drive-By With No Engine or Exhaust Sounds Audible

Screenshot Credit: Aaron Branham


Earlier this week we caught two C8 Corvette ZR1 prototypes roaming the great state of Colorado and we were surprised to see that they didn’t have the wheels covered like we’ve seen with every other prototype that drives around prior to their public reveal.

The prototypes driving around in public are wearing a staggered set-up with Z06’s spider aluminum wheels on the fronts while the rear wheels shows off a new design. That design was perfectly captured as both cars drove by, and they feature two levels of spokes that to us somewhat resembles the 5-spoke Star-design wheels found on the 2019 Corvette ZR1.

These same two Corvette prototypes were also caught driving on Monday, and a quick video of the drive-by was shared to Facebook. Both of these cars have the Z06’s center-quad exhaust but as they passed the camera, the cars were eerily quiet.


Despite the LT6’s reputation for being loud, owners of the Z06 will tell you that it can sound pretty tame when in Tour mode with a light throttle and just cruising. Aaron Branham is the guy who captured this drive-by and he explains the encounter from his perspective:

I was going up hill at 60 mph for 3 miles before I got over and slowed down to turn and they were right on me. I’m positive they were still going over 45 and accelerating when they went by me with no engine noise. I lean towards the valves being closed but seems like there should have been some engine/exhaust noise.

Those bigger tires on the widebody also generate some substantial road noise so the engine/exhaust note could have been covered up by that as well.

[SPIED] C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototypes With New Wheels Drive-By With No Engine or Exhaust Sounds Audible

However, there could be another reason the cars were so quiet is that some enthusiasts believe the Corvette ZR1 is not an LT6 plus twin turbos, but the LT6 with the E-Ray’s front drive motor, and the twin-turbos will only be equipped on the top of the line C8 Zora. Yet we know that there is no way these cars would be driving in stealth mode on the open road because the E-Ray’s battery pack is only good for three-four miles of pure EV driving under 45 mph.

Also, check out this pic that shows what looks like airflow underneath the camouflaged hood coming out of the cowl area as the car is passing the camera. Both of the Corvette prototypes had this area raised as it drove by. Could there be an air extractor on the hood or frunk cover? We’ll keep watching.

[SPIED] C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototypes With New Wheels Drive-By With No Engine or Exhaust Sounds Audible


So what do you think, Corvette Nation? Are these two ZR1 prototypes the gift that keeps on giving? What do you think is happening with the airflow under the camouflage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


Source:
Aaron Branham / Facebook

Related:
[SPIED] C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototype Spotted with Uncovered Wheels in Colorado
[SPIED] The C8 Corvette ZR1 Prototypes Testing in Colorado are Caught on Video
[VIDEO] Did the C8 Corvette ZR1 Wheels Leak Online?

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15 COMMENTS

  1. IF those cars are driving on electric power only, the electric drivetrain is VERY different than the E-Ray’s. The E-Ray can drive on electric at speeds up to 45 mph, right? Those cars seem to be going much faster than that. The little battery pack from the E-Ray isn’t pushing those cars down the highway at 60, 70 mph or higher.

    I think a far more likely scenario is that 2 factors come into play: One, Turbos block a lot of exhaust noise. Even modern Turbo F1 cars, with no mufflers at all, aren’t all that loud. Two, these cars were driving in Tour mode. Even on the Z06, Tour mode is pretty quiet. Combine Tour with Turbos, and you’ve got stealth ZR-1s.

    As far as the hood vent, it wouldn’t be surprising if the ZR-1 has ducting to route air from the front intakes out the hood for improved downforce and cooling. Or it could simply be misdirection. Something GM’s camo team is very good at.

  2. My buddy just sent me a snap that he saws these out by Golden, Co while on his morning run on Wednesday! Center exhaust, wide bodied like Z06, but couldnt hear anything….

    So does this mean ZR1 not going to be TT and going 5.5L LT6 w/ Electric front motors instead?

    In my opinion… These are actually Zora test mules, not ZR1s

  3. This could still possibly have the electric motors and the 5.5 liter v8. The person recording isn’t going very fast so 45mph could seem fast if the guy seems to be going about 20mph

  4. The ZR1 C8 Corvette will destroying everything of Lamborghini McLaren Porsche Ferrari Ford GT crappie It’s over 850 horsepower I can’t wait for my ZR1 C8 Corvette Chevroletperfomance team still Champion Fordperfomance team still the most trash team in the whole world.

  5. My interest for anything Corvette has dropped to levels below that of dog poop simply because GM took the middle class sports car and delivered it to the ultra wealthy with a nice little bow on it. $200k for a Z06?!? I’ll never buy another GM product in this lifetime.

  6. A Z06 is not 200k unless your impatient and rich. Be honest here pal, what thecstarting price? My 15 z was over 100k. Where you done then?

  7. To ‘GM sucks’.. Yeah, I agree. They bragged about the “$60k c8 stingray” over & over. And even those base Vettes became $100k+. Then the Z06 comes out (granted during a recession) & becomes a $150k car on the low end. After they decided to rush-in the c8 and kill c7 Zr1 production early, and after entirely changing the DNA of Vettes.. prices got driven through the roof. Manual c7 zr1’s are now a ¼ million dollars. Cause theyre really rare, and the last of the true Vettes. I started losing interest after all these bad decisions they’ve made. Like killing the manual (IN A VETTE of all cars). Going FPC, DOHC & killing the pushrod, sprchgd v8’s. Making vettes frikken AWD hybrid EV’s. And creating insanely overweight, near 4000lb sportscars. They lost me when they started prioritizing flashy straight-line acceleration #’s, (and as a result gave us heavy, awd, DCT, hybrids). Instead of focusing on driver engagement, handling, steering feel, etc. They whined about needing to go mid engine to get any more performance, but the c8z’s have considerably worse cornering/skidpad grip & a d*mn 60/40 weight dist. But what happened to the days when GM was cool? When they made Vettes & Camaros with a manual only, with fixed roofs, with stripped-out interiors & an option to remove the A/C? (C6z’s & Z/28). Obviously that doesnt sell great, but now they’re the polar opposite. And its the same with Cadillac. Shifting to this full EV nonsense & killing off the CTSV/Blackwing style cars & ICE engines. I still love the styling, and think theyre bad@ss & luxurious cars. But theyre no longer ‘driver’s cars’ and theyre no longer attainable.

  9. Here we go again
    Gm delivering ultra expensive products that put it in the same game as their mentors… Lambo, Ferrari, Mclaren
    Guess what happens then. Anyone with 300 plus will buy a real exotic not a wannabe from America.

  10. Could it still be the LT6 with turbos, but a Zora, that is rumored to also be electric? No reason not to test that at the same time as is ZR1. Could be hiding in plan sight.

  11. The person who took the video posted on MECF that the two mules were going about 65 mph. So if they were on electric power it’s a different system than the E-ray. The video might have been more telling if the driver had his window down.

  12. These could be Zoras. They need to test them as well. I know of no other site that has so many complainers as this one. All this hatred for the C8 and GM. Where were you and all your loyal buddies when the orders for manual shifters kept dropping to the point that GM saw the handwriting on the wall as did Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Porsche. Plus the automatic performs much better and you would certainly have complained of too low numbers of the manual shifters. The price of the extremely well performing entry level C8 is a good price. You don’t need a Z06, which is still cheaper by less than half plus of comparable Ferraris, Lamborginis, McLarens and Porsches. I’m surprised you did not bring up the lack of round tail lights. The mid engine was supposed to come out long before it did…there was a factor of economics years ago and plans went on hold.

    I have a friend who bought a C7 Z06 at MSRP of $125,000…they wanted $145,000.

    There is a car for you guys who are dedicated whiners…its called a Miata.

  14. Bob – My window was down in the video. They are just quiet, valves closed. All you can hear are the tires. Another person in CO captured the same car with the same plate idling at a gas station the next day so it definitely had an internal combustion engine, see the link below. Hopefully, someone will capture them track testing in the next few months and that would give a much better idea whether they have an LT6, a modified LT6 or something else. I only had time to take the video, no pictures so the pictures you see are just screenshots. Looking at the cowl on the front in other frames I’m 99% sure it’s just molding to throw off the bodylines, the structure of the cowl is very flimsy and temporary.

    https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2023/09/24/spied-2025-corvette-zr1-prototype-captured-idling-at-a-colorado-gas-station/

  15. To: Flexinclouds

    Yeah, I liked my old rotary phone better than my smart phone because the old hand set fit my ear better. Are you for real?

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