Chevy introduced the C8 Corvette back in July 2019, and so far, we’ve only gotten the entry-level Stingray. We know there are more variants coming – Grand Sport, Z06, ZR1, and others – but details remain fuzzy about what they’ll offer in the performance department. There are rumors of a V8 hybrid powering the Grand Sport, but a new spy video suggests Chevy could be working on a V6 hybrid, too.
The video, shared by the TFLnow YouTube channel from a viewer, captures a camouflaged Corvette out testing, and it has a few unique characteristics. For one, it appears to have a flap on both sides on the rear fenders. The driver-side flap sits over the area where the fuel door would be located, which means the passenger side flap could hide a charge port door. There’s a chance the odd camo is designed to confuse curious onlookers, as the passenger side flap has appeared on other Corvette test vehicles, though that’s not the only odd thing about the vehicle.
The car’s exhaust note doesn’t sound like the burbling V8 you’d expect, either. Instead, it sounds more like a turbocharged V6. The TLFnow channel compares it to the Acura NSX’s exhaust note, which is also a V6 hybrid, and the two share some striking sound characteristics. There haven’t been any rumors of such an engine possibly making its way into the Corvette, though automakers don’t like discussing future product plans.
The latest Corvette hybrid rumor suggests the renewed E-Ray trademark could replace the Grand Sport model in the model lineup. Chevy will allegedly pair the 6.2-liter V8 with a pair of electric motors powering the front wheels, giving the car all-wheel drive. The model is expected to arrive as early as 2023 and squeak in under the $100,000 price mark. What Chevy could reveal before that is the Z06, which should arrive later this year with its naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 producing a rumored 600 horsepower. Either way, the spy video raisins some interesting questions about the car’s future.