It’s only been about a month since Chevrolet debuted the new ZR1 Corvette. A performance powerhouse that makes an eye-watering 1,064 horsepower out of a twin-turbo version of the Z06’s flat-plane crank V8. And now the internet is a buzz with new spy shots and info about the next model, the ‘Zora’. While GM hasn’t made any official statements about the next ‘king of the hill’ model, in the past few days people have seen the future C8 Corvette Zora testing at the Nurburgring.

The Nurburgring is revered as one of the most exciting, challenging, and deadliest courses in the world.

The Nurburgring is a 12.9-mile-long racetrack in the tree-dense forest of the western German town of Nurburg. This course has been open for almost 100 years and, in recent years, has become a benchmark location for manufacturers to test their latest and greatest performance models. The Nurburgring is also open to the public for most of the year as a toll road of sorts, so its easy access is as appealing as its challenging 154-corner track layout.

One Last ‘Hurrah’

It has yet to be confirmed, but the C8 Zora could possibly combine the ZR1’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 drivetrain with the E-Ray’s front-wheel hybrid motor system. The E-Ray has already proved itself as a potent performer, adding 160 horsepower to its LT2 pushrod V8 to make 655 horsepower total, just 15 shy of the C8 Z06. At the time of its release, Chevrolet stated that the E-Ray was the quickest to 60 mph of any production Corvette at 2.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.5 seconds. The prototype seen here has the same eAWD cooling system behind the front bumper and electrification warning stickers on the front and rear glass.

The orange stickers on some of the test cars are required as an electrification warning to safety personal and emergency services at the track.

If that’s the case, utilizing the hybrid system that turns America’s supercar killer into an all-wheel-drive dig-monster could prove to be a great idea. The 1,064 horsepower ZR1 is already struggling with off-the-line traction, according to Chevrolet, so giving it the advantage of instant torque to the front wheels will surely improve upon its 0-60 times. Also, the combined power output would jump to 1,224 horsepower, or even higher if recent reports about the ZR1’s power being higher than expected or the Corvette team deciding to crank up the juice to the electric motors.

What Does “Zora” mean?

The name Zora for the next performance model C8 is not official yet, but they have been trademarking the name in recent years, securing it as their own. Chevrolet tends to name their performance models based on their factory RPO code, such as Z06, ZR1, etc., so where did ‘Zora’ come from? ‘Zora’ is paying homage to Zora Arkus-Duntov, what many call ‘The Father of the Corvette’.

While he didn’t create or design the Corvette back in the early 50’s, Zora Arkus-Duntov is credited with taking the stylish two-door sports car from a 6-cylinder Ford Thunderbird competitor to a serious performance car. He joined Chevrolet as an assistant staff engineer in 1953 after writing a letter to then Chief Engineer Ed Cole about the beautiful new roadster that lacked any performance pretentions under its fiberglass body and then becoming Director of High Performance Vehicles at Chevrolet in 1957.

Zora also pushed the Corvette to be a mid-engine performance car in the early sixties, with experimental models such as the CERV-I and CERV-II as well as the beautiful Astro II XP-880 concept car. He recognized that to reach the next level at races like Daytona and Lemans, a mid-engine configuration was superior. The 8th generation Corvette is the first production Corvette with the mid-engine configuration and debuted 23 years after Zora Arkus-Duntov passed away in 1996, but the C8 Corvette Zora testing at the Nurburgring is a clear sign that the last big-dog C8 model before the next generation comes out will be a force to be reckoned with in honor of him.