Gotcha! Latest Spy Photos Of 2018 ZR1 Corvette

Photo courtesy #AllCarNews

More spy shots of the upcoming 2018 ZR1/Zora have popped up on the interwebs. Depending on which rumors you believe, these spy shots are either the last hurrah for a front engine, RWD Corvette, or the latest, heavily massaged version of the C7 that will continue on alongside a Bowling Green-built, mid-engined, GM supercar know internally as the “Emperor.”

Stepping off where the C4 ZR1 and the “Blue Devil” inspired C6 versions left off, these spy shots show mostly carry over rear end styling, combined with a heavily revised front fascia with huge gill like vents on either side of the main air intake. Although this mule is missing the previously seen gigantic rear wing, there’s a good chance we can expect the air cheating peacock plumage on production versions.

Add star pattern, five-spoke wheels and a heftier dollop of carbon fiber bodywork and it looks like Chevy is switching things up to justify bellying up to the bar.

We know there have also been whispers that these images are actually proof that Chevrolet is building a “club racer” version of the C7–made in the image of an old C6 concept called the Z06X–and not a big kahuna range topper for the Corvette.

Photo courtesy of CorvetteBlogger

Then there’s the scuttlebutt surrounding what will be under the hood. If this is indeed a range topping C7, it will have to have a commensurate boost in horsepower to be the new “Corvette From Hell.”

A big daddy LT motor with at least 700hp would be bare minimum to play ball with the big boys but GM might have a multi-cam motor up it’s sleeve as well, or possibly even turbochargers.

The huge corporation also recently re-upped it’s trademark status for “LT5” so we might see a top-of-the line, mid-engine “Emperor” caliber motor to take on the the Hellcats, high-end Mustangs as well as Dearborn’s ferocious new GT.

We’ve also speculated that a new mid-engine car will be a Cadillac or inspire a Cadillac spin-off version as well. Let us know in the comments section below what your prediction is.