Think Chevrolet’s ZR1X, a twin-turbo, hybrid 1,250-horsepower AWD monster, is the end of the line for the C8 Corvette? Think again. According to Corvette chief engineer Tony Roma, the team behind the ZR1X is only getting started, with plans already brewing for an even more capable evolution of the mid-engine platform. Could this be the Zora we’ve all been talking about?

Corvette ZR1X Is Just the Beginning

Speaking to Top Gear, Roma made it clear that GM sees the C8 chassis as a foundation for continued innovation and performance (which to us, signals the possibility of a Zora model). “The backbone we’ve built into the C8 is proving to be super capable,” Roma said. “The things we’ve learned from creating the various models so far and the opportunities we have in the future with this chassis are incredible. The ZR1X is not the end of the story, it’s just the latest chapter. The team that works on it has a very ‘what can we do, and how can we do it?’ attitude. They see possibilities and not challenges.”

It’s unlikely the next step involves even more power, considering the ZR1X already pairs a 5.5-liter twin-turbo LT7 V8 with an electric front motor for a staggering combined output of 1,250 horsepower and 0-60 mph times under two seconds. While top speed figures for the ZR1X haven’t been officially tested yet, Roma expects it to match or surpass the ZR1’s 233 mph rating.

The Green Hell Goal

But for Roma, and by extension Chevrolet, these numbers are more about image than real-world use. “So I think we are going to continue to make the car faster for those bragging rights, because our customers appreciate that. It’s the same with any performance car manufacturer – we push each other with Nürburgring lap times for that reason.”

To prove the point, Roma described the logistics behind the ZR1’s top speed run: renting Germany’s Papenburg high-speed test facility, flying in mechanics, and executing multiple days of testing. It’s expensive and impractical, but it matters. Roma’s comments also point toward Chevrolet’s renewed focus on Nürburgring lap times, particularly now that the Mustang GTD has claimed the title of fastest American production car around the legendary circuit, with an official 6:52 lap time.

A Playful American Rivalry

That record has clearly struck a nerve at GM. During the UK debut of the all-wheel-drive Corvette E-Ray at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ford’s Mustang GTD was positioned next door. In a moment of playful rivalry, the Ford team even revved their car during Chevy’s live presentation, a subtle reminder of the growing battle between American OEMs for global performance bragging rights. We think a future Zora could put Ford in their place.

Roma didn’t confirm whether the ZR1X is headed to the Nürburgring officially, but hinted that testing has already taken place. “We’ve done some testing, and all I can say is… stay tuned. We want to be the fastest American car – that’s an accolade we’d love to have. Again, it comes down to theory. None of our customers will go and run a sub-seven-minute lap time, but they want to know if they could.”

With a track-focused AWD hybrid supercar already in production and an engineering team hungry for more, it’s clear the C8 platform still has plenty left in the tank. Whether it’s faster lap times, bigger aero, or a limited-run hypercar, one thing is certain: GM isn’t done shocking the performance world just yet.