Initially rumored to arrive a couple of years after the base C8 Corvette, the Zora is reportedly due to break cover in 2025. The range-topping Zora will follow new-generation models of the Z06, Grand Sport, and ZR1. The original plan was to introduce them starting with the 2022 model year, but the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted GM to shut down its factories, will probably cause one-year delays for every model.

The Corvette Zora is coming, and it will be hybrid

The document says that the Z06 was supposed to arrive for the 2022 model year with a 5.5-liter V-8 engine rated at 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. For 2023, Chevy had planned a Grand Sport model powered by the same 6.2-liter V-8 engine as the base Corvette but paired to an electric motor. This model will deliver around 600 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of twist.

Next up, a new ZR1 model powered by a new LT7, 5.5-liter V-8 engine, is scheduled to break cover for the 2024 model year. This twin-turbo mill will generate 850 horsepower and 825 pound-feet of torque in the most potent iteration of the ZR1. But Chevy isn't stopping here. This version will pair the 5.5-liter V-8 in the ZR1 to one or two electric motors for a total output of 1,000 horsepower and 975 pound-feet of twist.

Chevy C8 Corvette Timeline

Production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic

The Bowling Green factory will remain closed for a while, and this means that the roll-out of new Corvette models will be delayed. The Stingray Convertible, for instance, will not have a 2021 model year. This means that all upcoming versions of the C8 Corvette could see similar delays. If this happens, expect the Z06 to arrive for the 2023 model year and the Grand Sport for the 2024 model year. Likewise, the ZR1 could be delayed from 2024 to the 2025 model year. The Zora could also be pushed back to 2026, meaning it won't be unveiled until 2025.

On the other hand, automakers will look for ways to rebound faster after the quarantine is over by increasing production and adding shifts at their factories. If Bowling Green provides sufficient capacity, we could actually see the Zora launched for the 2025 model year.