What the 2015 Corvette ZR1 could look like

Buyers are lining up to put the new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette in their garages, but we're already looking ahead to the hopped-up versions Chevrolet is likely to unveil down the road. There will be a new Z06, of course, but we're talking about the Stingray version of the beastly, supercharged Corvette ZR1.

Thanks to a pair of renderings, we can imagine what the new ZR1, which will likely be a 2015 or 2016 model year vehicle, might look like. In the renderings, carbon fiber appears all over the car, from the front diffuser to the spoiler to the mirrors. As with the current C6-based ZR1, hood bulge gets a bit bulgier -- a look that emulates a cowl-induction hood.

But buyers likely won't be seeking a radically different exterior: It's what's under the hood that will matter most. The outgoing C6-based Corvette ZR1 makes 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged V8, and we expect the C7 ZR1 to top that -- which means boosting the base 6.2-liter LT1 engine's 450 hp substantially, perhaps to more than 700 hp. While precedent favors supercharging here, we've been told that twin turbochargers are a possibility.

Larger wheels and wider tires and a track-tuned suspension will keep it glued to the tarmac, and carbon ceramic brakes make sure it all stops safely.

That performance will undoubtedly come at a price: C6 buyers have to shell out at least $112,600 to step up to forced induction, and we expect the C7 ZR1 to command a similar premium when it comes to market -- whenever that will be.

By Graham Kozak