Chevy Corvette Z06 will be GM's most powerful car ever

Just when General Motors had us all convinced that the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 had 625 horsepower, now it turns out it's going to have more.

While the world was distracted by GM's ignition-switch troubles Thursday, the automaker disclosed that the 2015 Z06 will become its most powerful production car ever. Horsepower is now officially rated at 650. Plus, Z06's supercharged V-8 is about the same size as one in the current standard Corvette. At two major auto shows earlier this year in Detroit and New York, Chevrolet was leading all to believe that Corvette's horsepower would fall at about 625.

"LT4 Small Block (engine) sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM," says Steve Kiefer, GM's vice president for powertrain engineering, in a statement. "The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America."

The Z06 is so powerful that it has emboldened GM to make comparisons to cars such as Ferrari. Ferrari's F12 Berlinetta has a V-12 engine, yet it has 28% less torque than the V-8-powered Corvette Z06, according to Chevrolet.