The phrase “Grand Sport” has been a part of Corvette history since the model’s second generation in the early 1960s, when Chevy brought five purpose-built race cars bearing the name to Sebring. Chevy chose that same venue to give a sneak peek of its newest iteration of the Grand Sport last weekend. Today, the most powerful version of the new Grand Sport makes its official debut, complete with a new engine and some truly impressive specs.
The 2027 Grand Sport lineup arrives with a new V-8 engine. With some modern technology, that helps an all-wheel-drive version of the new Grand Sport achieve 721 horsepower.
Built Around A New V-8
Both Grand Sport models — the rear-wheel-drive Grand Sport and the eAWD Grand Sport X — are built around this new engine. The naturally aspirated LS6 6.7-liter V-8 — that’s 409 cubic inches for those keeping track, which you might remember from Chevy history as well as the Beach Boys song it inspired — also becomes the standard engine in the 2027 Stingray. At 535 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque, it’s the most powerful standard Corvette engine ever offered.
This engine kicks off a new generation of Small Block V8s, with the architecture eventually filtering into other V-8-powered models in the Chevy lineup. But even more impressive is the Grand Sport X, which adds a front-axle electric motor and battery pack from the mold-breaking (and record-breaking) Corvette ZR1X, for a total of 721 horsepower.
This engine also returns V-8 production to Flint, Michigan, where the first Corvette V-8s were built in 1955. It’s the kind of detail that should land with the GM faithful, as should Chevy’s revival of the Admiral Blue Metallic paint option from the C4 generation.
Two Versions With Distinct Personalities
The standard Grand Sport is somewhat of a purist’s car: rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated, with enough options to go from comfortable grand tourer to track-day weapon. It comes standard with Magnetic Ride Control, a Touring Suspension, and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 4 all-season tires. A Z52 Sport Performance Package adds Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, along with the Z06’s high-performance J56 iron brakes and stiffer suspension tuning. The top Track Performance Package adds track-focused tuning, carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires, and carbon-fiber exterior aero bits.
The Grand Sport X adds the electric motor and pushes the formula into different territory. Like the ZR1X from which it borrows its hybrid power, the Grand Sport X offers track-specific power management modes: Endurance, Qualifying, and Push-to-Pass, plus a Stealth mode that lets the car run on electric power alone up to 50 miles per hour (a Corvette that can sneak out of the garage quietly is an idea we’re still getting used to, but one the neighbors should appreciate). Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 tires are standard, while a Performance Package upgrades those to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber.
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The Name Carries Weight
Grand Sport isn’t a mere marketing invention. The original C2 Grand Sports are among the most valuable Corvettes ever made. Grand Sport models have also appeared in the C4, C6, and C7 generations, each time representing a sweet spot between everyday usability and true performance intent. Reviving it here, on the first mid-engine Grand Sport, with the most powerful engine the name has ever worn, is a statement about what the accessible Corvette should be in the model’s eighth generation.
Chevy will introduce the C8 Grand Sport with an available Launch Edition, which boasts an interior awash in Santorini Blue, unique 10-spoke forged aluminum wheels, and special badging to further set it apart. Production begins this summer at Bowling Green. Pricing hasn’t yet been announced.
Source: Chevrolet