Middleweight Brawler: We Test the 2027 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport
The Grand Sport has long been the sweet spot in the Corvette lineup, pairing the regular Vette’s potent small-block V-8 with the broader stance and upgraded chassis of the fiercer Z06 and ZR1 models. The 2027 G...
The Grand Sport has long been the sweet spot in the Corvette lineup, pairing the regular Vette’s potent small-block V-8 with the broader stance and upgraded chassis of the fiercer Z06 and ZR1 models. The 2027 Grand Sport continues that trend, yet it’s more compelling than ever, thanks to the introduction of General Motors’ 6.7-liter engine.
Dubbed LS6 in homage to GM’s 7.4-liter big-block of the early 1970s and the 5.7-liter V-8 in the C5-generation Corvette Z06, this new small-block makes a meaty 535 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 520 pound-feet of torque at 4600 rpm. Compared with the hottest tune of the Stingray’s outgoing 6.2-liter LT2, those are increases of 40 horses and 50 pound-feet, with both peaks arriving lower in the rev range. Credit goes in part to a lofty 13.0:1 compression ratio, the highest ever in a Corvette, up from its predecessor’s 11.5:1. A 6500-rpm redline carries over, but the previous power-boosting performance exhaust option is gone, meaning all LS6s have the same output.
However, there is a new active center-exit exhaust option. Its four bazooka pipes help the new engine belt out an old-school American-muscle ballad. Unlike the flat-plane-crank buzz of the current Z06, the LS6 erupts from behind your head with a thunderous growl before settling into what may be the lumpiest small-block idle we’ve heard since the 7.0-liter C6 Z06. Four volume modes (Stealth, Tour, Sport, and Track) let you tailor the tone from eerily muffled to uncorked raucousness. The throaty roar of Sport hits all the right notes without emitting excessive droning while cruising—which is important given the tiring 78 decibels (41 sones) our sound meter picked up at 70 mph with the car in Tour mode.
The LS6 barks to attention with instant throttle response. Its prodigious low-end torque combined with the Grand Sport’s short 5.56:1 effective final-drive ratio punts the car off the line, yet the engine retains enough high-rpm airflow to keep the thrust building to redline. We saw 60 mph arrive in a launch-control-assisted 2.7 seconds, putting the Grand Sport a tenth of a second ahead of the quickest LT2-equipped Stingray we’ve tested and a similar amount behind the 670-hp Z06. The latter model’s power advantage shows up more over the quarter-mile, where it betters the Grand Sport’s 11.0-second, 123-mph pass by a half-second and 9 mph. But if you want more go while retaining the LS6’s burly vocals, the 721-hp hybrid setup of the all-wheel-drive Grand Sport X lets it hit 60 mph in 2.3 seconds (see “Stuck in the Middle With You,” below).
Away from the drag strip, the Grand Sport is just as exploitable as its more endowed siblings. Think laser-focused steering, tireless brakes, and sophisticated chassis electronics that help its driver build serious speed with confidence. Our test car logged a huge 1.18 g’s around the skidpad, the best we’ve seen from a C8 Vette, and it stopped from 70 mph in a solid 144 feet. Standard magnetorheological adaptive dampers provide excellent wheel control and impressive bump compliance. The Grand Sport’s body is 3.6 inches wider than the Stingray’s and covers massive 20-inch front and 21-inch rear tires, sized 275/30ZR-20 and 345/25ZR-21. And the 2027 Corvette’s revised burnout function makes it easier to vaporize those rear shoes. Just select Sport or Track mode, apply moderate brake pressure, and pull both steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. Briefly release, then reapply the left paddle, mash the throttle, and release both paddles and the brake.
HIGHS: Chest-thumping V-8 soundtrack, nearly as quick as a Z06 to 60 mph, neck-wrenching road adhesion.
Wading through an options list that would make a Porsche 911 blush, we’d skip the standard all-season-tire setup for the $3500 Z52 Sport Performance package with its firmer suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer rubber, Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, and Z06-spec brakes with iron rotors. Our test example went further with the $20,695 Z52 Track Performance package, which brings even stiffer suspension tuning, PTM, and stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires. Also included in that bundle, but available separately as well, are the center-exit exhaust ($1995), carbon-ceramic brakes ($6000 alongside the Z52 Sport Performance package), and the Carbon Fiber Aero package ($8995 in addition to the required carbon-ceramic brakes), which adds a Z06-like rear wing, front dive planes, and lower-body ground effects. The iconic Grand Sport fender hash marks, which Chevy has relocated from the front to the rear on the mid-engine C8, cost $995 extra.
LOWS: You may want earplugs on the highway, optional equipment can erode its value.
Wading through a plethora of options that would make a Porsche 911 blush, we'd skip the standard all-season-tire setup and go straight for the $3500 Z52 Sport Performance package with its stiffer suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, and upgraded Z06-spec brakes with cast-iron rotors. Beyond that is the $20,695 Z52 Track Performance package, which brings model-specific suspension tuning, PTM, and stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. Also included in that bundle but available separately are the center-exit exhaust, carbon-ceramic brakes ($6000), and the Carbon Fiber Aero package ($8995) that adds a Z06-like rear wing, front dive planes, and lower-body ground effects. Carbon-fiber wheels can be added for a mere $11,995 to $15,500.
Carbon-fiber wheels and cosmetic upgrades swelled our test car’s final ask to $142,380, but the Grand Sport’s value lies closer to its $88,495 base price ($95,495 for the convertible). That’s 15 grand more than a comparable Stingray, yet it undercuts the Z06 by more than double that amount. The non-Z52’s 186-mph claimed top speed, well below the slipperier base car’s 200-mph potential, is of little consequence. As is its 17-mpg EPA combined estimate, which is 1 mpg lower than its lesser sibling’s. Stick with the Stingray if the latest small-block V-8 is all you’re chasing. But the pairing of the LS6 with the Grand Sport’s goodies kit is a killer combo we can’t resist.
VERDICT: Once again putting the grand in Grand Sport.
Stuck in the Middle with You
How the Grand Sport fits in an ever-growing Corvette lineup.
You landed on a Corvette Grand Sport, but where does it fit in the larger landscape? You could have picked up a legit 200-mph Stingray with the same LS6 engine for just $73,495, though you’d have to take all-season tires, a softer suspension, lesser brakes, and the top-speed-friendly 4.89:1 final-drive ratio to get it. The base Vette also has the narrower, low-drag body that all Stingrays possess.
What if you want more pizazz but don’t much care about top speed? The Z51 Stingray is for you. It has Michelin Pilot Sport S5 summer tires, performance brakes, a stiffer suspension, enhanced cooling, some functional aero gewgaws, and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential with snappier 5.56:1 gearing. It can be yours for as little as $78,890, though you can bump that to $80,785 by adding adaptive magnetorheological dampers and Performance Traction Management. The Stingray matches the Grand Sport’s 60-mph and quarter-mile times exactly, 2.7 and 11.0, respectively.
If your budget allows, step up to the Grand Sport X, which is quite effective at turning money into horsepower. The wide-body Grand Sport X adds the ZR1X’s electrified front axle, which brings all-wheel drive and 186 more horsepower (for a total of 721). It cooks 60 mph in 2.3 seconds and a quarter-mile in 10.3 seconds at 131 mph. To keep curb weight in check, the Grand Sport X also wears a set of high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes. You get your choice of all-season rubber and soft suspension for $112,195 or Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires and firmer springs for just $500 more. Curiously, ultrasticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2Rs are missing from the X’s options list. —Dan Edmunds
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Specifications
Specifications
2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Coupe
Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $88,495/$142,380
Options: Z52 Track Performance package (carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R track-oriented tires, Performance Traction Management, center-exit exhaust, Carbon Aero package), $20,695; 5-spoke Carbon Flash–painted carbon-fiber wheels, $11,995; 3LT package (14-speaker Bose premium audio system, heated and ventilated GT2 performance seats with premium leather upholstery, Performance Data Recorder, rear-cross-traffic alert with blind-zone detection, head-up display, leather-wrapped instrument and door panels, microfiber upper interior trim), $11,750; Coupe Engine Appearance package, $1895; carbon-fiber interior trim, $1795; Arctic White Grand Sport Heritage center stripe, $1295; Carbon Flash Grand Sport Heritage hash marks, $995; Bright Red–painted brake calipers, $795; microfiber-wrapped steering wheel, $695; Stealth Interior Trim package with darkened aluminum trim, $695; Competition Sport seats, $595; engine cover in Edge Red, $595; Torch Red seat belts, $595; Adrenaline Red leather stitching, $495; carbon-fiber wheel discount, –$1000
ENGINE
Pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 409 in3, 6698 cm3
Power: 535 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque: 520 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/control arms
Brakes, F/R: 15.7-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/15.4-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
F: 275/30ZR-20 (97Y) TPC Spec 3124 ZP
R: 345/25ZR-21 (104Y) TPC Spec 4033 ZP
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.2 in
Length: 185.9 in
Width: 79.7 in
Height: 48.6 in
Passenger Volume: 51 ft3
Cargo Volume: 13 ft3
Curb Weight: 3688 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.7 sec
100 mph: 6.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.0 sec @ 123 mph
130 mph: 12.4 sec
150 mph: 19.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.9 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.3 sec
Top Speed (C/D est): 180 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 144 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 286 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.18 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 54 dBA/7 sone
Full Throttle: 96 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 78 dBA/41 sone
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/15/23 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Mike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver's reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. A native Michigander from suburban Detroit, he enjoys the outdoors and complaining about the weather, has an affection for off-road vehicles, and believes in federal protection for naturally aspirated engines.