Among Chevrolet Corvettes, the Grand Sport has long been the sweet spot in the lineup. Though the nameplate debuted back in 1963 on a purebred racer, it was the C4-generation GS (and later the C6 and C7 versions) that cemented the production Grand Sport as a middleweight brawler, pairing the standard Vette's small-block V-8 with the wider stance and upgraded chassis bits of the fiercer Z06 and ZR-1/ZR1 models. That formula continues with the 2027 Grand Sport, albeit with more potency, thanks to the adoption of the latest Stingray's new 6.7-liter V-8.
Go Big or Go Home
Dubbed LS6 in homage to GM's 7.4-liter big-block of the early 1970s and the 5.7-liter V-8 that powered the C5 Corvette Z06, this new sixth-gen small-block's 409 cubic inches churns out a meaty 535 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 520 pound-feet of torque at 4600 rpm. Compared with the hottest tune of the 10Best-winning Stingray's outgoing 6.2-liter LT2 mill, those are increases of 40 horses and 50 pound-feet, with both peaks arriving lower in the rev range. Credit in part goes 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 rating.
However, there is a new active center-exit exhaust option ($1995), whose four bazooka pipes help the new engine belt out an old-school American-muscle ballad. It's worth every penny. Thumb the ignition button, and 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. Yet while deeper- and meaner-sounding than last year's Stingray, this active setup doesn't force you to make a scene. Four volume modes (Stealth, Tour, Sport, and Track) let you tailor the tone from eerily muffled to uncorked raucous, with the throaty roar of Sport hitting all the right notes without emitting excessive droning while cruising.
The naturally aspirated LS6 barks to attention with instant throttle response, moving the Grand Sport off the line with prodigious low-end torque but with enough high-rpm airflow to keep the thrust building all the way to redline. The time-warping acceleration of the twin-turbo ZR1 and ZR1X hybrid may capture our fascination, but the GS is in no way slow. With the C8's eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, plus a shorter 5.56:1 final-drive ratio borrowed from the Z06, we're expecting 60 mph to arrive in around 2.7 seconds when we get one to the test track, with the quarter-mile passing in about 11.0 flat.
Both of those estimates are a tenth or two quicker than the best times we've recorded for a LT2-equipped Stingray and are not far off those of the 670-hp Z06, which can hit 60 in 2.6 seconds and runs the quarter in 10.5 ticks. We've yet to drive the also-new 721-hp Grand Sport X, which takes the place of the outgoing E-Ray model. But for those seeking even more go while retaining the LS6's burly soundtrack, its all-wheel-drive hybrid setup should do the trick.
Balance of Performance
Thing is, the C8 Corvette's platform can log 1.10-plus g's around the skidpad and stop from 70 mph in just 135-or-so feet with more than double the LS6's output. Which means there's more than enough grip and control to extract all that this new small-block has to give. Essentially a less powerful Z06, the Grand Sport is every bit as exploitable as you'd expect, with laser-focused steering, strong brakes, and sophisticated chassis electronics helping its driver build serious speed with confidence. Like its more-endowed siblings, the GS gets standard magnetorheological adaptive dampers that provide both excellent wheel control and impressive bump compliance. And its similarly 3.6-inch broader body covers massive 20-inch front and 21-inch tires, sized 275/30ZR-20 and 345/25ZR-21, respectively.
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.
Given the flat-plane-crank buzz of the Z06, the GS's beefy engine note is its greatest tell. But you can also identify it by the Grand Sport badges on its flanks and the twin hash marks atop its quarter-panels. GS-specific 10-spoke forged-aluminum wheels also can be had, while cars fitted with the $1995 Launch Edition package like our convertible example get an all-blue interior with red contrast stitching, embossed headrests, and unique badges on the steering wheel and between the seats.
At $88,495 to start ($95,495 for the convertible), the Grand Sport commands 15 grand more than a comparable Stingray, yet it undercuts the Z06 by more than double that. That its 17-mpg EPA combined estimate is 1 mpg lower than its lesser sibling's is of little consequence. Same goes for the GS's 186-mph claimed top speed, which is well below the slipperier base car's 200-mph potential. Stick with the Stingray and pocket the savings if the latest small-block V-8 is all you're really after. But the LS6, plus the Grand Sport's added kit, is one sweet pairing we can't resist.
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Specifications
Specifications
2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door targa or convertible
PRICE
Base: 1LT Coupe, $88,495; 1LT Convertible, $95,495; 2LT Coupe, $95,595; 3LT Coupe, $100,245; 2LT Convertible, $102,595; 3LT Convertible, $107,245
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
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.2 in
Length: 184.6–185.9 in
Width: 79.7 in
Height: 48.6 in
Passenger Volume: 51 ft3
Cargo Volume: 13 ft3
Curb Weight (C/D est): 3700–3800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 2.7–2.8 sec
100 mph: 7.0–7.1 sec
1/4-Mile: 10.9–11.0 sec
Top Speed: 180–186 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/15/23 mpg
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.
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