Hansen
Remember the Geneva International Motor Show earlier this year? That show was undoubtedly one of the most memorable in recent years as all the big names had big reveals. The snorting Bugatti Chiron, The Lamborghiniest of all Lamborghini’s The Centenario, The strange looking Aston Martin DB11, and the manliest Porsche the 911 R. Even the small guys had impressive reveals like the shockingly gorgeous Apollo Arrow that has yet to stop turning heads. When General Motors dropped the bombshell that is the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, we all looked away from the European supercars to pay attention to the middle child Corvette.
The Grand Sport has always sat between the base Corvette and the venerable Z06 Corvette. For the 2017 version the Grand Sport is no different and has been fitted with just enough Z06 bits without encroaching on the certified supercar’s territory. According to Chevrolet it comes with:
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires: 285/30ZR19 (front) and 335/25ZR20 (rear)
- Brembo brake system with (355 mm) 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers in front and (340 mm) 13.4 inch rotors and four-piston calipers in the rear
- Standard magnetic ride control, specific stabilizer bars and unique springs
- Standard electronic limited-slip differential
- LT1 V8 engine rated at (343 kW) 460 hp, with dry-sump oiling system and active exhaust
- Seven-speed manual transmission with active rev match and available eight-speed paddle-shift automatic with specific performance calibration
- Available Z07 package adds carbon ceramic-matrix brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Cup tires
Now Chevrolet has officially announced the pricing for 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, and to no one’s surprise, the middle-born Corvette has a middle of the road pricing of $66,445 for the Coupe and $70,445 for the Convertible. In fact, those prices are roughly an average of the starting price of the standard Stingray and the base Z06. The new Grand Sport is basically worth the price of two new cars since the average price of a new car is now $33,500.
With this pricing, the Grand Sport is essentially made for someone who wants a more track focused C7 Corvette, but may not have the dough to run a Z06. It’s basically like the Cayman offering for those not able to afford the Porsche 911. The Grand Sport might actually be a better buy as it won’t come equipped with a certain death wish provided by the Z06’s supercharger.
As for looks, the Grand Sport doesn’t exactly lie in the middle between the Stingray and the Z06, rather it looks just as aggressive as the latter. The extra pieces of plastic and minuscule stripes polish the Grand Sport into looking like track dedicated machine. Just slap on some numbers and stickers and it looks like it belongs on the grid. The standard Stingray looks rather vanilla compared to its two more agile brothers.
In addition to the track-focused chassis and suspension components, the Grand Sport features unique exterior elements, including specific front fender inserts and Z06-style grille, as well as wider fenders and rear quarter panels to accommodate a wider track.
We feel the Grand Sport is an excellent buy for the money. The supercharger is sorely missed here but you’re already operating with the Stingray’s 460 horses from the 6.2 liter V8 naturally aspirated engine. Additional power to the ground may just result in excess burnt rubber or bent metal in the hands of an inexperienced driver. Meanwhile, the healthy handling bump from the Z06 hardware will help drivers shave significant time off at the track, making the limits more safely approachable.
It’s not bad being the middle child after all. You don’t get the pressure of setting the standard, and you won’t get left behind for all the fun adult activities. You’d think the middle child gets left alone and gets no attention, but in the Grand Sports case, it’s the perfect Corvette to completely stun everyone in the field.
(Source: Chevrolet)
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