Photo: LSXtv
Unveiled more than a year ago, the redesigned 2014 Corvette Stingray has already spawned two variations. We’re talking about the extreme 2015 Z06 and the 2014 C7.R race car, both of which were introduced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
Corvette enthusiasts are also waiting for Chevy to build a brand new ZR1, but it appears something above the Z06 is currently out of the question. Why? GM says it’s very simple: a ZR1 would require significant investment for little performance gains over the 2015 Z06, which will generate 620+ horsepower.
However, Chevy’s unwillingness to roll out a new ZR1 (at least for now) doesn’t mean that seventh-generation Corvette lineup will be limited to only the Stingray/Convertible and the Z06. A fresh rumor that surfaced the Internet earlier this week suggests that GM could be reviving the Grand Sport nameplate.
It all started from a camouflaged, instrumented C7 Corvette that was spotted by LSXTV reader Michael Morris just outside Oklahoma City. He says he was hoping it was a Z06, but on close inspection he realized that the car’s “body work looked too narrow to be that.”
The prototype is fitted with the same round LED taillights previously seen on Corvette mules, but the interesting part is that it’s heavily instrumented, carrying data logging equipment and a deep-cycle battery in the trunk.
The C7 is obviously wearing a Z06 front bumper, but the wheels are sourced from a regular Stingray. The track is also narrower, which means we’re dealing with one weird Corvette prototype. Word has it this could be the new Grand Sport, but details are extremely limited at the moment, with very little room for speculation.
The previous Corvette Grand Sport was introduced in 2010 to replace the Z51. It was offered until 2013, when its 6.2-liter V8 engine delivered 430 hp and 424 pound-feet of torque. Should Chevy insert something between the regular Stingray and the Z06 or just focus on developing a beastly, next-generation ZR1?
However, Chevy’s unwillingness to roll out a new ZR1 (at least for now) doesn’t mean that seventh-generation Corvette lineup will be limited to only the Stingray/Convertible and the Z06. A fresh rumor that surfaced the Internet earlier this week suggests that GM could be reviving the Grand Sport nameplate.
It all started from a camouflaged, instrumented C7 Corvette that was spotted by LSXTV reader Michael Morris just outside Oklahoma City. He says he was hoping it was a Z06, but on close inspection he realized that the car’s “body work looked too narrow to be that.”
The prototype is fitted with the same round LED taillights previously seen on Corvette mules, but the interesting part is that it’s heavily instrumented, carrying data logging equipment and a deep-cycle battery in the trunk.
The C7 is obviously wearing a Z06 front bumper, but the wheels are sourced from a regular Stingray. The track is also narrower, which means we’re dealing with one weird Corvette prototype. Word has it this could be the new Grand Sport, but details are extremely limited at the moment, with very little room for speculation.
The previous Corvette Grand Sport was introduced in 2010 to replace the Z51. It was offered until 2013, when its 6.2-liter V8 engine delivered 430 hp and 424 pound-feet of torque. Should Chevy insert something between the regular Stingray and the Z06 or just focus on developing a beastly, next-generation ZR1?
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