With 2023 pointing its nose to the finish line, it's time to take a look back at some of the most exciting models launched in the past twelve months. It has been an exciting year in terms of fun-to-drive cars that gave us plenty of new rides, including the phenomenal Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170.
Lamborghini has taken an important step into the future of electric machines with the hybridized Revuelto, which took on the role of the flagship supercar at the Sant'Agata Bolognese marque. And speaking of electrified rides that send exotic vibes, we cannot ignore the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. After all, it's the most advanced one yet and, believe it or not, the fastest of its kind.
The wraps came off its body at the beginning of the year, though by then, most enthusiasts with a soft spot for the C8 already knew that the bowtie brand was working on it. That said, its unveiling didn't take anyone by surprise, but the impressive performance did. It's a better daily driver compared to the base Stingray and the more track-focused Z06 and can put the latter in its corner, according to the official spec sheet.
Arguably one of the most important versions of the Corvette yet, the new E-Ray doesn't feature the Z06's flat-plane crank V8, which, by the way, was developed with Ferrari's indirect know-how. You can read more about that story here, and after you're done, you can come back to remind yourselves that it sticks to the LT2 from the entry-level car. It is a 6.2L V8 making an identical 495 hp (502 ps/369 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque, and it drives the rear wheels through a dual-clutch transmission with eight gears.
Photo: Chevrolet
Nothing out of the ordinary so far, but this model brings an electric motor. Fitted to the front axle, it's juiced up by a 1.9 kWh battery positioned beneath the center tunnel. It generates 160 hp (162 ps/120 kW) and 125 lb-ft (170 Nm) of torque, allowing the car to drive on zero emissions in front-wheel drive. This makes it the first-ever FWD Corvette, and with both motors up and running, it is also the first all-wheel drive one.
The 655 hp (664 ps/489 kW) combined allows it to rocket to 60 mph (97 kph) in just 2.5 seconds with launch control. Those keeping track of the performance know that the E-Ray is one-tenth faster than the Z06, whose 5.5L V8 pushes out 670 hp (680 ps/500 kW). The rev-happy LT6 powering the Z06 allows it to complete the quarter-mile sprint in just 10.6 seconds. As for the electrified variant, it is, again, one-tenth quicker, and that's an impressive achievement, given that it is slightly less powerful and heavier.
This performance is easily achievable in the real world, as Car&Driver managed to match Chevy's numbers a couple of months ago. The magazine claims that without the launch control feature, the 'Vette E-Ray can still hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. If you've driven a really fast car, you know that you can smoke some big names even without using the launch feature, especially in the wet, courtesy of the electrified all-wheel drive system.
Photo: Chevrolet
Unless you live very close to the office, you won't be able to cruise there on electric power alone. Chevrolet says the model's driving range in the all-quiet mode (Stealth) is three to four miles (5-6 km), and you will have to keep the car under 45 mph (72 kph). It tips the scales as 3,774 pounds (1,712 kg) dry, 340 lbs (154 kg) more than the Z06. The open-top flavor adds another 82 pounds (37 kg). Also, adding the battery pack and motor has reduced the cargo area by 0.2 cu-ft (2 liters).
If the specs haven't convinced you to buy a Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, then the pricing should. You see, this model can hold its ground against real exotic supercars that cost at least three times more money, and it does that with a starting price of a little over $100,000. The MSRP on it is $104,900, excluding destination, and realistically speaking, after factoring in everything, including those greedy dealer markups, you will have to cough out some $120,000 for your very own copy.
The high-revving version that trades the E-Ray suffix for the Z06 and can pull 1.22 lateral Gs is more expensive, as it kicks off at $112,700, again, without destination. But the true steal of the entire series is definitely the Stingray. Mind you, you likely won't be able to find a base example in dealer lots, but if you do, then you're looking at a car that stays low within the five-digit category. It has a $68,300 MSRP, boasts 495 hp (502 ps/369 kW) with the performance exhaust system or five hp (5 ps/4 kW) less without it, needs only 2.9 seconds to 60 mph (97 kph), and can top out at 194 mph (312 kph).
No one can argue with the fact that Chevrolet has turned the C8 generation Corvette into an icon by giving it a rear mid-engine construction and by making it extremely fast and very affordable. It certainly is worthy of its blue-collar supercar nickname, as it can roam with some of the fastest blue-blooded machines out there without any outside intervention (tuning). Thus, we absolutely love it, and if we were shopping for one, then we'd probably get the Z06. After all, who doesn't love a flat-plane crank V8 with an 8,600 rpm redline?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News