Hybrid Supercar Brawl: Corvette E-Ray vs Ferrari 296 GTB vs McLaren Artura vs NSX Type S

We can't help but wonder what Zora Arkus-Duntov would have thought about it all. There's a good chance that he would have been excited about the idea if he was still around. After all, the mid-engine Corvette is no longer just a dream today. While purists may argue that a real 'Vette needs to be RWD-only, you can't dismiss the benefits of AWD. It's not like every sportscar owner out there has got the skills of a race car driver. Just think of it this way: even BMW has opted for AWD on its iconic M cars. As for the electrification part of things, you shouldn't forget that stubbornness isn't always a good thing.

Following Chevrolet's official announcement, we already had a look at how the new E-Ray stacks up against the Stingray. And we also compared it to the more performance-focused Z06. So felt it would be interesting to have a look at some of its rivals too. After all, if you're going to buy a new car, it's best to gather all the information you need before making a decision. As we've seen with previous Corvette models, one of its key selling points is its price tag. Sure, the E-Ray is not quite affordable, but it sure punches above its weight when it comes to taking on the competition.

The Rivals

For today's comparison, we've selected three rivals that have similar characteristics to the new Corvette E-Ray. The first one is the Acura NSX Type S, a limited edition machine that has been around since 2021. It's not 100% certain if this nameplate will be revived in the future, which would be a shame given its iconic status. But even if does come back, it's probably not going to have an internal combustion engine anymore.

The second contender is the Mclaren Artura, which has replaced the somewhat outdated 570S. We're seeing more and more Arturas on public roads these days, and you could say that we're now officially in supercar territory. Last but not least, we'll also be comparing the E-Ray to the Ferrari 296 GTB. Doesn't that sound like a typical case of David versus Goliath to you?

Pricing

First things first, let's talk about pricing. As you would expect, the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is the most affordable car here. MSRP for the 1LZ coupe is set at $104,295, while the 1LZ convertible is slightly more expensive at $111,295. Of course, that's all before tax, and one can only hope that dealers won't get greedy with this as we've seen before. The Acura NSX Type S will require a bigger budget than that, regardless of how you go about buying it. While Acura stated MSRP was set at $169,500 when opening the order book, you might struggle to find one of these cars in a dealership today.

Given the exclusivity of the model, some people are trying to make a profit by asking as much as $300,000 for one. And there you were, thinking that a Nismo GT-R is kind of overpriced. All of a sudden, the Mclaren Artura doesn't sound all that expensive with a starting price of around $240,000. But we all knew who was going to top the charts in this category from the start. The Ferrari 296 GTB will set you back at least $320,000, and you'll probably need to come up with at least $20,000 more for the GTS version. That budget would allow you to buy both the Corvette E-Ray and the Z06. And there would still be enough left for gas, a brand new sports bike, and an additional family vehicle.

Performance

Of course, there's more to a car than just its price tag. Given the nature of these four vehicles, performance figures will have a big impact on the final decision. All four cars make use of a hybrid powertrain, combining the best of both worlds. And all of them also have automatic gearboxes to work with, which has pretty much become standard these days. And there's one more rather obvious similarity to consider: the engine is mounted behind the driver on all four of them. But let's zoom in and learn about some of the differences instead.

The Corvette E-Ray is the only car here with a V8, while the Acura, Mclaren, and Ferrari all have twin-turbo V6 internal combustion engines instead. We'll get to the electric components in a minute, but first, let's have a look at the combined performance figures of these vehicles. It comes as no surprise that the Ferrari 296 GTB tops the charts with 818 hp (830 PS). The Mclaren is second overall with 671 hp (680 PS), while the Corvette is third with 655 hp (664 PS). The Acura NSX Type S is at the bottom of the list with just 600 hp (609 PS). When it comes to torque figures, we need to make a small adjustment to those rankings.

Depending on how you choose to look at the official specs of the 296 GTB, this is no longer the top dog here. With an output of 546 lb-ft (740 Nm), it's only second overall, as the E-Ray has a combined torque figure of 595 lb-ft (806 Nm). The Artura comes in third overall with 531 lb-ft (720 Nm), while the NSX Type S is once against last with 492 lb-ft (667 Nm). The Chevrolet and the Acura have the benefit of AWD, whereas their opponents can only rely on the rear wheels to get moving. While that may technically provide a traction advantage, it also means that they're heavier by comparison.

The NSX Type S clocks in at 3,903 lbs (1,770 kg) even when fitted with the lightweight package, while the E-Ray coupe only has to deal with 3,774 lbs (1,712 kg). Ferrari states that the dry weight of the 296 GTB is 3,240 lbs (1,470 kg), which means that curb weight could go up to about 3,400 lbs (1,542 kg). So the Mclaren Artura wins this round, as its official stats have it sitting at 3,303 lbs (1,498 kg). But let's have a look at how these pieces of information translate to the road. These days most manufacturers will provide acceleration figures that are based on ideal conditions, and often reliant on initial vehicle movement.

Until we get the chance to test all four of these side by side, we'll have to settle for official stats for the time being. For the second time today, the Corvette E-Ray seems to be on top of the situation with a declared 0-60 mph (96 kph) time of just 2.5 seconds. Both the Ferrari and the Acura should be capable to get up to speed in less than three seconds, and there's even a chance that the NSX Type S might be slightly faster given the traction advantage. Meanwhile, the Artura has to settle for last as it requires a full three seconds to reach that target. Of course, this list can look completely different depending on who's driving the car, so let's dig deeper and see how things evolve beyond this point.

If all four cars would line up for a quarter-mile (402 meters) drag race, there's a good chance that the Ferrari 296 GTB would emerge victoriously as it's the only one capable of achieving a sub-10-second run. The E-Ray feels like a safe bet for P2, as it should cross the finish line in about 10.5 seconds. Sure, the Artura would likely be only inches behind, or it may even be a photo finish. But once again, the NSX Type S would be the slowest car as several tests have revealed it needs around 11 seconds to go the full distance. If you need one more point of reference, let's talk about top speed.

In theory, both the Mclaren and Ferrari will go faster than 200 mph (321 kph). With more power on tap, we'd expect the 296 GTB to ultimately leave the Artura behind, but we'd much rather perform the test and come back with concrete evidence. it doesn't look good for the E-Ray in this test, as it could only reportedly hit 180 mph (290 kph) when pushed to the limit. Meanwhile, the NSX Type S could go as fast as 191 mph (307 kph). But unless you live near the Autobahn in Germany, or if you're a regular at the race track, talking about a vehicle's top speed might be somewhat irrelevant.

In the new world that's emerging in front of our eyes, the focus has shifted to a more environmentally-friendly approach. That being said, you don't get plug-in capabilities with the Chevrolet or the Acura, whereas the other two competitors will deliver on that promise. All four cars can run on electric power alone, but the NSX Type S can only do so for about a mile or less. The E-Ray might bump those numbers up to three or four miles, but your top speed will of course be limited. Based on the most optimistic estimates, the Artura will take you the farthest while being almost completely silent. If you're careful with your throttle input, you might get it up to 19 miles (31 km) which is a bit more than the Ferrari can do (16 miles/25 km).

Looks

Let's talk about looks for a second before concluding. We all know that buying a car is more complicated than just looking at a bunch of numbers. Some people will tell you that this is a purely emotionally-driven process for them, and the way a car looks can heavily influence the result. Of course, this topic is subjective to say the least, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But if you want our opinion, here's how we feel about these four machines. The NSX Type S already feels a bit outdated, and the Acura badge isn't going to bring any bonus points here.

With that in mind, it takes P4 in our "beauty contest" today. And now we're faced with an incredibly tough call. We are tempted to hand over the crown to the Corvette E-Ray, as that aggressive look makes it feel like it means business. But then again it's not maybe as refined as its European opponents. You'd think that the Mclaren and the Ferrari are related, but overall we all know which one of the two is going to have people pulling their phones out to take a picture.

Conclusion

Everything is relative in this world. If you can't afford to spend more than $150,000 on a new car, then the Corvette E-Ray is the only vehicle on this list that will meet your needs. If budget is not an issue, well there's everything else to consider. While the E-Ray and the NSX Type S will be quiet enough to get you out of the underground parking lot or neighborhood, that's about as far as they'll run on electric power alone. And that might be a problem if cities start imposing that kind of a limit downtown shortly.

Getting the Ferrari might be the ultimate flex, and it will also probably provide the most exhilarating experience. And if you can restrain yourself from driving it too often, its value will probably increase in time. But then again you can't overlook the great value for money that the Corvette E-Ray brings to the table. This is the kind of car that you'll be able to take out regardless if it's snowing where you live. At the end of the day, we would still recommend that you test-drive all four of them before deciding on the matter.