Last week, the all-new C8 Corvette Grand Sport and Grand Sport X were launched with a new 6.7-liter V8 engine, and although Chevy didn’t say so at the time, these new Corvettes are the beginning of the end for the C8 story. As noted by Motor1, a discussion with Corvette Chief Engineer Josh Holder on The Gas podcast confirmed that no more C8 models are planned, and as with previous Corvette generations, the return of the Grand Sport nameplate effectively marks the final chapter in the story for this generation of Corvette. Holder said that GM is “never completely done” improving and tweaking a car like the Corvette for each new model year, “but as far a model lineup, the Grand Sport is going to round out the eighth generation of Corvette for sure.”
Grand Sport’s Launch Hints at When C9 Corvette Will Arrive
Chevrolet
Holder added that a Grand Sport has usually arrived near the end of a Corvette generation’s lifecycle and said that we should “expect the same formula” for the C8 from the product planning department. This gives us a clue as to when the C9 might arrive, though Holder would not confirm when the car would debut, nor what it might be like. The C6 Grand Sport debuted in 2009 for the 2010 model year, and the C7 Corvette arrived in 2014; the C7 Grand Sport arrived in 2017, and the C8 Corvette in 2019 for the 2020 model year. Therefore, the C8 Grand Sport’s launch in 2026 means the C9 Corvette is likely to appear in 2030 or 2031.
Given the success of the mid-engine layout (in terms of performance, some still bemoan the loss of the front-engine Corvette), we expect the C9 to be similar to the C8, and we highly doubt it’ll go all-electric, despite what some official GM concepts have suggested. GM didn’t develop a new 6.7-liter V8 just to use it for a few years and then move on to something new. Sadly, while Holder said “we’re always working on the next Corvette,” nothing specific would be divulged. Given how quickly regulations can change in the U.S., and also how recently the latest Corvette was revealed, it’s no surprise that the engineer can’t commit to anything now.
Corvette Lineup Is Now Incredibly Diverse
Chevrolet
In announcing the Grand Sport, GM also confirmed that the new LS6 engine will be used in the base Stingray, too. Meanwhile, the Grand Sport adds some track-ready upgrades from the Z06, which has a 5.5-liter flat-plane crank LT6 V8. In between, the Grand Sport X replaces the hybrid E-Ray and provides all-wheel drive. At the top of the range are the ZR1 and ZR1X, which use a twin-turbocharged version of the Z06’s engine, called the LT7. From 535 horsepower in the base ‘Vette to 1,250 hp in the ZR1X, the C8 range now has plenty of variety. Will the C9 be just as diverse? Quite possibly, especially since all of the engines in these cars were new to the lineup.
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