New Engine, Same Heritage: 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, Grand Sport X Up Close

What Car Shoppers Need to Know

• The 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport launches with a new 6.7-liter V-8 that’s also standard for the 2027 Corvette Stingray.
• It’s available in standard rear-wheel-drive Grand Sport or all-wheel-drive hybrid Grand Sport X configurations.
• Both Grand Sport and Grand Sport X versions are offered as a coupe or convertible.

Never expect a new Grand Sport to arrive early. Much like a greatest hits album, the source material must precede a compilation; “You don’t come out with a Grand Sport until you’ve sold everyone their Z06,” joked one of the many Corvette engineers on hand at the debut of the new 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport.

Still, it took a beat longer for the C8 Grand Sport to arrive than prior generations, marking seven model years against the C6 and C7 Grand Sports’ matching three-year gestation. But consider just how much ground the C8 covered in these seven years: new mid-engine architecture, a dual-clutch transmission, and variants available with a flat-plane crankshaft, twin-turbos, a hybrid drivetrain and AWD. Historically, this kind of holistic reinvention usually covers two — sometimes three — generations of car. The C6 and C7 established the modern Grand Sport formula, but with this much source material to pull from, how far do you go?

Related: 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X: An Electrified Track Monster

All the way, apparently. Like past Grand Sports, the 2027 version carries the Stingray’s standard engine — only, it’s a new base engine. And if its 535 horsepower ain’t enough, the Grand Sport X adds hybridization and AWD to the mix for a mighty 721 hp combined. Oh, and both Grand Sports are immediately offered in both coupe and convertible configurations.

What Is the New Standard Corvette Engine?

• Takeaway: The new 6.7-liter LS6 V-8 replaces the 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 as the base engine for the 2027 model year and beyond.

From model-year 2027 and beyond, the Stingray, Grand Sport and Grand Sport X thunder with a new 6.7-liter V-8 that Chevy positions as “the next generation of [Chevrolet] small block.” So, forget the flat-plane architecture of the Z06 and ZR1 — this continues the characteristic cam-in-block pushrod layout we’ve known and very much loved since 1955. Similarities end at the general overhead-valve formula — there’s nothing midcentury about its 535 hp and 520 pounds-feet of torque.

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Details are still a bit scarce on the engineering nitty-gritty, but Chevy confirmed a longer stroke, higher compression and revised intake in context with the outgoing 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 found in the Stingray since its release for the 2020 model year. We’ve yet to drive (or ride in) the new Grand Sport, of course, but Chevy was more than happy to fire it up and ring our ears with its ferocious, oily roar. It sounds great — and it sounds like a Corvette.

Despite rumors to the contrary, the carryover eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission remains the only choice.

“Tremec showed something at [Specialty Equipment Market Association Show 2025] that I wish they wouldn’t have shown, that is not real,” announced chief Corvette engineer Tony Roma at the new Grand Sport’s sneak peak at the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring car race in Florida. “So, when people say, ‘But there’s one that’s available,’ there isn’t. It’s not real. We don’t have any plans to talk about a manual transmission.”

This comes after Tremec revealed a new manual transmission configured for transaxle applications at the ‘25 SEMA Show. The company proudly confirmed in a press release that its new gearbox uses “the same mounting points and a similar case profile” as the Corvette’s existing TR-9080 dual-clutch automatic and “allows builders to use already-available factory Corvette components for easier installation.”

This gives way to some delicious daydreaming, but for now, all C8-generation Corvettes remain only dual-clutch autos.

What Is the Corvette Grand Sport X?

• Takeaway: The new Grand Sport X replaces the E-Ray as the midrange hybrid, AWD Corvette.

Rest in power, E-Ray. But also, uh, welcome back! The new Grand Sport X directly replaces the E-Ray as the midrange, AWD hybrid Vette far beneath the $220,595 (including destination) ZR1X in both performance and price — though, the X’s 721 hp combined is hardly a lawnmower, especially as it incorporates drivetrain logic and tuning developed for and from the 1,250-hp ZR1X.

Both hybridization and AWD stem from the addition of a 186-hp front electric motor — beyond this and the addition of a Push-to-Pass mode and Stealth/Shuttle modes, full details are still pending, but the Grand Sport X incorporates the same chassis and stylistic upgrades present on the standard gas-only Grand Sport.

What Makes the Corvette Grand Sport Different?

• Takeaway: A Z06 wide body, wide wheel track, standard Magnetic Ride Control, and available performance and track packages make the Grand Sport more capable than a Stingray but less so than a Z06.

So, what is the new Grand Sport? Distilled to its core, this follows the same formula set by the C6 and C7 generations: a slightly softened Z06 with the base engine. Here, this translates to the Z06’s wide-body appearance, wider wheel track, center-exit exhaust, standard electronically adjustable magnetic shocks and a wide array of performance upgrade packages and options. Aside from the drivetrain, the primary differences between Grand Sport and Z06 are digital, with modestly softer damping for the magnetic ride and revised calibration for steering, braking and accelerator inputs.

This is absolutely positioned more as a grand tourer than a track weapon right out of the box, but the configurator allows for as much spice as you’d be willing to suffer. The base, no-option Grand Sport rolls around on standard all-season performance tires, but the Sport Performance and Track Performance packages add Pilot Sport 4S summer tires and the aggro Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires, respectively.

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Said track pack also adds the Z06’s carbon-ceramic brakes and Z07-specification carbon-fiber aero kit with a big-honkin’ wing, splitter, dive planes and rockers. Not enough carbon? Go for the Z06-spec carbon-fiber wheels.

In person, the visual effect of the Z06 template ensures that all but Corvette savants will struggle to tell the difference in traffic if said Grand Sport doesn’t wear its characteristic stripes. Ditto on the Grand Sport versus the X; note the differing badges on the lower portion of the rear side quarter panels for easy differentiation. In any configuration, the Grand Sports’ additional stylistic aggression is a welcome and significant departure from the base Stingray.

What Colors Are the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport Available In?

• Takeaway: Admiral Blue Metallic returns beside shades of red, white and gray.

The heritage-influenced aesthetic of Grand Sports is almost more important than the performance boost, and the C8 rendition delivers this vintage vibe. The signature Admiral Blue Metallic paint returns, as do the necessary Grand Sport-specific stripes (now relocated to the rear quarter panels) and center stripes running the length of the car.

In person, the iconic blue-white-red livery over black wheels looks fantastic, especially with those swollen haunches and the bright-red interior. However, you can have yours in a number of different colors, including a red shown on a Grand Sport X convertible at the media preview along with a white paint finish on a Grand Sport convertible. Also confirmed is a new Pitch Gray Metallic.

The pictured white convertible is the special Launch Edition, so fitted with a striking Santorini blue interior with said color on nearly every surface. Red stitching and accents provide quite the colorful effect, complemented by special stitching for the floormats, embossed head restraints and a Launch Edition plaque. The cockpit of all cars present at the event felt understandably similar to the interior found on Z06s with extended leather and comfort-oriented features.

How Much Does the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport Cost?

• Takeaway: No pricing info is available yet, but expect it to start around $85,000-$90,000.

I suspect the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport and Grand Sport X will be embraced by the enthusiast community with the same fervor and adulation as previous iterations. Much of this hinges on price, of course, and we’re not privy to that at the time of this writing, but you can expect the base Grand Sport coupe to start somewhere around the $85,000-$90,000 waterline, with the mighty Grand Sport X cruising just above the six-figure mark.

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