2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport: Z06 handles negative horsepower

In the early 1960s, the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport swept the racetracks in the United States and Europe. For many European sports car manufacturers, this is an ongoing nightmare.

Grand Sport

moniker was dormant until 1996 when it was revived during the final year of the fourth-generation Corvette.

The recipe for creating a Corvette Grand Sport is straightforward. All one needs to do is add the Corvette Z06’s wider body panels, tires, and suspension components to the regular Corvette Stingray’s power plant.

The sixth-generation Corvette received the Grand Sport

variant in 2010. The seventh-generation Corvette gained the Grand Sport variant this summer as a 2017 model.

2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport: What’s New

Engine & Transmission

How Fast Is The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport?

Standard Brembo Brakes

Pricing & Availability

2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport: What’s New

The 2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport receives the Z06’s cooling system, wider rear fenders, and a similar grille. The 19-inch font and 20-inch rear alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires. The optional Magnetic Ride Control from the standard Stingray comes on the Corvette Grand Sport. It also has the Z06’s anti-roll bars and front and rear transverse composite leaf springs.

The Grand Sport features the Stingray’s full exterior and interior color selection, including 10 exterior colors: Admiral Blue Metallic (late 2016 addition), Watkins Glen Gray Metallic (new for 2017), Black Rose Metallic (new for 2017), Sterling Blue Metallic (new for 2017), Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat, Arctic White, Blade Silver Metallic, Black, Corvette Racing Yellow Tintcoat, and Torch Red.

An available Heritage package includes hash-mark fender graphics in six colors, with the hash mark detail carried onto the interior’s brushed aluminum trim. Full-length stripes are also offered in five colors. They are joined by the available Z07 package, five wheel configurations, and available carbon fiber ground effects.

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Overhead Rear

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Fender Side Stripes

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Wheel and Tire Package

Engine & Transmission

The 2017 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport is powered by the same 6.2-liter V8 found in the standard Corvette Stingray. It produces 460 horsepower, five over the standard Stingray thanks to the dual-mode exhaust, fitted to every Grand Sport model. To help with track performance, the Grand Sport is standard with a dry-sump lubrication system.

Chevrolet will offer the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport in both coupe and convertible variants with the seven-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions. The Stingray Z51’s electronically controlled rear differential is standard on the Corvette Grand Sport.

How Fast Is The 2017

Corvette Grand Sport?

The 2017 Grand Sport has an estimated 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 11.8 seconds at 118 mph, with the available Z07 performance package and eight-speed automatic transmission.

The lightweight architecture, aerodynamics package, enhanced cooling package, electronic limited-slip differential, and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires offer a Chevrolet-estimated 1.05g in cornering capability – and up to 1.2g with the available Z07 package, which includes Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Dashboard

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Bucket Seats

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Headrest Emblem

Standard Brembo Brakes

The Corvette Grand Sport has Brembo 14-inch rotors up front and 13.4-inch rotors out back. These brakes are larger than the ones offered on the regular Corvette Stingray (even with the optional Z51 package), but they are still smaller than the units offered on the Z06. The front rotors are clamped by

Brembo

six-piston calipers, while four-piston units clamp the rear rotors.

Pricing & Availability

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport coupe will start at $66,445, with a ten grand bump for convertibles. Expect to see them on the lot this summer.

Photo and photo source: Chevrolet.