If you’ve been following Corvette news, you probably know that Chevrolet couldn’t help itself, and last week, they teased an uncamouflaged 2027 Corvette Grand Sport at the 12 Hours of Sebring IMSA race just days before the official reveal. We later learned that Chevrolet would officially debut the C8 Grand Sport on March 26, and here we are. The C8 Corvette Grand Sport is a reality.
Similar to what Porsche is doing with seemingly endless variants of the 911, Chevrolet continues to expand the Corvette lineup. Now it’s reviving one of Corvette’s most storied racing names with the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport and creating a new legacy with the Grand Sport X. Both new models will incorporate the next-generation 6.7L LS6 V8 becoming Corvette’s primary engine, including the 2027 Stingray as well.
A Name That Means Something
For Corvette fans, the Grand Sport nameplate doesn’t need much of an introduction. It traces back to the early 1960s and a limited run of five lightweight C2 race cars built to take on the Europeans at tracks like Sebring. Those cars were stripped down, purpose-built and fast, and the name has carried that spirit ever since.
Road-going Grand Sports followed in the C4, C6 and C7 generations, each time slotting between the base Stingray and the full-on Z06 as the “sweet spot” of the lineup. More than just a trim level, the Grand Sport has always meant wider bodywork, track-borrowed hardware and those signature hash marks and center stripe that tie every generation back to the original race cars.
For 2027, the hash marks move to the rear haunches for the first time, a nod to the mid-engine layout of the current C8. It’s a small but meaningful detail, and one that shows Chevrolet put real thought into how the Grand Sport identity translates to a car with the engine behind the driver.
The New-Generation LS6
Both new models are powered by the next-generation LS6, a 6.7-liter V8 that produces 535 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque. That torque figure is the highest ever from a naturally aspirated V8, and the engine achieves it without a supercharger or turbo in sight.
The displacement bump to 409 cubic inches comes alongside a 13.0:1 compression ratio, a 95mm throttle body, tunnel ram intake with high-velocity ports and a combination of direct and port injection. Forged pistons and rods, a revised lubrication system and updated exhaust manifolds round out an engine built to handle sustained hard use.
Production moves to GM’s Flint Engine Operations in Flint, Michigan, which brings it back to the city where the first Corvette V8s were assembled in 1955. The LS6 represents the start of GM’s sixth generation of Small Block V8s, and Chevrolet has confirmed it will eventually find its way into other V8-powered models in the lineup. The 2027 Stingray also gets the LS6, making it the most powerful standard engine ever offered on a base Corvette. But the Grand Sport takes it further.
Grand Sport: Built for the Purist
The standard Grand Sport keeps things simple in the best way possible. Rear-wheel drive, the LS6 sending power through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and a final drive ratio of 5.56:1. It’s a focused, traditional sports car setup. Out of the box, the Grand Sport rides on Magnetic Ride Control with a Touring suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 tires, making it a genuinely usable daily driver. But the option sheet is where things get interesting.
The Z52 Sport Performance Package stiffens the suspension, swaps in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires and adds the J56 iron brake package borrowed directly from the Z06. The Z52 Track Performance Package goes further with J57 carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires, a full carbon aero kit including splitter, dive planes, rockers and rear wing, and a quad center-exit exhaust. That exhaust is notable because it marks the first time a center-exit setup has been offered on a pushrod V8 in the C8 generation. A fully optioned Z52 Track Grand Sport is going to raise some eyebrows among Z06 owners, and that’s probably the point.
On the styling front, Chevrolet is reviving Admiral Blue Metallic from the C4 era, which when paired with a white center stripe and red hash marks recreates one of the most iconic Grand Sport looks ever. A new Pitch Gray Metallic joins the palette for all 2027 Corvette models. Launch Edition cars get a Santorini Blue-Dipped interior with red stitching, embossed headrests and a unique Grand Sport steering wheel badge.
Grand Sport X: The New Formula
The Grand Sport X is a different animal. It pairs the same LS6 V8 at the rear axle with a front-mounted electric motor producing 186 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, sourced from the ZR1X program. Combined output is 721 horsepower, and the eAWD system delivers that front axle torque almost instantly off the line.
The “X” designation follows the same logic as ZR1 and ZR1X, with X indicating eAWD across the Corvette lineup going forward. For those wondering what happened to the E-Ray name, this is your answer.
The battery pack is a compact 1.9 kWh lithium-ion unit, kept low and centered in the car to preserve the mid-engine balance. It’s not designed for EV range, it’s designed for performance. On track, drivers can choose between three modes: Endurance for consistent output over a full tank of fuel, Qualifying for the fastest possible lap and Push-to-Pass for maximum power on demand.
For everyday situations, Stealth mode lets the car run on the front electric motor alone up to 50 mph, and Shuttle mode allows quiet, low-speed maneuvering up to 23 mph without firing the V8. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard across the board on the GS X, compared to the standard Grand Sport where they’re an option. The tradeoff is weight. The GS X tips the scales at 3,800 pounds versus 3,520 for the standard Grand Sport, a 280-pound difference that will matter to some buyers more than others.
2027 Grand Sport vs. Grand Sport X: Full Specifications
| Specification | Grand Sport | Grand Sport X |
| Engine | LS6 6.7L V8 | LS6 6.7L V8 |
| Displacement | 6.7L / 409 cu in | 6.7L / 409 cu in |
| Horsepower | 535 hp | 535 hp (V8) |
| Electric Motor Power | N/A | 186 hp |
| Combined Power | 535 hp | 721 hp |
| Torque (V8) | 520 lb-ft | 520 lb-ft |
| Front Motor Torque | N/A | 145 lb-ft |
| Compression Ratio | 13.0:1 | 13.0:1 |
| Max Engine Speed | 6,600 rpm | 6,600 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed DCT | 8-speed DCT |
| Final Drive Ratio | 5.56:1 | 5.56:1 |
| Drive Configuration | RWD | AWD (eAWD) |
| Battery | N/A | 1.9 kWh lithium-ion |
| Front Brakes (std.) | Brembo 6-piston, 370x34mm | Brembo 4-piston CC, 398x38mm |
| Rear Brakes (std.) | Brembo 4-piston, 380x34mm | Brembo 4-piston CC, 390x34mm |
| Front Wheels | 20×10 in | 20×10 in |
| Rear Wheels | 21×13 in | 21×13 in |
| Front Tires | 275/30ZR20 | 275/30ZR20 |
| Rear Tires | 345/25ZR21 | 345/25ZR21 |
| Curb Weight | 3,520 lb / 1,597 kg | 3,800 lb / 1,724 kg |
| Wheelbase | 107.2 in / 2,722 mm | 107.0 in / 2,723 mm |
| Overall Length | 184.6 in / 4,688 mm | 184.6 in / 4,688 mm |
| Overall Width | 79.7 in / 2,025 mm | 79.7 in / 2,025 mm |
| Overall Height | 48.6 in / 1,234 mm | 48.6 in / 1,234 mm |
| Fuel Tank | 18.5 gal / 70L | 18.5 gal / 70L |
| Cargo Volume | 12.6 cu ft / 356.8L | 12.6 cu ft / 356.8L |
What We’re Still Waiting On
Chevrolet hasn’t released 0-60 or quarter mile figures yet, and pricing is still to be announced. Production is set to begin this summer at Bowling Green Assembly. Given how the Grand Sport has historically been priced relative to the Stingray and Z06, expect it to land in a range that makes it the logical next step for buyers who want more than a Stingray but aren’t ready to commit to Z06 money.
The Bottom Line
Chevrolet has said it expects the Stingray and Grand Sport combined to account for the vast majority of Corvette sales, which tells you everything about the role these cars are meant to play. The Grand Sport has always been the Corvette that makes sense for the widest range of drivers, and the 2027 version might make that argument more convincingly than any before it.
The bigger question hanging over the Grand Sport X is whether 721 horsepower and eAWD changes what the name stands for. The Grand Sport has historically been about driver purity, not raw numbers. Whether the X model adds to that legacy or complicates it will likely depend on who you ask. Either way, the name is back, the engine is new and Chevrolet clearly has no intention of letting the Grand Sport play it safe.
Read the official press release of the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport debut.
