Chevrolet is preparing the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport. General Motors made the announcement last weekend during the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
For the occasion, Chevrolet called upon Roger Penske, legendary race team owner and before that, an accomplished driver. Among the highlights of his career was a class victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1964. Penske won that race behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, which would become the first in a storied lineage.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to be reunited here at the Twelve Hours of Sebring with the C2 Corvette Grand Sport—a race and a track that have always held special meaning for me and our racing teams over the years," said Penske. "Congratulations to Chevrolet on launching the new era of the Grand Sport program. It’s truly special to see the C2 and the other generations of the Corvette Grand Sport, including the new C8, here at Sebring.”
Few details
The Grand Sport, coming for the eighth model-year of the eighth-generation (C8) Corvette, will be officially unveiled on March 26.
For now, the manufacturer isn’t divulging too much, other than to say that the 2027 Corvette Grand Sport will appeal to model purists and will be widely distributed. In other words, it will not be a limited edition restricted to only a few units. Chevrolet also specified that the car will be powered by the next generation of V8 propulsion.
Within the Corvette lineup, we expect it will be positioned between the Stingray and the Z06.
A brief history of the Corvette Grand Sport through the decades
The Grand Sport nameplate was first used by Chevrolet for the Corvette in 1963. At that time, it designated a model specifically engineered for racing. Only five units were assembled, powered by a 327-cubic-inch V8 engine.
Corvette scholars will know there was no Grand Sport version for the third generation of Chevrolet's sports car. It wasn't until 1996, at the end of the fourth generation (C4), that the Grand Sport name returned. The 1996 Corvette Grand Sport is distinguished notably by its LT4 V8 engine, Admiral Blue paint and iconic white and red accent stripes.
Subsequently, Chevrolet produced the sixth-generation Grand Sport from 2010 to 2013, followed by the seventh-generation model from 2017 to 2019. Historically, the arrival of a Grand Sport version signals the final years of a generation. Meaning, we’ll be keeping an eye out to see what Chevrolet’s future plans are for the C8 Corvette.