As what seems to be usual now, GM saved the sweet spot car for last. The Grand Sport has always bridged the gap between the base car and the highest performance (and expensive) models. Admiral Blue comes back to the color palette as it has always been the definitive livery color for the GS…with the hash marks of course.
You get the widebody looks and suspension of the Z06, and optionally the center exhaust which I’d say is a must. The all new pushrod engine will be rated at 535hp, and I have a sneaking suspicion that’s underrated. They moved up from 6.2 to 6.7 liters and now have a comp ratio of 13:1, and only got 40hp more from that?! Yeah I don’t think so.
While a ZR1 is basically a budget world standard supercar, a quarter mil is still a tough ask for the typical Corvette buyer. A Z06 is a $100k less and a bit less out of reach. But the Grand Sport, even with a lot of option boxes checked is more like a $110k car. And to be perfect honest, the GS is more than enough power for most to have on the street. Trust me when I tell you that a ZR1 is an absolute bull in a china shop on a tight back road. And even on a big open track, still more speed than many have the skill to truly handle. If one really has the need for speed the Grand Sport X is the “new” E-Ray and will have 721hp.
I really do like the interior refresh they just did on the C8. And now with the GS coming back? If I were in the market to buy a new Corvette, that’s absolutely the one I’d get. I’m not really a fan of the Z06, and by extension the ZR1’s frenetic sounding flat plane OHC V8. It was bad enough the C8 no longer looked like a proper Corvette to me anymore, but that new Gemini V8 made it no longer sound like one either.