Since Chevrolet has prepared a Corvette debut for Geneva, it was only natural for the automaker to come up with something that would cater to the Old Continent's twisty roads, while being overly friendly to places such as the Nurburgring. So, without further ado, we're introducing the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport.
GM engineers left the LT1 engine in the form that can be found on the standard, Stingray Corvette (or Camaro SS). This means we get 460 hp, but the dry-sump lubrication system of the Stingray's Z51 package is standard.
Factor in an aero package, bespoke wheels with ultra sticky rubber, custom suspension joined by heftier brakes, and you end up with a C7 'Vette that can almost match the 640 hp ZR1's lap time around GM's Milford Proving Ground.
Despite not straying far from the not-too-extreme recipe of the C6 Grand Sport (the 1963 original showed a hefty weight loss and extra muscle), the 2017 Grand Sport knows how to impress through the corners.
Thanks to the Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires, which come in a 285/30ZR19 size up front and in a 335/25ZR20 size at the rear, this Chevy can deliver up to 1.05 Gs. Throw in the optional Z07 pack, a first for the GS badge, and the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Cup rubber will take you all the way to 1.2 Gs.
Serious stopping power comes thanks to a Brembo system that involves 355 mm discs with six-piston calipers up front and 340 mm rotors with four-piston grabbers at the rear. Opting for the Z07 package will bring ceramics, though.
GM didn't want to sacrifice comfort, so the magnetic ride control was kept, but the springs and stabilizer bars have been pushed down the hardcore driving route. You can have the Grand Sport in both Coupe and Convertible versions, while the transmission choice still includes the seven-speed manual and the eight-speed auto.
Those in the market for rare gems will have to wait until later in the year, when a Collector Edition arrives. Finished in Watkins Glen Gray Metallic with Tension Blue hash-mark graphics, satin black full-length stripes, black wheels, this gets a custom cabin treatment including Tension Blue full leather and suede-wrapped goodies.
While Euro buyers will have to wait for the fall to arrive in order to get their hands on a 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, the track-savvy Chevrolet will land in US dealerships this summer.
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