2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 1lt Coupe Review

Sometimes a place lives up to its stereotype. Atlanta Motorsports Park, which is about ninety minutes north of the city, was sweltering this week. The 2017 Corvette One thousand Sport's temperature display claimed it was nigh 100 degrees exterior, and the humidity was almost comical. In the distance, thick thunderclouds were stacking themselves upwards, threatening to saturate the rails and terminate the day early on. We hurried to gulp downwards water and put on helmets, heading out for hot laps on a mean solar day ready to broil. Luckily, the Thousand Sport is e'er in a bustle.

It'due south also, to cut to the chase, absolutely the Corvette yous want if y'all have any intention of visiting a identify like AMP on a regular basis. The base of operations Stingray, a 1LT Coupe with no options, is plenty quick on the street but is missing some critical components to prevent grenading its engine or an expensive trip through the gravel trap.

Adding the Z51 package provides that peace of mind: a performance dual-phase exhaust that adds a few horsepower, sportier break (and available Magnetic Ride Control, worth every penny of $1,795), a rear differential cooler, an electronic limited-skid differential, and most chiefly a dry-sump oil organisation to make sure the LT1 6.2-liter V8 is properly lubricated under loftier one thousand-loads. A Z51 will circle the skidpad at around 1.03 g, bringing us closer to an ideal dual-purpose Corvette.

And so there'south the Z06. Yes, information technology has a fire-animate supercharged V8 that produces 650 hp, 190 more than that Z51. This is, and I'm speaking from experience, a awe-inspiring amount of power. To get that ability down to the ground and brand the Z06 stick, Chevy adds things like standard MRC, brake cooling ducts, and significant aero tweaks even before you get into the optional Z07 bundle. In addition to being a rocket in a direct line, a Z06 with all the fixings will circle the skidpad at ane.2 g, thank you in role to the Z07 package'southward Michelin Airplane pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which are essentially circular donuts full of dark magic.

There'south not really anything magical nearly how Chevy built the Grand Sport. Information technology starts with the broad body panels from the Z06, simply without the taller hood since there's no intercooler to articulate. The Stingray's LT1 fits fine nether there, with a standard dry-sump oiling system like the Z51 has. MRC and the eLSD are standard. Stopping is provided by steel 2-slice 14.6-inch front and 14.4-inch rear brake rotors, gripped by vi-piston front and four-piston rear fixed calipers, which match the standard Z06 and are notably larger than the Z51's thirteen.five-inch front and thirteen.3-inch rear units.

Want to be unfair? Call it a parts-bin special, or a Z06 Light. So drive it.

Some elements are unique to the GS. The springs and anti-roll bars are tuned specifically for this model. The GS's version of the Z07 package doesn't include the articulate center section or tall end caps from the Z06, equally the GS simply doesn't need that much downforce. The grille blueprint is unique, equally are the fender inserts. To clothes it upwardly, yous can select from 10 outside colors and several flavors of stripes, yielding a large number of possible combinations. The C6 Grand Sport'southward fantastic "cup" blend cycle design makes a return, too.

Want to be unfair? Call it a parts-bin special, or a Z06 Lite. Go ahead. Then drive information technology. This isn't merely some incremental improvement to make an already quick motorcar imperceptibly quicker. Information technology is a grander experience – the sweetness nature of the naturally aspirated V8, with its delightful throttle response, and the determined focus of a track-day motorcar. All in something yous could daily-drive.

Without the Z07 package, the K Sport will corner at 1.05 g – a subtle comeback over a Z51 Stingray. With information technology, information technology'll match the Z06 at one.ii one thousand. You don't desire but a subtle improvement. Spend the about $viii,000 to selection the Z07 package. The Pilot Sport Loving cup 2 tires alone are worth it, and the Brembo carbon-ceramic-matrix brakes are icing. Chevy says a GS will hit 60 mph in three.6 seconds with this package, and come to a stop from that speed in under 100 feet. This squares with our experience white-knuckling the dual "oh, crap!" handles equally a very overnice, very quick man named Oliver Gavin did his damnedest to make the Grand Sport quit gripping during a couple of memorable laps which you can watch below.

AMP is a rails with lots of elevation, and nary a gentle transition between sharp downhill segments and the side by side uphill one. Nosotros're talking well-nigh situations in which the auto is in full pinch and, simultaneously, pulling close to max g-load. Oh, and one corner that features a 2-foot divot right at the edge of an apex; we were solemnly advised not to drop a wheel in. Gavin – who it must exist said has won his form at Le Mans 5 times in the C5-R, C6.R, and C7.R – skittered effectually it similar he was teaching a bear to tango. It's possible he was trying to suspension the car, just to see if he could. The GS'due south limits are like said carry's huge paws: It's easy not to step on them, and there's plenty of guttural growling feedback from the car if you approach them. I heard a lot of growling.

All of the cars Chevy brought for rails driving were Z07-equipped, and all featured the standard seven-speed manual (an eight-speed auto, which is also excellent, is an option). I got to dance with the bear later on I unwelded my fingers from the grab handles of Gavin'southward blue GS. With the heat index then loftier, we were asked to pit after 2 hot laps to preserve some unspecified aspect of the machine. It was a nice cadence: several serious minutes hammering on the GS, and a short while to reflect on its identify in the Corvette pantheon.

The GS has much more to do with its C6 and C4 predecessors, express-edition models with some high-functioning tweaks, than the original Grand Sport created by Zora Arkus-Duntov. That machine, of which only five were built, was a highly modified race special built to boxing the Shelby Cobra. The link is a nice bonus for Corvette geeks, but it'll be the performance that hooks everyone else.

In Rail manner with Operation Traction Management set to a moderate level, the GS still had some nannies around to continue drivers unfamiliar with both the car and the runway from kissing a bulwark backwards or worse. Yaw control is reduced simply still present, which fabricated right-foot corrections hard (only also made right-foot overcorrections even harder). The PTM gave me enough rope to experience high g-loads and the welcome feedback that comes in through those wide, ultra-mucilaginous Michelins and GM's fantastic electrical-assist power steering rack. Right-seating with Gavin demonstrated that with all the nannies off, the car can deal with massive, abrupt command inputs without getting unsettled. The limits are huge. The prissy thing about all the electronics is that an owner can piece of work up to each of the five PTM levels incrementally to fully unlock the GS'southward abilities. Stop anywhere along the PTM ladder and the motorcar'south yet a riot.

This is a chassis demonstrably capable of handling manner more than than 460 hp, but the LT1 didn't seem to hold the GS dorsum on this tight, technical grade. This is a motorcar that is estimated to run the quarter in 11.8 seconds at 118 mph (in Z07 course with the auto), and so in that location's plenty of scoot to warp the GS from ane noon to another, or to feather the thing through a sweeper. On summit of the C7's residual, the GS adds pliable, anticipated grip and a chassis that signals its needs and desires clearly. The corner leading onto the dorsum directly was as long as the day was hot, and so it was the perfect identify to put the GS on edge and let it move around a fleck. I could feel each outside tire cheque in individually every bit I steered the 'Vette around with my correct foot. Few powerful cars tell y'all everything you're listening for, but this i is a talker.

So yep, it'southward improve than a Z51, which is pretty damn proficient as information technology sits. The GS starts at $66,445, which is no small hunk of change. It's a flat $5,000 increase over a Stingray Z51 with no boosted options. The Z07 package adds an additional (take a jiff here) $7,995, which is mayhap because neither those sticky Michelins nor the carbon-ceramic brakes are cheap.

I bring up pricing considering you may desire to know what the Grand Sport is like on the street. We spent a few hours on the delightful, winding Georgia roads near AMP, and the takeaway was that the road is not the place to highlight the GS Z07's subtler charms. Similar a regular Z51 – a car in which I've logged hundreds of miles both commuting and exercising on public roads – it's fun, comfortable, and surprisingly practical. It's just that from the driver's seat, the GS Z07 is very similar to a Z51 on the road, particularly if the Z51 has the optional MRC to add together that noticeable measure of extra compliance. Yous won't be uncomfortable or dissatisfied in your GS Z07 on a long road trip, but you'll exist more satisfied for the extra cash you've spent if that excursion ends at a highly technical road class.

If you like the wide-body look but don't plan on tracking your Grand Sport, skip the Z07 package and be (very) happy with the MRC and fantastic Z06-aping looks. If you have a social club rail nearby and want a machine with virtually-supercar performance that you lot'll bask even as it'due south challenging yous, spend for the Grand Sport with the Z07 packet.

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Source: https://www.autoblog.com/2016/07/21/2017-chevrolet-corvette-grand-sport-first-drive-review/

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