With the launch of the 2027 Grand Sport model, the C8 Corvette is dead. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but it is a clear sign that the generation of Corvette that flipped the script (and the engine) on performance is coming to an end. The head engineer for the Corvette model line has confirmed that the Grand Sport and Grand Sport X are the final new variants of the car, though there could be some small tweaks and improvements before the C9 arrives. The Grand Sport's Place In This Corvette World Chevrolet Speaking on The Gas podcast, Corvette Chief Engineer Josh Holder talked about the Grand Sport and its place in the Corvette cycle. Asked how many years and variants the C8 platform had left, Holder replied that the team was currently focused on the Grand Sport model.But Holder said that "as you look at the Corvette's history, [Grand Sport] has been introduced late in the lifecycle of a generation." He added that it was intentional, and part of the company's strategy to keep the car fresh, and that we can "expect that same formula."Holder dropped the vagueness, though, and confirmed that "as far as the model lineup, the Grand Sport is going to round out the eighth generation of Corvette." So no more new versions, though he didn't rule out some small incremental improvements before the new car bowed.Chevy's first Grand Sport Corvettes arrived in the second-generation of the model. It was an ultra-limited model from the jump, meant to be homologated for racing, but GM pulled the plug after just five.Chevrolet It came back as a special edition for the final year of the C4 Corvette. The 1996 Grand Sport was a blue with white-stripe cosmetic special farewell. The name returned in 2010, and for the last three years of the C6 it was a Z06 body without the bigger engine.The C7 Grand Sport was also a Z06 body with the normal engine. This time around, though, Chevrolet has done more. The Grand Sport has introduced a whole new generation of V8s, the new 6.7-liter LS6.GM's new LS6 boosts power from the 490-horsepower of the existing 6.2-liter LT2 to 535 horsepower and 520 pound-feet. The same new engine will also go into the base model Stingray, but it's the first time a GS has brought a new engine design with it. When Is The C9 Coming? General Motors This time, there is also a new Grand Sport X. This is the E-Ray in disguise, and that hybrid model name has gotten the boot. The X adds a motor to the front axle for a combined 721 horsepower and all-wheel drive.So when is the C9 coming? Holder wasn't saying. But since he said that Chevy would be following the usual formula, we can make some educated guesses. The earliest a Grand Sport model arrived in the cycle was four model years before the end in the C6. The shortest was the final year in the C4, and the C7 GS ran for three years.If the C8 model runs for three years, which feels likely since it has a new engine, that means we can expect a new car for model year 2030. Don't worry, that's not so far away. Really, it means we could see a new Corvette as early as late 2028 and on sale in early 2029. The 2029 Detroit show might be the perfect place to reveal it.
