2027 Corvette Stingray First Drive: The Value PlayChevroletFor the quintessentially American Chevrolet Corvette, the buzz this past season centered on the team's newly acquired superstars: a hybrid ZR1X with 1,250 horsepower and a standard ZR1 with 1,064. Now come the 2027 Grand Sport and Grand Sport X, the latter with 721 hybrid horses.With so many sluggers in the Corvette lineup, a "basic" C8 Stingray might seem the equivalent of a light-hitting utility infielder. But a Georgia road drive of the upgraded 2027 Stingray—just after we'd driven the ZR1, ZR1X, Grand Sport, and Grand Sport X—only underscored the terrific sports car value it is. Eight years into the C8's life cycle, the Stingray is better than ever, newly gym-toned with a 535-hp LS6 V-8.Plenty of PerformanceIf you can afford the richest Z-badged Corvettes in history, or the formidable Grand Sports that we drove on track at Atlanta Motorsports Park, more power to you. But where the Grand Sport was famously and traditionally the sweet spot of the C6 and C7 lineups, its value proposition becomes less clear in C8 guise. Here's why.AdvertisementAdvertisementOr you could traipse over to your local Chevy dealer for an earful of the new 6.7-liter LS6 V-8. Its 535 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque represent significant jumps of 40 horses and 50 lb-ft versus the 6.2-liter LT2 installed in 2026 Stingrays with a performance exhaust. Corvette and General Motors executives might have saved their sixth-generation small-block V-8 exclusively for Grand Sport models, at least in this opening year, to tempt more buyers into purchasing them. Instead, they made this stroked V-8 standard in Stingrays, as well. The tech-laden LS6 flaunts its Beach Boys–approved 409-cubic-inch displacement on its engine case and flashes a painted engine cover (in a choice of colors) through a transparent panel on the coupe's rear deck.This bodacious V-8 will hustle even a $73,495 Stingray stripper from 0 to 60 mph in a Chevy-quoted 2.8 seconds and through the quarter mile in 11.0 seconds at 124 mph. Quick enough for you? It certainly was for us when we drove a Stingray convertible through Georgia like we were Junior Johnson, Jr. Chevy is also making much of this Stingray's 200-mph top speed, unmatched by any car near this price, and up from 194 mph for 2026 models.ChevroletThe square deal doesn't stop there. Recall that the 2027 Stingray already benefits from a midcycle upgrade in 2026. A redesigned interior wraps three better-integrated displays around its driver. A passenger grab handle replaces a waterfall of busy switches, the previous version's most try-hard element. A straightforward Google Built-in infotainment system is backed by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Next, Chevy makes an adjustable dual-mode Performance exhaust standard on 2027 Stingrays, as with the Grand Sport. For both models, an additional $1,995 nets a gotta-have-it, center-exit quad exhaust. Corvette engineers lavished attention here, treating a 13:1 compression V-8, high-velocity intakes, "Tri-Y" exhaust manifolds, and four outlets as a holistic sound system, one that favors a pulsating death-metal vibe.And There's MoreAlready, you're looking at a wickedly fast, fully satisfying sports car. Spend a bit more, and fans can have a Stingray that goes toe to toe with the new Grand Sport on public roads—the place 99 percent of Corvette owners spend their days. We discovered as much during back-to-back drives of this Stingray convertible, Grand Sport convertible, and Grand Sport X coupe, the latter hybrid model brushing $140,000 with options.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe key is to opt for the Stingray's Z51 Performance package for $5,395, as its additions include an electronic limited-slip differential that's standard on a Grand Sport. Another $1,895 nets a Magnetic Selectable Ride Control suspension and the Corvette's brilliant Performance Traction Management system, with six gamified traction settings. The Z51 package further incorporates the Grand Sport's 5.56:1 final-drive ratio that takes better advantage of the LS6's prodigious low-end torque. And Z51 springs and dampers are tuned for sportier performance than the Grand Sport's standard touring suspension.ChevroletBear with this dive into equipment levels, because it's important to suss out what you get for your Corvette dollar. As noted, the Grand Sport comes standard with a relatively mellow touring suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires, and low-noise, low-dust, corrosion-resistant brakes. Corvette executives say those practical features rank highly among prospects who are smitten with the Grand Sport's wide-body Z06 style but who don't want to compromise comfort or ease of ownership.Calling the new Grand Sport a mere appearance package goes too far. But the Corvette team explicitly created a starter-model Grand Sport that prioritizes curb appeal. Since the engines are identical, if you want a Grand Sport that matches or beats a Z51 Stingray, you need to upgrade. That begins with a $3,500 Z52 Sport Performance package. It stiffens the suspension to roughly Z51 levels and adds the Z06's higher-performing Brembo iron brakes plus Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires. And turning a Grand Sport into a remorseless track-day killer requires spending an eye-watering $20,695 for its Track Performance package, whose extras include carbon-ceramic brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Tires—a fast-wearing, rain-allergic rubber that's not ideally suited to streets without some additional thought, or at least a daily look at the weather forecast.Don't get it wrong: The Grand Sport is a howling delight to drive. Chucking a fully girded Z52 Track Performance version around Atlanta Motorsports Park, we ran roughly two-second-quicker laps than in the 721-hp X version, mainly due to those Cup 2 R tires. (Chevrolet didn't put Stingrays on track for this drive). Yet as quickly as it laps a road course, the Grand Sport pushes the bounds of what we consider a top-value Corvette.For Example …Now, consider what you get with a 2027 Z51 Corvette Stingray. The same snarling, muscular engine as a Grand Sport. The same eight-speed, dual-clutch automated gearbox. A suspension that's virtually a ringer for the Grand Sport's Z52 tuning. The Z51 Stingray's all-new Michelin Pilot Sport S5 summer tires should also be better and more versatile than familiar Pilot Sport 4S rubber on Grand Sports with the Z52 Street package. Their new "dual-zone" rubber compound is meant to maximize dry cornering or track grip on its outer shoulder, with high-silica components on a redesigned inner tread for better control in the wet.AdvertisementAdvertisementAgain, the smartly optioned 2027 Corvette Stingray incorporates nearly all the Grand Sport's performance goodies: the center quad exhaust, e-LSD, PTM, and a shorter final-drive ratio. The Z52 street package Grand Sport does add iron Brembo brakes with six-piston front calipers, adopted from the Z06, where the Z51 Stingray gets uprated Brembos with mere four-piston calipers.ChevroletWe of course acknowledge the visual appeal of the Grand Sport models, with their 3.5-inch-wider rear tracks. These broad-beam Corvettes, with their yawning side intakes, do look a bit more exotic. But it's tough to say the GS' wider track and larger tires make a meaningful difference in performance or stability on public roads, where a Stingray already makes a mockery of speed limits. And between these rear-drive Corvettes, there's a case to be made for preferring the Stingray's shorter, narrower rear tires, at 305/30/ZR20 versus the Grand Sport's mammoth 345/25/ZR21s.On our runs through Georgia—with enough intensity to drop both cars' fuel economy to 8 mpg over one 15-mile stretch—there was never a moment we thought the Stingray needed more tire to slalom through corners or lay down its newfound power. That included several launch-control starts, now conveniently accessed by a new accessory screen. Drivers can choose a fully automated blitz or manually adjust the rpm levels as high as 4,000 prior to a clutch drop and adjust wheelslip settings to a 15 percent maximum. We found a combo of 3,750 rpm and 11 percent wheelslip ideal for launches at Fourth of July levels of sound and smoke but without burning too much rubber. Should you care, the Stingray ekes out slightly better fuel economy at an EPA-rated 15/25/18 mpg city/highway/combined versus the Grand Sport's 15/23/17 mpg.Parting ShotsOverall, the Z51 Corvette Stingray felt as fast, precise, and playful as its pricier Grand Sport sibling. It also steered better and felt more agile than the Grand Sport X, whose stunning electrified acceleration and all-wheel-drive traction come at the expense of additional weight.AdvertisementAdvertisementRegarding what's new for 2027, the Stingray adds an automatic emergency braking function at intersections. Buyers can choose among six new paint colors, including the return of signature Admiral Blue or the glowering Pitch Gray that adorned a Stingray and Grand Sport we drove on area roads.ChevroletYes, high-zoot models like the ZR1s or Z06 remain compelling values compared to European supercars. But for people who can't afford a $200,000 Corvette, or even a $130,000 Corvette, the amount you'd save versus a Lamborghini or Ferrari is a moot point. From the blue-collar Corvette point of view, modern C8's that approach or top $100,000 still count as expensive, indulgent sports cars.On that inflationary score, a Grand Sport coupe now asks a $15,000 premium over a Stingray, starting at $88,495. The spread is the same for a Grand Sport convertible: $95,495 versus $80,495 for a droptop Stingray. That's in basic 1LT trim, before the first option is tallied for either model.The rich Grand Sport 3LT convertible we drove starts at $104,245 and reached an eye-blistering $123,825, including about $16,500 in options. Adding the Track Performance package would have boosted that beyond $140,000.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's why the Stingray remains the real value play for 2027 Corvette buyers. With a more than ample 535 hp, a smartly redesigned interior, and an à la carte menu of the Corvette's tastiest tech, the Stingray gives you the most sports car on a dollar-for-dollar basis.ChevroletAs noted, Stingrays themselves are hardly cheap, ranging from $73,405 for a 1LT coupe to $85,425 for an 3LT version. As with the Grand Sport, add $7,000 for any convertible.However, with the $15,000 you save by forgoing a Grand Sport coupe, you could choose a Stingray convertible with key performance options and still come out ahead. In Georgia backcountry, that convertible emitted more glorious, provocative V-8 sound. The convertible's powered rear window can also be lowered independently, noticeably boosting the sound with no need for sunscreen.Following that strategy, this near-loaded Stingray 3LT Convertible reached $111,990. Even with nearly $20,000 in options, some superfluous, that's about $12,000 less than the Grand Sport 3LT convertible. A top-shelf Stingray 3LT coupe with the Z51 extras, magnetic suspension, and the must-have center exhaust comes in right around $95,000, or $102,000 in convertible guise. That's rich enough for our blood. And since this 535-hp Stingray makes our blood run as hot as the Grand Sport, it's the model we'd choose for 2027.Photo credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: ChevroletPhoto credit: Chevrolet