RUMOR: E-Ray Hybrid Model May Replace the Grand Sport in the C8 Corvette Lineup

By
Keith Cornett
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20
7655

RUMOR: E-Ray Hybrid Model May Replace the Grand Sport in the C8 Corvette Lineup


The C8 Corvette is still in its inaugural year rollout and yet many Corvette enthusiasts are already looking to the future to see what might be in store for the Corvette lineup. We believe without a doubt that the next model to be rolled out will be the performance-oriented Z06 as prototypes of the cars have been spied testing at various locations throughout 2020. These cars are slated to receive a version of the naturally-aspirated 5.5L flat-plane crank V8 that’s currently powering the C8.R race cars.

If history were a guide, you might suggest that a “Grand Sport” model would be next on Team Corvette’s agenda. After all, we’ve had Grand Sports during the C4, C6, and C7 generations and they have always been great sellers as traditionally they combined the elements of the base and Z06 models to create a “best of both worlds” model that Corvette enthusiasts have embraced.

Yet, based on this new report from our friends at Muscle Car and Trucks, the Grand Sport moniker may be dropped for something a bit more electrifying.

According to MC&T, the E-Ray is said to be the front-runner for the name of the C8 Corvette model that will be introduced in 2023. What’s significant about the model is that it is rumored to have an electric All-Wheel-Drive configuration with the addition of an electric hybrid system that will place electric motors on the front wheels with a small battery storage system that will be located inside the C8 Corvette’s internal aluminum structure.

We’ve seen the early reports from Don Sherman and Hagerty that the 2023 Grand Sport will feature 600-hp and 500 lb-ft of torque and while these are early figures and unconfirmed, we do believe they are a good starting point for the model that is expected to follow the Z06.

GM has already announced its full support for electrification with a $20 billion investment for EVs and the company recently revealed its latest motors and drive units from the GM Ultium EV program which will be the underpinnings for its corporate-wide mandate to launch 20 EVs in the next few years. The company’s internal reshuffling of the Corvette Engineering Team to Autonomous and EVs also offers our engineers every opportunity to play with the company’s latest EV technologies.

GM first trademarked the name “E-Ray” in December 2015 and followed up with a renewal of the name in late July 2020. Changing the name of the Grand Sport model to E-Ray is mostly a pure marketing play that would allow the company to showcase hybrid technologies on the GM’s halo car with the name itself suggesting that there is electrification on the model.

While we do love the Grand Sport name which harkens back to Corvette’s first chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov and his secret racing program from 1963, as well as one-year-only special editions in 1996, we could be easily sold on the E-Ray name should the car live up to the expected hype that would come from being Corvette’s first hybrid model.


Source:
Muscle Cars and Trucks

Related:
General Motors Moves to Renew the ‘E-Ray’ Trademark
Car and Driver’s Don Sherman Weighs in on Corvette E-Ray Trademark
GM Restructuring Moves the Corvette Engineering Team to Autonomous and Electric Vehicles

 



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20 COMMENTS

  2. First we get this God Awful looking European mid engine clone with an automatic transmission because todays generation is to lazy or stupid to learn to drive a standard. Now we are going to desecrate the Gran Sport with batteries? What’s next? Sequencial Thunderbird tail lights!!

  3. Welcome to the 2020s Mr. McMorrow. Moving forward like this is great. I will miss the GS label.

  5. To Bill Mc. Most people love the new look! and the power with this motor is awesome! It Is already Dominating the tracks!! No one loves every model year. And everything is going electric. Its evolution.

  6. Who called this, “…a tough crowd,” and followed up with, “…I don’t get no respect.” I will admit that I like the story of a Corvette owner, upping his mood by driving his C8 to COSTCO. This sort of ordinary everyday activity, along with great news on Stingray deliveries is something that should hearten fans of the C8. We should keep in mind that the gathering of motorcyclists in South Dakota led to a superspreader result and that now our President has run around ignoring the idea of wearing masks only to be admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center having come down with the virus. We are all subject to the pandemic. Yet GM has done well despite all the pitfalls. Let’s wait and see about Global Warming and melting ice caps before we make terrible statements about our country & GM, when even a hint of trying to do something about these problems, like an electric vehicle version, is not the end of real Corvettes, nor life as we know it. AF

  7. I see someone is making up stories As they drift off. The article and remarks were about corvettes. But somehow TDS is injected. You see people with TDS can discuss nothing without their sickness ousing out ? 2020 ??????

  9. As much as I love Corvettes with an ICE in front you have to change with the times, otherwise you go in reverse.

  10. Hope GM includes a really long extension cord. Cross country trips where there are no charging stations might be tough. Guess they will have a solar panel option.

  11. They aren’t taking out the motor; Adding electrics to the front wheels. If the battery is exhausted I believe you revert to rwd only.
    Am I wrong?

  13. My 67 230,000 miles one motor rebuild. In the garage no hazardous waste except a couple of gallons of anti freeze. 4000$ with heads refurbished when the 15 needs a rebuild way beyond my capabilities. Imagine what a hybrid will be like

  15. I have a C7 Grand Sport. Really enjoy the vehicle, only wish it had the dual clutch auto. The car has 21,000 miles on it. The better half and I participate in the 1 lap of Kentucky every year with the Corvette museum. Always have a great time. When it comes to a C8 hybrid Grand Sport, I’ll keep a wait and see attitude.

  18. Wow, not sure what to think. The GS has been a great choice and I love the hell out of my 2011. OK so hybrid is the wave of the future, but don’t drop the GS name.

  19. I have a C7 GS and would like to keep the sub model name but maybe the GS should always be a single front engine motor icon with an available manual tranny.
    Here’s to the future.

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