Chevrolet's hottest supercar isn't coming to Australia
The
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
, packing a twin-turbocharged version of the Z06's flat-plane crank V8, has been ruled out for our market.
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Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Why the Chevrolet Corvette is a CarExpert Choice winner
The Porsche 911 has long been the yardstick against which all luxury sports cars are measured, but there's a new kid in town. The latest Chevrolet Corvette has now managed what the brilliant but too expensive and too limited Honda NSX – and the highly underrated but now discontinued Audi R8 – failed to do: topple the 911 to become our pick as the finest luxury sports car available. General Motors shocked the world when it launched the eighth generation of its lauded Corvette in 2019, releasing not only the first global version produced in both left- and right-hand drive, but the first one with a mid-mounted engine. The move made Chevrolet's iconic sports car a more direct rival for the likes of the Ferrari 296, Lamborghini Huracan and, yes, the rear-engined 911. Launched with what GM does best – a big-bore V8 – the ground-breaking C8 promised Ferrari levels of engine and chassis performance in a purpose-built two-seat sports car, for Chevrolet money. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Indeed, Australian Chevrolet distributor GM Specialty Vehicles announced a base price of $144,990 before on-road costs for the Stingray in March 2021. By the time first deliveries took place in September 2021, the first batch of 250 vehicles was already sold out and there was no ETA on further shipments, while some dealers were gouging potential customers tens of thousands of dollars on top of official list prices. But after growing demand from disenfranchised GM performance car fans following the axing of Holden, HSV and the locally converted Chevrolet Camaro in 2020, more supplies eventually arrived in late 2023 after several production delays and a $15k base price hike. The hot Z06 arrived around the same time, priced from a cool $336,000, followed by the electrified $275,000 E-Ray in August 2024, and more price hikes for the Stingrays that now start at $186,990. Nevertheless, that's just $10,000 more than the cheapest BMW M4 and still almost $100,000 less than the most affordable 911, both of which offer less power. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Sadly, while the Z06 rides on Carbon Revolution wheels made in Australia, its exhaust and therefore power output were nobbled by our government's fun police. In more sad news, the most ferocious versions of the C8 – including the ZR1 that packs a twin-turbo version of the Z06's 5.5-litre flat-plane crank V8, making a mammoth 783kW of power and 1123Nm of torque, and probably the hybridised ZR1X that develops an incredible 932kW – will only be produced in left-hand drive, ruling them out for official Australian release. But no Corvette is a wallflower, with even the base Stingray 2LT Coupe and Convertible using a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 producing 369kW and 637Nm of torque. The Z06 Coupe cranks out a healthy 475kW/595Nm, and the E-Ray adds a front electric motor to the Stingray recipe to deliver all-wheel drive and a very generous 488kW/807Nm. Supplied Credit: CarExpert However, the latest Corvette isn't just a relative bargain and it doesn't just out-power its closest competitors – it matches them for design, refinement, safety, technology and dynamics, with superb chassis balance, talkative steering, fantastic brakes and big rewards for drivers who dig deep into its broad skillset. The E-Ray in particular has an enormous performance envelope, and delivers so much acceleration, sound and X-factor so seamlessly and – so far – reliably that it's hard to believe it was created in the US and not Germany or Italy, as outlined below by my colleagues. 'Anybody who scoffs at the notion an American automaker can't compete in the supercar big league needs to get behind the wheel of Chevy's mid-engined C8 Corvette,' said CarExpert news editor William Stopford. 'Not only does this American supercar look the part, it offers the adroit handling and tremendous performance expected of such a vehicle. 'While the all-wheel drive hybrid E-Ray is my personal favourite, you can get a base Stingray for close to $100k less than the cheapest Porsche 911 and well under half the price of the cheapest Lamborghini or Ferrari. Try ignoring that.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'After driving the latest Chevrolet Corvette – particularly the E-Ray – it's hard to go past America's supercar in the luxury sports segment,' said marketplace editor James Wong. 'The stonking electrified V8 drivetrain is not only blisteringly quick, but it offers an old-school sound, track-happy handling and of course those classic supercar proportions make it look twice as expensive than it actually is. Even better, the available Carbon Revolution carbon-fibre wheels add a dash of Australia to an already desirable recipe.' 'The obvious choice here would be the Porsche 911, but people seem to underestimate Chevy's V8 sports car weapon,' said deputy marketplace editor Joosh Nevett. 'The C8 Corvette is the best 'Vette yet – not only does it offer blistering performance, but also supercar styling and an interior that feels special to sit in. 'Then there's the matter of money, as the base Corvette Stingray is a relative bargain compared to an equivalent 911. But if I had the choice, I'd shell out for the Z06 or E-Ray, both of which take the Corvette brand to new heights.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert Winner – Chevrolet Corvette Finalist – Porsche 911 Finalist – BMW M4 To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here. MORE: Explore the Chevrolet Corvette showroomMORE: E-Ray breaks tradition to take centre stage at 2025 Corvette Nationals
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Why the Chevrolet Corvette is a CarExpert Choice winner
The Porsche 911 has long been the yardstick against which all luxury sports cars are measured, but there's a new kid in town. The latest Chevrolet Corvette has now managed what the brilliant but too expensive and too limited Honda NSX – and the highly underrated but now discontinued Audi R8 – failed to do: topple the 911 to become our pick as the finest luxury sports car available. General Motors shocked the world when it launched the eighth generation of its lauded Corvette in 2019, releasing not only the first global version produced in both left- and right-hand drive, but the first one with a mid-mounted engine. The move made Chevrolet's iconic sports car a more direct rival for the likes of the Ferrari 296, Lamborghini Huracan and, yes, the rear-engined 911. Launched with what GM does best – a big-bore V8 – the ground-breaking C8 promised Ferrari levels of engine and chassis performance in a purpose-built two-seat sports car, for Chevrolet money. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Indeed, Australian Chevrolet distributor GM Specialty Vehicles announced a base price of $144,990 before on-road costs for the Stingray in March 2021. By the time first deliveries took place in September 2021, the first batch of 250 vehicles was already sold out and there was no ETA on further shipments, while some dealers were gouging potential customers tens of thousands of dollars on top of official list prices. But after growing demand from disenfranchised GM performance car fans following the axing of Holden, HSV and the locally converted Chevrolet Camaro in 2020, more supplies eventually arrived in late 2023 after several production delays and a $15k base price hike. The hot Z06 arrived around the same time, priced from a cool $336,000, followed by the electrified $275,000 E-Ray in August 2024, and more price hikes for the Stingrays that now start at $186,990. Nevertheless, that's just $10,000 more than the cheapest BMW M4 and still almost $100,000 less than the most affordable 911, both of which offer less power. Sadly, while the Z06 rides on Carbon Revolution wheels made in Australia, its exhaust and therefore power output were nobbled by our government's fun police. In more sad news, the most ferocious versions of the C8 – including the ZR1 that packs a twin-turbo version of the Z06's 5.5-litre flat-plane crank V8, making a mammoth 783kW of power and 1123Nm of torque, and probably the hybridised ZR1X that develops an incredible 932kW – will only be produced in left-hand drive, ruling them out for official Australian release. But no Corvette is a wallflower, with even the base Stingray 2LT Coupe and Convertible using a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 producing 369kW and 637Nm of torque. The Z06 Coupe cranks out a healthy 475kW/595Nm, and the E-Ray adds a front electric motor to the Stingray recipe to deliver all-wheel drive and a very generous 488kW/807Nm. However, the latest Corvette isn't just a relative bargain and it doesn't just out-power its closest competitors – it matches them for design, refinement, safety, technology and dynamics, with superb chassis balance, talkative steering, fantastic brakes and big rewards for drivers who dig deep into its broad skillset. The E-Ray in particular has an enormous performance envelope, and delivers so much acceleration, sound and X-factor so seamlessly and – so far – reliably that it's hard to believe it was created in the US and not Germany or Italy, as outlined below by my colleagues. 'Anybody who scoffs at the notion an American automaker can't compete in the supercar big league needs to get behind the wheel of Chevy's mid-engined C8 Corvette,' said CarExpert news editor William Stopford. 'Not only does this American supercar look the part, it offers the adroit handling and tremendous performance expected of such a vehicle. 'While the all-wheel drive hybrid E-Ray is my personal favourite, you can get a base Stingray for close to $100k less than the cheapest Porsche 911 and well under half the price of the cheapest Lamborghini or Ferrari. Try ignoring that.' 'After driving the latest Chevrolet Corvette – particularly the E-Ray – it's hard to go past America's supercar in the luxury sports segment,' said marketplace editor James Wong. 'The stonking electrified V8 drivetrain is not only blisteringly quick, but it offers an old-school sound, track-happy handling and of course those classic supercar proportions make it look twice as expensive than it actually is. Even better, the available Carbon Revolution carbon-fibre wheels add a dash of Australia to an already desirable recipe.' 'The obvious choice here would be the Porsche 911, but people seem to underestimate Chevy's V8 sports car weapon,' said deputy marketplace editor Joosh Nevett. 'The C8 Corvette is the best 'Vette yet – not only does it offer blistering performance, but also supercar styling and an interior that feels special to sit in. 'Then there's the matter of money, as the base Corvette Stingray is a relative bargain compared to an equivalent 911. But if I had the choice, I'd shell out for the Z06 or E-Ray, both of which take the Corvette brand to new heights.' 2025 CarExpert Choice Best Luxury Sports Car Winner – Chevrolet Corvette Finalist – Porsche 911 Finalist – BMW M4 To see all the CarExpert Choice winners, click here.
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Perth Now
2026 Chevrolet Corvette update brings less quirky cabin
The Chevrolet Corvette's bridge of buttons is gone! The distinctive interior design detail, comprising a strip of climate control buttons placed on a divider next to the passenger side of the centre console, has been removed. The climate controls are now positioned below the infotainment touchscreen, one of a number of changes made to Chevrolet's supercar for 2026. We've contacted GM Australia and New Zealand to confirm when the updated Corvette will come here. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Z06 with Sky Cool/Medium Ash Grey interior Credit: CarExpert The changes apply to the whole range, which comprises Stingray, Z06, E-Ray and ZR1 variants. All bar the latter are sold in Australia, for which the ZR1 has been ruled out because it's not produced in right-hand drive. The 2026 Corvette updates centre on the interior, which gains an extra screen – a 6.6-inch auxiliary touchscreen on the opposite side of the steering wheel from the infotainment touchscreen, which displays configurable information like trip data. Said infotainment screen is now a 12.7-inch unit, up from 8.0 inches, and features Google built-in which allows you to download apps like Google Chrome and HBO Max through the Google Play store. This means you can stream movies and browse the internet while you're parked. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The digital instrument cluster has grown from 12 inches to 14 inches and can be had with a carbon-fibre display hood. The E-Ray's Performance App, which shows live power and torque flow, has now been made available across the entire Corvette lineup. Viewable on the auxiliary display and infotainment screen, available information now also include gauges for G-force, tyre pressure and oil pressure, as well as temperature for the oil, coolant and transmission fluid. Chevrolet also says you can send these gauges from the app to the digital instrument cluster in Tour and Sport mode 'for further customisation'. ZR1 with Santorini Blue interior Credit: CarExpert Hardware and software updates bring revised graphics with sharper colours and fresh animations to the screens, including to the Performance Data Recorder. Chevrolet has made improvements aimed at making crucial controls more accessible to the driver, with the drive mode selector redesigned and relocated. Instead of a wheel underneath a wrist rest, a somewhat finicky arrangement, there's now a rocker switch in line with the gear selector. A wireless phone charging pad now sits in the place of the old wrist rest and drive mode wheel, and a cover keeps your phone in place. Stingray with Asymmetrical Adrenaline Red interior Credit: CarExpert The volume knob has grown larger and features an illuminated base, while the cupholders have been redesigned and feature ambient lighting. In 2LT/2LZ and 3LT/3LZ trims, these cupholders are highlighted with real aluminium. While there's a row of physical buttons under the touchscreen for the climate control, the heated and ventilated seat functions have moved to the touchscreen as part of an anchored bar at the bottom of the display. Head-up display controls have also moved to the touchscreen. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The 2026 Corvette also debuts four new interior colourways, available on all variants. These are: Jet Black and Adrenaline Red, which Chevrolet calls its first asymmetrical interior Sky Cool and Medium Ash Grey with Habenero accents Santorini Blue Very Dark Atmosphere, a chocolate brown with Jet Black, Natural tan accents Ultimate Suede The latter sees a Jet Black suede across 'nearly all interior surfaces', and is customisable with stitching and seatbelts finished in either Adrenaline Red, Santorini Blue or Competition Yellow. ZR1 Credit: CarExpert If you opt for the Adrenaline Red interior, you can specify a mixed seating option with a 'racing-inspired' Adrenaline Red Competition driver's seat and a Jet Black GT2 passenger seat. Finally, the E-Ray's Charge+ button – which activates a mode intended to replenish battery charge more quickly – has been moved to the steering wheel, while a new USB-C port has been added to the passenger side of the cabin below the grab handle. It's not just interior changes that Chevrolet has delivered for 2026. The Performance Traction Management system gains a new PTM Pro mode, which turns off the electronic stability control and traction control and leaves anti-lock brakes and, in the E-Ray, certain front axle controls active. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The Corvette ZR1's ZTK performance package gains a new brake package with 10-piston front and 6-piston rear calipers plus carbon-ceramic discs which are the largest ever fitted to a production Corvette. The Corvette is the latest GM product to get an electrochromic roof, allowing you to toggle between three tint options for the targa roof glass at the push of a button. There are two new metallic exterior finishes – Roswell Green and Blade Silver – plus a new asymmetrical exterior centre stripe, available in Edge Red/Carbon Flash. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Body-colour rocker panels are standard on the E-Ray and available on the Z06, while the blue brake calipers previously exclusive to the ZR1 are now available on the E-Ray and Z06. Australian deliveries of the current C8 Corvette – the first mid-engine generation of Chevrolet's sports car – commenced in 2022. The E-Ray and Z06 joined the Stingray in 2024. All are built in right-hand drive at GM's Bowling Green, Kentucky plant in the US, unlike other Chevrolets sold here which are remanufactured locally in right-hand drive. GM Specialty Vehicles delivered 225 Corvettes in 2022, rising to 338 in 2023 and 441 in 2024. MORE: Everything Chevrolet Corvette
