2017 Corvette Grand Sport Test Drive
Chevy knows its customers. When they asked for an inexpensive sports car that could take on the best in Europe, it delivered with the Corvette Stingray. When they wanted the big Z06 engine, with the automatic transmission AND the convertible top, it acquiesced. And when customers wanted a middle model, something that sat firmly between the Stingray and the Z06, it brought us the Grand Sport. The name goes back a bit, though:
The Grand Sport idea came to be in 1960 when Corvette Godfather Zora Arkus-Duntov and legendary driver Briggs Cunningham entered three "mostly stock" Corvettes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It won its class and placed eighth overall. A few years later, Arkus-Duntov and Chevy planned to create 125 Grand Sport Corvettes for homologation -- that is, the necessary production number which allowed it to race -- but the plan was cut short when General Motors killed its factory racing support. Still, a few Grand Sports slipped out to customers.
The legend grew, and in 1984 Chevy introduced the Z51 package, a hi-po set of handling options that was the precursor to the true Grand Sport. In 1996, Chevy took the final step. It built 1,000 Corvettes labeled Grand Sport, all with an admiral blue exterior, an arctic white stripe and red hash marks on the left-front fender.
The legend grew, and in 1984 Chevy introduced the Z51 package, a hi-po set of handling options that was the precursor to the true Grand Sport. In 1996, Chevy took the final step. It built 1,000 Corvettes labeled Grand Sport, all with an admiral blue exterior, an arctic white stripe and red hash marks on the left-front fender.
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Source: AutoWeek