A Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport could be on the way to showrooms with a new 6.7-litre LS6 V8 engine, the largest-capacity engine to be used in the current generation C8.
Reports from Road & Track cite Corvette Blogger discovering the new engine, codenamed ‘LS6’, in the same parts book where the ZR1 Corvette’s LT7 V8 was spotted before its official 2024 reveal.
While the engine has not been officially confirmed by Chevrolet, GM Performance lead engineer Tony Roma told Top Gear earlier this year at the launch of the flagship ZR1X there were more ‘hot’ C8 Corvettes to come.
The LS6, Corvette Blogger said, belongs to the iconic Chevrolet small-block family which had been rumoured to span up to 6.6 litres in capacity, but the LS6 will be slightly bigger than expected.
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The LS6’s existence in the parts listing was not linked to a specific Corvette model grade, but it has fuelled speculation that the Grand Sport name will return to the lineup.
Like the LS6, no official announcement of a new Grand Sport has been made, and there’s therefore no confirmation it could be sold in Australia by General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) who import regular models.
If it did make it Down Under, it would be the first Corvette Grand Sport offered by General Motors in Australia or New Zealand.
The previous C7 Grand Sport used a 6.2-litre LT1 V8 and matched the Z06 body work with Z51 performance upgrades for a unique combination designed as a ‘sweet spot’ for road and track use.
The original Corvette Grand Sport was launched in 1963 with the C2 (second generation) Corvette.
It was a competition special made for endurance racing including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Corvette continues to race more than 60 years later.
Only five of a planned 125 were officially made, as Chevrolet owner General Motors infamously banned its auto brands from motorsport the same year.
The C2 Grand Sport used a 6.2-litre V8 and four-speed manual gearbox with a ‘Positraction’ limited-slip differential.
The name was put on ice until 1996, when a Grand Sport was produced as a limited-edition swansong for the C4 Corvette (not offered in Australia) coupe and convertible.
It was not offered with the C5 but made a comeback for the C6 and C7 generations, with neither Grand Sport having officially been sold here.
The recently upgraded C8 Corvette sold in Australia is offered with a choice of naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 petrol and hybrid powertrains.
The local lineup does not include the ZR1 or ZR1X, which are currently only produced in left-hand drive.