Chevrolet has begun production of the 2027 Corvette
Chevrolet began production of the 2027 Corvette model year in early June. Over the past few weeks, more than 1,600 cars have rolled off the assembly line, and more than a third of them are the new Grand Sport. Both the Stingray and the Grand Sport are equipped with a 6.7-liter V8 engine producing 535 hp.
Even before Chevrolet officially unveiled the long-awaited 2027 Corvette Grand Sport, experts predicted that this new model in the C8 lineup would quickly gain popularity. Fresh production data confirms this. In just three weeks, the Grand Sport has almost caught up with the updated Stingray, an impressive result for a car that has just hit the assembly line.
Production figures and statistics
Production data published in the C8 Corvette Owners Group on Facebook shows that Chevrolet began assembling the 2027 Corvette on June 8. Work at the Bowling Green plant was then suspended last week and this week for the usual summer break. This provided a fairly short window for compiling statistics, making the early Grand Sport figures even more telling.
In three weeks of 2027 Corvette production, 1,689 cars rolled off the assembly line. Of these, 590 were new Grand Sports, accounting for 34.9% of all C8 models produced during this period. The Stingray remains the highest-volume model with 719 units, or 42.5%. As for the Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X, 241 Z06s, 91 ZR1s, and 48 ZR1Xs have been built for the 2027 model year so far.
Chevrolet has not yet started production of the Corvette Grand Sport X, which replaces the all-wheel-drive hybrid Corvette E-Ray. It will be interesting to see how popular this model turns out to be, but it is unlikely to match the volumes of the Stingray or the standard Grand Sport.
Stingray or Grand Sport: which one to choose?
The new Corvette Grand Sport, powered by GM’s new 6.7-liter naturally aspirated V8 and featuring the same wide body as the Z06 and the old E-Ray, starts at $86,000 in the US. For comparison, the 2027 Corvette Stingray starts at $73,495. The engines in both versions are identical, so the Stingray and Grand Sport deliver the same 535 hp and 705 Nm of torque.
With this in mind, many buyers will likely be happy to purchase the Stingray and save over $12,000 compared to the Grand Sport. However, based on production figures, Chevrolet expects many to prefer the wide body and more stable stance of the GS. In any case, it is reported that first customer deliveries of 2027 Corvette models could begin as early as this week.
Interestingly, Chevrolet has bet on the Grand Sport as a more affordable alternative to the Z06 with a wide body, but without excessive power. Given that the engine in the Stingray and Grand Sport is the same, the choice between them largely comes down to design and image. The Grand Sport offers a more aggressive look and, likely, better handling thanks to a wider track, while the Stingray is a more practical and economical choice. Early production data suggests that demand for the Grand Sport is very high, which could lead to queues and even price increases on the secondary market. At the same time, the arrival of the Grand Sport X, which will replace the E-Ray, will add another interesting option to the lineup, although its volume will likely be significantly smaller.
