‘America’s Supercar’: All-New Corvette E-Ray Joins Stingray and Z06 Models in Australia

The Chevrolet Corvette is ‘America’s Supercar’, but it’s quickly become Australia’s, too. The eighth generation of this famous nameplate is fast making a name for itself Down Under as a factory-built right-hand-drive supercar that brings a storied legacy, precision engineering, masterful design, and mid-engine, V8-powered performance to the garages of all those who look for the pinnacle of performance luxury.

We’ve spent time behind the wheel of each and every one of these vehicles: Stingray, E-Ray, and Z06, and in this article, we’re going to showcase their best features and performance characteristics, as well as explain why we believe there’s a Corvette for everyone. Here’s everything you need to know about the Corvette line-up in Australia—brought to you by GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV)—as told by someone who’s driven them all.

Corvette E-Ray, the Groundbreaking Hybrid

We want to start with the E-Ray (from AUD$275,000 plus on-road costs) because we’ve never experienced anything like this in a Corvette before. With an electrified all-wheel-drive system that works with an LT2 6.2L V8 engine to produce 488kW/806Nm, it strikes the perfect balance between the track-focused Z06 and the ultimate everyday Stingray.

This is not your typical hybrid supercar or electric vehicle. The LT2 6.2-litre V8 engine in the middle of the car is not mechanically connected to the 119kW, 169Nm electric motor at the front axle, which means the 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack doesn’t need to be charged. Think of the E-Ray not as a traditional hybrid but as an efficient performance vehicle with electrified propulsion.

This idea is underscored by the new addition of Stealth Mode, which lets you quietly exit your neighbourhood using the electric motor range for up to four to six kilometres. SImilarly, Shuttle Mode deactivates the car’s V8 to help you quietly move your car around in a confined environment.

With 488kW of power and a monstrous 806Nm of torque from the combined engine and electric motor, Chevrolet claims a blistering 0 to 100km/h time of 2.9 seconds for the E-Ray. However, we achieved an even quicker time of just 2.3 seconds using the car’s onboard computer at a recent media launch at Sandown Raceway. This makes it one of the quickest cars we’ve ever tested in a straight line.

You would assume that a car this aggressive-looking and fast would be an unpleasant vehicle to drive every day, but you’d be wrong. With Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S summer tyres and Magnetic Selective Ride Control 4.0™, the E-Ray is one of the most comfortable performance vehicles we’ve ever driven.

Of course, the inside of the E-Ray is just as impressive. Eight-way powered driver and passenger seats (with heating and ventilation) are featured as standard alongside all the technology you could ask for, including a full-colour head-up display, a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series audio system, and a large 8.0-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Like all new Corvettes in Australia, the E-Ray has a myriad of safety systems, including forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, auto high beam assist, and low-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

“The Corvette is a true icon of the performance car world, and with the surety of all-wheel drive, E-Ray isn’t only our quickest Corvette yet, but it’s the ultimate all-weather, all-condition supercar,” said Jess Bala, Managing Director, General Motors Australia and New Zealand.

Corvette Stingray, the Ultimate Everyday

We’ve spent the most time in the Corvette Stingray, and it is, quite simply, the ultimate everyday supercar in the lineup. It is available as a removable roof coupe or a hard-top convertible with two trims: 2LT (from AUD$182,000 plus on-road costs) and 3LT (from AUD$197,000 plus on-road costs).

Regardless of your trim, both come with the LT2 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 that produces 369kW and 637Nm. This is good for a 0-100km/h time of just 3.4 seconds, which makes it one of the quickest cars on the market. However, during our week with the car, it was the sound that stood out.

This is thanks to the standard Z51 Performance Package that adds a performance exhaust alongside Z51 performance suspension with magnetic selective ride control and performance traction management, Z51 performance Brembo® Brakes, Z51 front splitter and rear spoiler, electronic limited-slip differential, and more.

New for models in 2024 are the updated safety systems, which come as standard across the range. This includes Forward Collision Warning, Lane-Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam Assist, and low-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

You also get all the creature comforts of all Corvette models, including a full-colour head-up display, a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series audio system, and a large 8.0-inch central touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. New for 2024 models is a soft-close bonnet, three new exterior colours, and two new wheel options.

However, for all these features, what we enjoyed most about our time in the Corvette Stingray was putting the removable roof in the trunk (it neatly fits behind the engine) and just driving with the music turned up and the engine humming along in the background.

Corvette Z06, the Precision Track Tool

The Z06 (from AUD$336,000) is Australia’s most aggressive, focused, and capable Corvette. It features a flat-plane crank V8 hand-assembled by master engine builders in Bowling Green, Kentucky, that produces 475kW of power and screams out to 8,600rpm. Simply put, it’s the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 ever made.

While it can launch from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.0 seconds, the most impressive feature is not the straight-line performance but how this car handles. Larger brakes and a bespoke magnetic ride control 4.0 (FE6) suspension tune are fitted to the Z06 as standard. The body is also wider and more aggressive than the Stingray, with spoiler wicker bills, rear brake cooling ducts, a removable front fascia panel, and front underwing stall gurneys to increase downforce. It commands attention and has an unmatched road presence.

Our test car took things to the next level with the Z07 Performance Package. This adds a larger carbon fibre rear wing, ground effects, specific chassis tuning, a specific magnetic ride control calibration, unique Michelin Cup 2 R ZP tyres, and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. Together, it increases downforce to 333kg at 300km/h—more than any Corvette ever made.

Finally, to underscore just how performance-focused this car is, you can even get five-spoke, single-piece carbon fibre wheels. This saves 18.6 kg of unsprung rotational mass, and Carbon Revolution has been producing them in Waurn Ponds, Victoria, since mid-2022.

There’s a Corvette for Everyone

We’ve spent time in all of the Corvettes on sale in Australia, and the most impressive thing about America’s supercars is how there’s a model for everyone. You can get the ultimate everyday in the Stingray, the Z06 for track-focused performance, and the best of all worlds with the E-Ray, which debuts several firsts for the brand globally.

You can check out all the Chevrolet Corvette models on sale in Australia at the GM Specialty Vehicles website below, and a full model overview at the end of this article.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT Coupe & Convertible Overview

POWERTRAIN: 6.2L LT2 V8, 369kW, 637Nm, 8sp dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters

FEATURES

• Dual-zone climate
• Cruise control
• Wireless phone charging
• Bose 14-speaker Performance Series audio
• 8.0-inch Diagonal Colour Touch Screen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Performance Data Recorder
• Full-colour head-up display
• 12-inch configurable colour cluster
• Front curb camera view

Z51 PERFORMANCE PACKAGE

• Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Performance Tyres 245/35ZR19 front & 305/30ZR20 rear
• Z51 performance suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control and performance traction management
• Z51 performance Brembo® Brakes
• Z51 Front Splitter and Rear Spoiler
• Performance exhaust
• Manually adjustable rear suspension
• Enhanced engine cooling
• Electronic limited-slip differential
• 19-inch front, 20-inch rear alloys

SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE

• Rear camera mirror
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• HD front and rear Vision Camera
• Rear park assist
• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Central locking interior storage – glove box and console
• Forward Collision Alert with Low-Speed AEB
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• Front Distance Indicator
• Front Pedestrian Braking
• Intelligent auto high beam assist

INTERIOR TRIM

• Eight-way powered driver and passenger seats
• Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated seats
• GT1 seat design (GT2 optional)
• Leather door panels
• Luggage nets (front & rear)
• Performance exhaust
• Front Lift Suspension System with memory
• Rear spoiler
• Heated, body-coloured mirrors
• Keyless access with push-button start
• Soft close engine hatch cover and frunk

CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY 3LT COUPE & CONVERTIBLE adds:

• GT2 seat design (Competition seat optional)
• Leather-wrapped instrument panel
• Suede microfibre-wrapped upper interior trim

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Coupe Overview

POWERTRAIN: 6.2L LT2 V8 and front-axle electric drive unit, 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery, eAWD, 488kW, 806Nm, 8sp dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters

ZER PERFORMANCE PACKAGE

• ZER Performance Suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control™
• Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP Performance tyres – 275/30ZR20 front and 345/25ZR21 rear
• Spoiler wicker

DISTINGUISHED DESIGN AND FEATURES

• Wider body proportions (+9.4cm) than Stingray
• Standard Ground Effects
• Standard Carbon Ceramic Brakes
• Standard body-colour accents
• Staggered 20” and 21” unique E-Ray wheels
• Specific suspension tuning, including Magnetic Ride Control 4.0
• Unique rear spoiler with adjustable wicker bills
• In-vehicle performance app
• Stealth Mode

INTERIOR TRIM

• Eight-way powered driver and passenger seats
• Carbon fibre and leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel
• GT2 seat design (Competition seat optional)

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe Overview

POWERTRAIN: 5.5L LT6 DOHC V8, 475kW/595Nm, 8sp dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters

DISTINGUISHED DESIGN AND FEATURES

• Wider body proportions (+9.4cm) than Stingray
• Staggered 20” and 21” unique Z06 wheels
• Unique rear spoiler with adjustable wicker bills
• Specific suspension tuning, including Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and larger brakes (six-piston front) than the Stingray
• Eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a specific, “shorter” 5.56 final drive ratio compared to the Corvette Stingray

AVAILABLE PACKAGES Z07 Performance Package (optional)

• Z07 Performance Suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control™
• Brembo Performance Carbon Ceramic Brakes: 5.7-inch front rotors, 15.4-inch rear rotors
• Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R 275/30ZR20 front & 345/25ZR21 rear ultra-performance tyres
• Visible carbon fibre aero package
• Carbon fibre ground effects, underbody strakes, high-wing spoiler and dive planes
• Visible carbon fibre wheels 20-inch front, 21-inch rear (optional)