Chevrolet Announces New 2010 Corvette Grand Sport









2010 Corvette Grand Sport




BOWLING GREEN, Ky. –Grand Sport. It’s one of the most storied monikers in Corvette’s illustrious racing heritage. Today, Chevrolet announced it is returning to the lineup in the new, 2010 Corvette Grand Sport model.

The announcement was made at the 12th annual C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash, held at the National Corvette Museum, in Bowling Green, Ky.

The new Grand Sport combines the Corvette’s LS3-based powertrain with unique, wide-body styling and a racing-bred suspension for a distinctive model that delivers a great balance of road and race track performance. It is offered in both coupe and convertible body styles, with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The LS3 6.2L engine is rated at 430 horsepower (321 kW)* and 424 lb.-ft. of torque (575 Nm)* with the standard exhaust system. An optional two-mode exhaust system elevates the power ratings to 436 horses (325 kW) and 428 lb.-ft. (580 Nm).

The Grand Sport replaces the Corvette’s previous Z51 package and brings a greater degree of handling performance, with wider wheels and tires; revised shock, stabilizer bar and spring specifications; and specific gearing. The equipment enables cornering capability of 1.0 g, as well as a 0.2-second improvement in 0-60 acceleration vs. standard LS3-powered models.

Grand Sport coupe models equipped with the manual transmission are uniquely outfitted for race track competition, too, with a dry-sump oiling system, differential cooler and a rear-mounted battery.

The complete list of content and special features for the Grand Sport includes:

Wider front and rear fenders – including specific front fenders with integrated Grand Sport badges
Z06-style front splitter and tall rear spoiler
Functional brake ducts and extra cooling
Unique 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels; painted finish standard and chrome finish optional
Large 275/35ZR18 tires in front and 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear
Z06-size brakes, including 14-inch (355 mm) front rotors with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340 mm) rear rotors with four-piston calipers
Specific manual transmission gear ratios
Specific rear axle ratio on automatic-equipped models
With its special equipment, the Grand Sport offers a unique blend of performance and amenities. Its suspension package approaches that of the Z06, but includes a removable roof on coupes (Z06 has a fixed roof) and, of course, the availability of a convertible body style. Also, the paddle-shift six-speed automatic transmission is offered, while a manual transmission is the only choice with the Z06.

All of Corvette’s exterior colors are offered on the Grand Sport, and an available Heritage package adds iconic front fender hash marks offered in four colors, as well as two-tone seats with Grand Sport embroidery. The Grand Sport can be ordered with 1LT, 2LT, 3LT and 4LT trim packages, too.

Grand Sport history

Envisioned by legendary Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov as a factory-built, lightweight and race-ready production model that would trump domestic and foreign road-racing competitors, the original Corvette Grand Sport was a promising idea that led to the production of five special prototypes in 1963. The project was later shelved, following GM’s agreement to stay out of manufacturer-backed motorsports.

The five prototypes were based on the styling of the 1963 Corvette and were hand-assembled under Duntov’s watchful eye. But while they looked like production models, the prototypes were purpose-built race cars that shared little with their assembly-line cousins. Duntov also oversaw the Grand Sport engine program that featured a special, 377-cubic-inch small-block V-8 with side-draft carburetors.

Although never officially sanctioned by General Motors, the five Grand Sport prototypes saw extensive racing experience throughout the 1960s in the hands of “private” racers who had strong contacts within Duntov’s engineering circle. All five original cars are accounted for today and are among the most valuable in the collector market.

Chevrolet offered a limited-edition Grand Sport production model in 1996, commemorating the original racing cars and marking the end of the C4 era in Corvette production. All of the 1,000 examples were painted Admiral Blue and featured a white center stripe and red “hash mark” graphics on the left front fender, a graphic scheme that mimicked the look of some of the original race cars.

*SAE certified.

SPECIFICATIONS
Overview

Models:
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Coupe and Convertible

Body styles / driveline:
two-door hatchback coupe with removable roof; rear-wheel drive (Coupe and Convertible)

Construction:
composite body panels, hydroformed steel frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components

Manufacturing location:
Bowling Green, Ky.


Engines


6.2L V-8 LS3

Displacement (cu in / cc):
376 / 6162

Bore & stroke (in / mm):
4.06 x 3.62 / 103.25 x 92

Block material:
cast aluminum

Cylinder head material:
cast aluminum

Valvetrain:
overhead valve, two valves per cylinder

Fuel delivery:
SFI (sequential fuel injection)

Compression ratio:
10.7:1

Horsepower
(hp / kW @ rpm):
430 / 321 @ 5900* w/ std. exhaust
436 / 325 @ 5900* w/ opt. exhaust

Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm):
424 / 575 @ 4600* w/ std. exhaust
428 / 580 @ 4600* w/ opt. exhaust

Recommended fuel:
premium recommended not required

EPA estimated fuel economy (city / hwy):
15 / 25 (automatic)
16 / 26 (manual)


Transmissions


six-speed manual
six-speed paddle-shift automatic

Application:
std.
opt.

Gear ratios (:1)

First:
2.97
4.03

Second:
2.07
2.36

Third:
1.43
1.53

Fourth:
1.00
1.15

Fifth:
0.71
0.85

Sixth:
0.56
0.67

Reverse:
3.28
3.06

Final drive ratio:
3.42
2.73


Chassis / Suspension

Front:
short/long arm ( SLA) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber

Rear:
short/long arm ( SLA) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber

Traction control:
electronic traction control; Active Handling


Brakes

Type:
front and rear power-assisted disc with ABS with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, cross-drilled rotors

Rotor diameter x thickness (in / mm): front: 14 x 1.3 / 355 x 32
rear: 13.4 x 1 / 340 x 26

Brake swept area
(sq in / mm): front: 309 / 1994
rear: 269 / 1735

Wheels & Tires

Wheel size:
front: 18-inch x 9.5-inch
rear: 19-inch x 12-inch

Tires:
front: P275/35ZR18
rear: P325/30ZR19


Dimensions

Wheelbase (in / mm):
105.7 / 2685

Overall length (in / mm):
175.6 / 4460

Overall width (in / mm): 75.9 / 1928

Overall height (in / mm):
48.7 / 1236

Curb weight (lb / kg):
3311 / 1502 (Grand Sport Coupe)
3289 / 1492 (Grand Sport Convertible)

Weight distribution
(% front / rear):
51 / 49

Interior

Seating capacity
2

Interior volume (cu ft / L):
52 / 1475

Headr oom (in / mm): 38 / 962

Legroom (in / mm): 43 / 1092

Shoulder room (in / mm):
55 / 1397

Hip room (in / mm):
54 / 1371

Capacities

Cargo volume
(cu ft / L):
Coupe: 22 / 634
Convertible: 11 / 295 (top up); 7.5 / 212 (top down)

Fuel tank (gal / L):
18 / 68.1

Engine oil (qt / L):
5.5 / 5.2 (automatic transmission)
10.5 / 9.9 (manual transmission)


* SAE certified.

 

Cool package, almost like owning a LS3 powered Z06. Those tires are really wide

 

I like the wide fenders and ZO6 spoilers, along with the different gearing. However I'm concerned about how far they went with the suspension tuning. They say that it "approaches that of the ZO6," but as we all know, the ZO6's suspension isn't exactly comfortable. I know real car guys who have traded in their ZO6s because the suspension was just too much to deal with on a day in and day out basis. I wonder how much this is going to cost though. The different gearing and suspension parts really shouldn't cost more than the current Z51 package, but the fenders and spoilers can't be cheap. I'm guessing about $2k more than the current Z51 pkg. I think that's too much to pay for the harsher ride.

I think they should keep the regular Z51 pkg that we all know and love, and then provide the Grand Sport pkg as a step up.

 

The Z06 ride is not harsh. Not even close. Take a dropped 4th gen and compare the ride to a Z06 and the Z will feel like it's floating on air. I can't imagine a "real" car guy trading in a Z because the ride is to harsh. Heck my wifes GXP has a much rougher ride than the Z and it can't approach the Z for handling.

 

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Interesting. GM finally builds a Corvette that I might actually consider instead of a new Camaro. I'll have to see how pricing ends up.

 

This was a good idea. Many people want the widebody look on the base cars. In fact a lot of people do the conversion even though it is pretty expensive. The only thing that would make this a slam dunk would be if it could be had with F55.

As far as the Z51 or Z06 ride quality goes, I haven't ridden in either, but most people seem to think they are both fairly harsher than the base car or F55 in Touring. Obviously if you are on smooth as glass roads it doesn't matter, but reviewers have even mentioned how Z51 or Z06 can become unsettled a bit in bumpy corners that the F55 cars take a little more easily.

 

It looks like the front fenders are different than the Z06s, so I would imagine they are made from SMC, not carbon fiber as the Z06 fronts are. If that is so, they shouldn't be appreciably more expensive than the standard fenders (Z06 rears are SMC), that should keep the costs down. I agree though that it should be a separate package than the Z51, but to each his own.

I've thought about doing a widebody on mine, might be much more doable now if the fronts are SMC and will bolt up to the standard front bumper. Will pick up some Z06 spiderweb wheels on ebay.

Edit: Looks like you still need the Z06 nose. Bummer.

Here's a better pic...

 

A lot of people wanted a Z06 convert and this seems to be as close as one would get from Chevy.

I'm sure that won't be cheap.

So now that the Z06 has had it's body and suspension taken by the base car Chevy should update the body a bit.

 

Cool!

 

Grand Sport still doesn't have the 200lbs. lighter aluminum frame.

 

I like that alot. Especially the vents behind the front wheels. Grabs some of the Mako shark feel.

 

Just speaking from experience.

For the 08 model year GM revised the rear shocks in the Z06 to compensate for the rear end moving over broken surfaces.

Or the 427...

 

Those wheels are really nice.

 

I believe they did that for the '07 model year.