Exactly 70 years after the Corvette debuted at Motorama in New York City, Chevrolet has returned to introduce the first-ever electrified Corvette with all-wheel-drive and a powerful 6.2L LT2 Small Block V-8, the 2024 E-Ray.

"In 1953, the enthusiastic reaction to the Chevrolet Corvette concept kicked off seven decades of passion, performance and American ingenuity," said Mark Reuss, General Motors president. "E-Ray, as the first electrified, all-wheel-drive Corvette, takes it a step further and expands the promise of what Corvette can deliver."

Developed to be the Corvette owners can arrive in anywhere, no matter the season, the new E-Ray - available in removeable roof coupe and hardtop convertible models - uses electrification to enhance the driving experience with intense straight-line performance, all-weather confidence and sure-footed grand touring capabilities that can only be achieved with eAWD.

E-Ray is also the only sports car pairing two separate propulsion systems to provide naturally aspirated V-8 power with electrified responsiveness powered by eAWD, making it one like none.

"Corvette has been a halo for Chevrolet since 1953," said Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. "E-Ray's unprecedented blend of confidence, luxury performance, sophistication and style provides a new reason for more people to experience Corvette."

The E-Ray is the quickest production Corvette in history, clocking a 2.5-second 0-60 mph time before breezing through the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds.

"Corvettes must provide an exhilarating driving experience on backroads and tracks, and E-Ray nails it," said Tadge Juechter, executive chief engineer, Corvette. "The electrification technology enhances the feeling of control in all conditions, adding an unexpected degree of composure."

A near immediate feeling of thrust from low-end torque is core to the Corvette driving experience, and the E-Ray packs plenty of it. Power comes from the 6.2L LT2 Small Block V-8, putting 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque to the rear axle. It is complemented by an electric motor that channels an additional 160 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels via a 1.9 kWh battery pack, which is located between the seats. In total, E-Ray produces a combined 655 horsepower from both the electric motor and Small Block V-8.

Creating its own lane

E-Ray's intelligent eAWD system is constantly learning the road surface, seamlessly adapting to meet traction conditions and driver needs. During spirited driving and in low traction environments, E-Ray's eAWD system applies additional power to the front wheels, helping to enhance vehicle stability.

There is no need for plug-in charging for the E-Ray's battery system. The battery is charged via regenerative energy from coasting and braking, as well as during normal driving.

Additional features and technologies of the all-new E-Ray include:

• Stealth Mode, an electric drive mode for the street, up to 45 mph
• New lightweight lithium-ion 12-volt battery that supports the LT2 V-8 engine's stop/start functionality
• Standard Brembo Carbon Ceramic brake system for optimal braking performance
• Standard Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 with three distinct suspension settings
• Staggered 20- and 21-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tires. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires are available with an optional performance package
• Low, wide stance with crafted body styling that is 3.6 inches wider overall than Stingray
• Visceral sound experience that embodies the car's dominating presence. The electric front motor works in harmony with the LT2 engine to create an invigorating sound
• Enhanced roster of driver assistance technologies (shared with all 2024 Corvette models), including Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert and Automatic Emergency Braking.

Electrified propulsion details

The 2024 Corvette E-Ray's electrified propulsion system provides exhilarating acceleration to power out of corners and effortlessly complete passing maneuvers. It can also provide limited all-electric propulsion at the driver's discretion upon startup.

E-Ray's standard Active Fuel Management system uses the electric motor to extend 4-cylinder operation in various driving scenarios.

The amount of electric assist is tailored within each of the Corvette E-Ray's six driver-selectable modes: Tour, Sport, Track, Weather, My Mode and Z-Mode. Drivers can also select the Charge+ feature which maximizes the battery's state of charge.

E-Ray Performance App on the infotainment system provides the driver with technical insights into how the propulsion system is operating. There are three primary display layouts:

• Gauges (displays dynamic power output from electric motor and V-8 engine)
• Dyno (provides graph of power/torque across selectable time intervals)
• Data (showcases electrical system performance and efficiency).

The Corvette E-Ray's electric motor over the front axle is compact, preserving space in the front storage compartment.

Stealth Mode and tracking the E-Ray

The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray's two driver-initiated electric modes enable the car to travel under electric propulsion in certain conditions. The electric motor also optimizes track performance.

Stealth Mode enables all-electric driving, when selected at start-up, for a period of time before the engine turns on for normal driving. It is designed for quietly exiting a neighborhood, with a maximum speed of 45 mph. The engine automatically engages if the vehicle's speed exceeds the limit, additional torque is requested by the driver, or the E-Ray's battery pack is depleted.

When it comes to leveraging the electrified propulsion system for enhanced track performance, E-Ray's eAWD control system applies torque to the front axle as needed. The Charge+ feature can be used to maximize battery state of charge for extended lapping.

The custom-designed Performance Traction Management (PTM) modes are optimized in concert with the eAWD propulsion system.

Distinguished design

E-Ray's appearance builds on the refined athletic styling and performance-driven design Corvette customers know and love.

At a glance, the E-Ray shares its purposeful, wide-body proportions with the Z06, accommodating wide wheels that help manage the car's greater torque delivery. The lightweight alloy wheels have a twisted five-spoke star design that is exclusive to E-Ray.

"There's never been a Corvette like E-Ray and its sophisticated design reflects that," said Phil Zak, executive design director, Global Chevrolet. "It starts with the body color trim which draws your full attention to the exotic proportions of the E-Ray. The interiors allow customers to reflect their individual personalities with their choice of color executions that provide a refined or dynamic sport look and feel."

E-Ray design highlights include:

• Four aluminum wheel finishes
• Fourteen exterior color choices - including new for 2024 Riptide Blue, Seawolf Gray and Cacti
• An E-Ray-exclusive body-length stripe package in Electric Blue
• Standard carbon flash badging
• Available black exhaust tips and bright badging
• Available carbon fiber ground effects
• Optional carbon fiber wheels in carbon flash, visible carbon fiber finish or visible carbon fiber with a red stripe

The E-Ray also introduces the all-new Artemis Dipped interior, which features complementary deep green tones on nearly every interior surface and will only be available on 2024 Corvettes. There are multiple options for customers to select when it comes to personalizing their E-Ray's interior including two carbon fiber trim packages, three seat choices, seven interior colors, and more.

Additionally, there are new Charge+ and Stop/Start buttons on the console and updates to the infotainment system and instrument cluster aimed at providing a more integrated appearance.

Coming in 2023

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray goes on sale in 2023, with an MSRP of $104,295 for the 1LZ coupe and $111,295 for the 1LZ convertible model, with production to take place at GM's Bowling Green Assembly facility in Kentucky, from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

Chevrolet debuted the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar, a year before it makes its competition debut at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Making its public debut at Daytona International Speedway ahead of the 2023 Rolex 24, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet's first racecar that fully meets FIA technical regulations for GT3 cars.

Design and development of the mid-engine Z06 GT3.R is a collaboration between GM's Competition Motorsports Engineering division and Pratt Miller Engineering. With an eye specifically toward customer racing, the Z06 GT3.R will be eligible for multiple championships in North America and around the world with a high level of parts and technical support available for its customers.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R will race for the first time as part of the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

"The Corvette Z06 GT3.R breaks new ground for Chevrolet and the Corvette Racing program," said Mark Stielow, director, GM Motorsports Engineering Competition. "This customer-focused racecar leverages learnings from throughout Corvette Racing's lengthy and successful history, plus the expertise of our Corvette production design, engineering and powertrain teams."

Track and street

The Z06 GT3.R is a landmark racing vehicle for Chevrolet. Based on the highly acclaimed mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Z06 supercar, this new race car takes the level of technology transfer between racing and production to a new level with more shared components and features than ever before.

"Corvette Racing has been an important influence on the design of Corvette production cars for 25 years," said Tadge Juechter, executive chief engineer, Corvette. "Corvette production and racing teams worked together closely in development to maximize the benefits of a mid-engine design, sharing lessons learned that set both programs up for all-out performance on the track."

The Z06 GT3.R begins its life as an aluminum chassis frame from Chevrolet's Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky[i]. The frame provides a lightweight yet strong and durable underpinning for both Z06 and Z06 GT3.R. Once in Michigan at Pratt Miller, a purpose-built steel roll cage is welded onto a base plate, which is secured to the chassis.

A double-wishbone suspension at the front and rear promotes a higher level of adjustability and fitment of racing-specific tire sizes. This is the same front and rear suspension configuration as on the Z06 production vehicle.

The motorsports engineering team added race springs and dampers, competition-specific rotors, calipers and pads. The Z06 GT3.R rides on 18-inch front and rear wheels - the same as on the C8.R.

Advanced aerodynamic strategies also link the road-going Corvette and its GT3 counterpart. Motorsports engineers worked with the GM Design Studio to develop an aero package specific to the Z06 GT3.R to optimize levels of downforce, stability, drag reduction and cooling.

The goal was to design a GT3-spec Corvette that is suitable across different tire specifications, balance-of-performance settings and other customer preferences while not sacrificing performance or drivability on a variety of tracks and racing surfaces.

In order to enhance performance of the Z06 and Z06 GT3.R, each uses similar carbon fiber splitters which provide optimal downforce at the front of the vehicles. On the underside of the Z06 GT3.R, a new and purpose-designed carbon fiber diffuser routes air from the front of the car toward the rear in order to create an optimal level of overall stability.

The underbody aerodynamic devices work together in complementing the functionality of a new-for-2024 wing that aids in airflow at the rear of the Z06 GT3.R and the creation of downforce for enhanced cornering ability.

Aggressive and efficient ducting will move air to cool internal components. Intakes at the front of the Z06 GT3.R draw in air to cool the front brakes. A single, large opening on the hood - a new design philosophy from the C8.R - extracts out air after it moves over the radiator.

From the top of the windshield to the rear of the car, the surface elements of the Z06 stayed intact for the Z06 GT3.R, accentuating the tie between production and racing. Most notable are side air ducts behind the doors - directly inspired by Z06 production road car - that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes.

Corvette production power for Z06 GT3.R

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R will feature a 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft DOHC V-8 engine derived from the production Z06. This engine began on-track development in 2019 with the initial testing of the C8.R, ahead of its use in the production Z06.

The LT6 engine for the GT3.R originates from the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, the same line on which all production Corvette Z06 engines are built.

The 5.5L powerplant shares more than 70 percent of its parts with the production Z06 engine, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors.

"Racing continues to play a key role in the development of our production engines," said Russ O'Blenes, director, Performance and Racing Propulsion Team. "There were valuable lessons learned during the C5-R through C7.R programs that aided in the development of our V-8 engines for production and racing - many dealing with efficiency, materials and light-weighting. The flow of information from Corvette Racing to production engineering and back has helped us build race and street-car engines that are fast, reliable and efficient."

Safety structure features

Chevrolet and Pratt Miller have worked together to incorporate a number of features into the GT3.R, building on safety construction from the C8.R. The Z06 GT3 features a side-impact crash structure between the driver's side door and roll cage. Pioneered in the C7.R, the box features an outer casing of carbon fiber and Kevlar, and is filled with an aluminum honeycomb construction.

The GT3 Corvette's integrated steel roll cage is slightly modified from the current racing Corvette to provide easier ingress and egress.

Testing

The reveal of the Z06 GT3.R follows a two-year testing program. Virtual simulation through Chevrolet's Driver in the Loop simulator began in early 2021.

The first on-track test of the Z06 GT3.R took place in September 2022 - which means the Z06 GT3.R will have a full year of on-track development when it gets into the hands of customers in the third quarter of 2023.

"We're all very pleased with the results from the track testing program so far," said Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM sports car racing program manager. "What's even more encouraging is the correlation between simulator sessions and what we're finding in the real-world track testing. It's another level of validation that gives us confidence in the development process."

Driven by success

The Z06 GT3.R is the latest in a line of championship-winning Corvette race cars that date back to the late 1990s and the introduction of Corvette Racing and the Corvette C5-R. Entering its 25th season, the program has scored 122 race victories around the world, including 113 in IMSA competition.

Those wins have led to 14 Manufacturer's and Driver's championships and 15 Team titles. No team in IMSA history has won more races or championships than Corvette Racing in that span.

The mid-engine C8.R - the predecessor of the Z06 GT3.R - has won 15 times around the world since its on-track debut in 2020. The 2023 season will be its second and last with a dual program in both the WeatherTech Championship and the FIA WEC. The latter will move from the current GTE regulations to the global GT3 platform beginning in 2024.

Customer support and options

Chevrolet and Corvette Racing is establishing a complete customer support program that will be available to teams running the Z06 GT3.R in North America and elsewhere around the world.

An at-track parts truck will be a fixture at North American race events starting in 2024 with expansion to overseas support ramping up in the first two years of the Z06 GT3.R program.

Corvette Racing will carry full spares packages of bodywork and internal components for its customer teams in supported championships. On the technical side, engineers will assist teams with items such as pre-race documentation, including chassis setup and data sharing plus post-event documentation, data analysis, and relative comparisons.

Full engineering, race strategy and other items also are incremental support options for Corvette Z06 GT3.R customer teams.

Customer integration doesn't stop at the racetrack. Corvette Racing and GM Motorsports engineers will be available for remote engineering and operations support,

"Supporting our customers is an area where we are putting in a lot of time and effort," said Christie Bagne, GM assistant sports car racing program manager. "With this being our first customer GT3 offering, we have had meetings with many prospective customers to learn from their previous experiences, find what is important to them from a support standpoint and come up with a program that meets their expectations."

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After decades of epic sports-car battles between Chevrolet Corvettes and Porsche 911s, Chevy is queuing up a new rivalry against Stuttgart's highest-performing SUVs. Rather than expend resources to designate a new lineup of high-test sport-utility vehicles, Chevrolet will call its subbrand a name synonymous with performance: Corvette.

It's shocking General Motors took this long to add a true performance SUV to one of its model lines. After all, Porsche's high-roof five-seaters—the Macan and Cayenne—continue to be its bestsellers year after year. Their high profit margins fund insanity such as the 718 GT4 RS and the 911 GT3 RS.

Remove any previous expectations that the Corvette SUV will be electrified, at least not at first. The SUV will be built on the celebrated Alpha platform that underpins the Camaro and the spectacular Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings. The platform alone suggests the Corvette SUV will be both entertaining to drive and potentially sold in two sizes. Again, think Macan and Cayenne.

The Alpha platform allows access to GM's vast powertrain catalog. If Chevy builds a Macan competitor, we'd expect a 300-plus-hp turbo four to serve as the base engine and a twin-turbo V-6 with 400 or so horsepower at the top. To challenge the Cayenne, the larger SUV will get that twin-turbo V-6, while the nearly 500-hp 6.2-liter V-8 will belt out its American song in the higher trims. Expect the Vette SUV to come standard with all-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic across the board, with magnetorheological dampers an optional extra.

At the top of the Corvette SUV lineup is where things should get very interesting. After the initial launch, and to no one's surprise, the SUV will receive the Z0-something treatment to put the most exotic utility vehicles directly in Chevrolet's crosshairs. The Cadillac Escalade V's supercharged 682-hp 6.2-liter V-8 should do it, along with carbon-ceramic brakes and tires as wide as the Mississippi. All of this while still undercutting the competition by tens of thousands of dollars.

We expect Chevy to reveal the Corvette SUV later this year and for it to arrive at dealerships in the latter half of 2024 with a starting price of around $60,000.

Corvette Executive Chief Engineer, Tadge Juechter, is retiring. All good things must come to an end it seems, even if that good thing lasts for over three decades. Juechter began working with Corvettes in 1993, joining at the tail end of the C4’s reign as America’s sports car, but just in time to dig into the then-revolutionary C5. Prior to the launch of the C7 Corvette, Juechter was promoted to Corvette Chief Engineer, just the fifth person to hold that title. When the Obama administration realized that Corvette was one of the only profitable model lines, the C7 arrived. Tadge and his team followed it up with the brilliant, mid-engine C8 Corvette, the machine that took home our 2020 Car of the Year honors. The raced-out Z06 iteration then won our 2023 Performance Vehicle of the Year award. Not bad, Tadge.

Juechter’s career at General Motors stretches back further than his 31-year run with Corvettes. A Stanford double grad, with degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering, he joined GM in 1977 at the infamous Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant. And actually, Tadge spent two summers working on GM assembly lines while in school. That’s a 47-plus-year career at the General. Not bad at all.

Back to Tadge’s amazing Corvettes. There were so many great ones. The great C5 and the fantastic C5 Z06, followed by the excellent C6, the incredible C6 Z06 with its amazing 7.0-liter V-8 (a motor that deserves to be in an engine hall of fame), a car that’s as underrated these days as anything we’ve driven. Let’s not forget the $100,000, 638-horsepower supercharged C7 ZR1. While the C7 itself wasn’t the great leap forward that the C6 was (hey man, bankruptcy is hard), the subsequent Grand Sport was a home run, and the Z06 was pretty damn good. Sure the 775 hp, 715 lb-ft of torque C7 ZR1 produced more gumption than the chassis could handle, but at least Tadge and the gang built it. If we say any more nice things about the mid-engined masterpiece that is the C8, we’ll be accused of being on Chevy’s payroll. Well, accused more than we usually are.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to work at this company, leading the men and women who have brought to life one of the most iconic and recognizable vehicles in recent American history,” said Juechter. That latter part’s a great point, as we recently named the Chevrolet Corvette as the most iconic vehicle of the last 75 years. “Their tenacity and ability to push what is possible with every variant and generation of Corvette was inspiring to see. I know the future of the nameplate is in the right hands.” We shall see on that last part, though based on what we’ve driven recently and also what we know about the upcoming Corvette ZR1 (two turbos strapped to the Z06’s 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V-8 plus some form of electrification on the front axle), we can give Juechter the benefit of the doubt.