Used 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Coupe Review

The Chevrolet Corvette has been a performance icon in the United States for more than six decades now, and this 2018 version is no different. The base Stingray's powerful 6.2-liter V8 engine (455 horsepower, 460 pound-feet of torque) sits up front and drives a set of gigantic Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

If the regular Corvette Stingray is too tame, the Corvette Grand Sport raises track credibility up to near maximum levels thanks to made-for-the-track aerodynamics and mechanical modifications. Then there's the supercharged Z06. With its 650 hp, it'll lay down lap times that even European exotics costing four or five times more will have trouble matching.

Naturally, the Corvette is a sports car, replete with the usual foibles, such as two-person seating and a low ride height that makes it hard to get in and out. But you'll likely be surprised to find that the Corvette's track-ready performance doesn't come paired with a harsh ride. Across its model lineup, the Corvette continues to be the rare alpha performance car that's comfortable for normal driving, too.

Taking just one test drive in a 2018 Corvette may have you forgetting about civility and embracing what so many sports car aficionados already know: This is American performance at its best.

The 2018 Chevrolet Corvette is a two-seat sports car that is available in both coupe and convertible body types. The coupe features a removable roof panel that stows in the trunk, while the convertible has a power-operated soft top. The Stingray, Z51 and Grand Sport are split into 1LT, 2LT and 3LT subtrims; the Z06 comes in 1LZ, 2LZ and 3LZ subtrims.

Chevy fits the Stingray, Z51 and Grand Sport with a 6.2-liter V8 (455 hp, 460 lb-ft). A performance exhaust that increases output to 460 hp is available on the Stingray and included on the Z51 and Grand Sport models. A seven-speed manual transmission with automatic rev-matched downshifts is standard, while an eight-speed automatic is optional.

Standard features for the Stingray 1LT include 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels with summer tires, Brembo brakes, xenon headlights, LED running lights, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and a power-adjustable steering wheel.

You also get OnStar (with a 4G LTE data connection and Wi-Fi hotspot capability), Bluetooth, a driver information display, an 8-inch central touchscreen with Chevy's MyLink infotainment interface, a rearview camera, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a nine-speaker Bose sound system with satellite radio.

All Stingray 2LT models come with front-view parking cameras, auto-dimming driver side and rearview mirrors, a head-up display, a cargo shade (coupe only), upgraded interior trim, heated and ventilated seats with additional power adjustments, driver-seat memory settings and a 10-speaker sound system.

The Stingray 3LT models add premium leather upholstery with extended surface coverage, simulated-suede upper interior trim and a navigation system that includes the Corvette's unique performance data recorder.

The Stingray Z51 upgrades the Vette's performance potential with 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, larger front brakes, slotted brake rotors, sportier suspension tuning, revised transmission gear ratios for snappier responses (manual only), an electronic limited-slip differential, a differential cooler, dry-sump oiling for the V8 engine and a dual-mode performance exhaust.

The Grand Sport largely mirrors the Stingray Z51 in terms of feature content, but it adds a slew of performance features taken from the Z06, including an upgraded cooling system, wider fenders and tires, adaptive dampers, upgraded suspension components and bigger brakes.
Sport seats are optional on all Corvettes.

The Z06 1LZ starts with the Stingray Z51 1LT's standard equipment and adds a supercharged V8 (650 hp, 650 lb-ft), a Z06-specific sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers, larger brakes, wider tires, a carbon-fiber hood, a more aggressive aero package (including wider front and rear fenders, expanded cooling vents, and a unique front grille and rear fascia) and the head-up display. The Z06 2LZ gets the 2LT's upgrades, while the Z06 3LZ gets the 3LT's upgrades.

For the Grand Sport and Z06, Chevy offers a Z07 performance package. It adds carbon-ceramic brakes, an even more aggressively tuned suspension, bigger and stickier tires, and extra aerodynamic body pieces. For all Corvettes, various interior and exterior styling and trim upgrades are also available.