Corvette supercar is inspired by fighter jets
Holden will take on the world’s most famous marques with a mid-engine Corvette supercar. Tipped to cost $150,000 to $200,000 when it reaches Australia, the model will be the most expensive Holden on sale while undercutting the likes of Ferrari by a significant margin.
Unlike V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro models sold by HSV, which must undergo a comprehensive left to right-hand drive conversion in Melbourne, the Corvette will be built in Kentucky ready for sale in Australia.
Holden managing director Dave Buttner says confirmation the Corvette is on the way “is hugely exciting for our team at Holden and any Australian who loves high performance cars”.
“With our long history in motor racing, performance vehicles are an indelible part of
the Holden brand,” he says. “Our team is totally revved up to build on Holden’s performance legacy with the most technologically advanced Corvette ever built.
“We look forward to taking on the European and Japanese performance vehicles with some highly sophisticated American muscle.”
In common with Formula One cars and exotic road-going models sold by the likes of Lamborghini, the Corvette’s engine and transmission are positioned behind the driver for optimum weight distribution.
General Motors president and former Holden executive Mark Reuss says “the traditional frontengine vehicle reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout”.
“In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history,” he says. “Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board.”
Powered by a roaring naturally aspirated (as opposed to turbocharged) 6.2-litre V8, the Corvette sends 369kW and 637Nm to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic similar to the latest Porsche 911.
Full details will be confirmed closer to the model’s debut. Meanwhile, expect a 0-100km/h time in the low three-second bracket and a top speed in excess of 300km/h.
Enthusiasts can opt for a Z51 package with manually adjustable performance suspension, bigger Brembo brakes, free-breathing exhaust, improved cooling and alternative rear axle ratio for improved acceleration. Other options include a torque-vectoring diff, multi-mode magnetic suspension and high-downforce aero kit.
Fans who want 400kW-plus performance should wait for inevitable Z06 or ZR1-badged models likely to pack extra thrust.
The entry-level Corvette Stingray is intended to work as a daily-driven proposition helped by features such as a front lifting kit to raise the nose by 40mm for steep driveways and speed bumps. Drivers can program frequently visited locations into the GPS-linked lifters so they don’t need to remember to press a button.
As in European supercars, a glass panel shows off the engine bay. Designed with aesthetics in mind, it keeps messy wires and cables concealed.
Australian designer Michael Simcoe managed the styling team for the Corvette — which he describes as “America’s most iconic performance nameplate”. Inspiration came from fighter jets such as the new F-35 operated by the US Air Force and RAAF.
“Redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team with a historical opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for more than 60 years,” Simcoe says.
The driver-focused cabin includes digital instruments and a compact steering wheel with paddle-shifters. Far from being a stripped-out track day special, the ’Vette is available with heated and cooled seats, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and 14speaker Bose premium sound.
Important features are placed on or near key controls and the likes of cabin temperature and fan settings occupy an eye-catching spar separating the driver and passenger.
The military theme continues with performance textiles inspired by bulletproof Kevlar vests.
Chevrolet says the Corvette is easier to live with than competitors that demanding acts of bodily contortion just to get in. Owners can remove a targa-style roof panel and store it in the rear of the car for open-topped motoring.