It's 'back to the future' for Corvette as GM announced today the revival of the Grand Sport moniker. But unlike the limited production 1996 Admiral Blue Grand Sport models, the new 2010 Corvette Grand Sport that will replace previous Z51 package, actually comes equipped with many upgrades and features including wider fenders that house beefier 18-inch alloy wheels in 275/35ZR18 tires up front and 19-inch wheels shod in 325/30ZR19 tires at the back plus a race-spec suspension with revised shock, stabilizer bar and spring specifications.
Beneath the bonnet, the Grand Sport retains the LS3 6.2-liter V8 rated at 430HP (436HP with the optional two-mode exhaust system) and 424 lb-ft or 575Nm of torque that can be matched to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Sport models fitted with a manual gearbox come with a dry-sump oiling system, differential cooler and a rear-mounted battery.
Corvette claims that these upgrades enable cornering capability of 1.0 g, as well as a 0.2-second improvement in 0-60 acceleration compared to the standard LS3-powered Vettes.
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
