American express: Why the new Corvette is utterly brilliant

I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

When I first drove the new Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray I was left a little… unconvinced, shall we say, by its driving character. That’s because my first time behind the wheel of this new hybrid version of the American icon was at Sandown Raceway and was limited exclusively to the track.

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That left me a bit disappointed by the heavier front end, which is a necessary evil thanks to the addition of a new 119kW electric motor to drive the front wheels, while the 369kW V8 engine powers the rear wheels. But that heavy front end just dulled what was one of the strengths of the eighth-generation ‘Vette, its razor-sharp turn-in.

However, getting the E-Ray away from the racetrack (and direct comparison with its track-bred Z06 sibling) helps to put it into fresh perspective. Having spent some time in the E-Ray over summer I’m not just happy I was wrong, I’m deeply impressed by what Chevrolet has managed to produce – a genuine rival to European sports cars.

It was a bold claim from the American giant when it claimed the new mid-engine Corvette had been designed to take on Europe’s best, which includes the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini (to name just a few). And yet, that’s exactly what the Chevy has done, a more so with the E-Ray than the ‘regular’ Stingray.

The addition of the electric motor adds more than just performance to the E-Ray – but it also adds a lot of performance. The front-mounted e-motor helps boost the total system output of the hybrid ‘Vette to 488kW of power and 806Nm of torque, which isn’t as much power as you’ll get in the Ferrari 296 GTB (610kW/740Nm) or new Lamborghini Temerario (686kW/730Nm) but you’ll notice it has both the Italians beat for torque.

Crucially, the hybrid system helps with performance, turning the E-Ray into an all-wheel drive Corvette which allows it to sprint 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds (for the record the Ferrari takes 2.9secs and Lambo claims 2.7secs for its newbie). From the driver’s seat it feels every millisecond that quick, literally shoving you back in your seat when you plant the throttle. It’s without question one of the hardest accelerating cars I’ve ever driven.

What makes it even better, particularly for the kind of person attracted to performance cars like this is the noise. Because instead of a turbocharged V6 or even a turbo V8, there’s a good ol’ fashion American small-block naturally-aspirated V8, so it makes the most wonderful, visceral sound you can imagine as it revs all the way to the redline. It’s nothing less than aural delight as the electric motor emits a noticeable whine that could almost pass for a subtle supercharger whine, but is actually electricity helping to launch you as hard as a space shuttle on take-off (or what I imagine that feels like).

But more than just being one of the most ferocious accelerating cars, with the most wonderful V8 soundtrack that I’ve driven, the E-Ray also impressed in the corners and in doing so wiped away those doubts from Sandown. No, it’s still not the Corvette to buy if you want to do regular track days (that’s the Z06) but on the road, particularly some of the more sinuous stretches of backroad I enjoy testing all the most dynamic cars on.

Even in slippery conditions after a summer rain shower the E-Ray felt glued to the road. The huge rubber at each corner provides excellent mechanical grip, but the chassis tuning is nothing short of excellent. I know the American brands do not have the reputation for creating the most precise automotive instruments, but in the Corvette C8 Chevrolet has created its technical masterpiece.

The steering felt great on a winding road, allowing for pinpoint accuracy as a driver. While it is still ‘heavier’ than the Stingray, it’s not ‘heavy’ (if that makes sense) and it still has the pointy front-end that I love about this latest Corvette. You simply point the nose where you want to go and the rest of the car falls into line without any fuss or drama. It allows you to push along with confidence… and a big grin on your face.

And yet, despite being sharper, more responsive and more dynamic than any previous Corvette, the E-Ray still manages to retain the everyday usability that made the old front-engine generations so appealing. As strange as this sounds, I think the Corvette is the new Audi R8, in the sense that the former German machine was arguably the most ‘liveable supercar’ on the market. Sure, it’s a mid-engine, track-capable performance beast, but it’s also a breeze to take to the shops.

Seriously, I had the E-Ray over summer and often found myself choosing it over my other on-test SUV simply because, aside from the need to hit the front lift button when entering car parks, the Corvette is a comfortable and easy car to take anywhere. It manages to combine the attention-grabbing, head-turning looks of a Lamborghini but is nowhere near as ostentatious or comfort-compromised as an Italian supercar.

Sure, the interior of the Corvette is not on the same level as what you can get from the Euros, but neither is the price tag. Starting at $275,000 (plus on-road costs) the Corvette E-Ray is nearly $300k cheaper than the 296 GTB (from $568,300) and McLaren 750S (from $585,800), but certainly doesn’t feel $300k slower.

In fact, given the limited supply of Corvettes in Australia, it’s almost as rare as one of its European counterparts, so it’s not like you’re buying a ‘cheap’ or ‘common’ supercar. Only 11 examples of the E-Ray were sold in 2024, but it only went on sale in the final months of the year, but even the 441 Corvettes total (E-Ray, Z06 and Stingray) is still relatively small. Porsche sold more than 700 911s and even Ferrari managed nearly 200 sales.

All things considered, the Corvette E-Ray is a genuinely brilliant car, and I’d certainly put it on my short list if I was looking for a ‘money-no-object’ supercar. It’s blend of everyday usability with mind-bending performance, plus that intoxicating V8 soundtrack make it something special, even when compared to the best Europe has to offer.