2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
“There’s no replacement for displacement,” or so goes the classic sports car rule. You want to go faster? Add more cylinders or bore out the block. And Chevrolet certainly demonstrated how the old saw rings true with the latest version of the Corvette Z06. With a 5.5-liter V-8, it’s the most powerful version of “America’s sports car” ever. But here’s the surprise: it’s not the fastest. When it comes to neck-snapping, off-the-line acceleration, the crown goes to the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.
That “E,” as you might guess, stands for “electrified,” and it’s the first-ever hybrid version of Chevy’s two-seater. The added electric motor also translates to the first all-wheel-drive ’Vette. By traditional standards, the 670 horsepower Z06 should dust the hybrid model which makes only 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. But slip into track mode, slam your foot to the floor and the V-8 responds with a menacing roar, the near-silent electric drive instantly delivering 100 percent of its torque. Together, they reward you with a 2.5 second 0-60 launch, a couple tenths faster than the Z06—which barely catches up at the quarter-mile mark. Stealth mode, meanwhile, lets you drive up to four miles entirely on electric power.
The latest-generation Corvette is more than just a straight-line sled. It stands up well even against such vaunted European marques as Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini. Flat out, on the twistiest road course, it maintains its composure. Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tires lock the pavement in a death grip. It also helps that E-Ray is equipped with the latest-generation magnetic ride control. A magnetically sensitive fluid in each of its dampers can go anywhere from squishy soft to firm in about the time it takes to travel an inch at 60 mph, keeping E-Ray firmly planted.
At first glance, you might confuse the E-Ray and Z06. Each has a wider body with an aggressive stance. Tipoffs that you’re looking at the hybrid include a unique front splitter and body colored air breathers just ahead of the doors. Surprisingly, the hybrid comes with standard carbon-ceramic brakes, a costly upgrade on the Z06. The cabin is far more lavish than in past generations of the Corvette, with multiple displays oriented towards the driver.
E-Ray is as close as you get to an automotive Jekyll and Hyde. It’s surprisingly pleasant to drive in comfort mode and can serve as a true daily driver. But its various performance modes turn it into a true Corvette. All that comes at a starting price of $104,900 for the coupe with the convertible at $111,900. It’s a steep jump from the “base” Stingray. But, compared with key European competitors, the 2024 Corvette E-Ray is a bargain.
