New Chevrolet Corvette to debut this weekend

UPDATE 07/05/2021 2:00pm: GMSV today confirmed a left-hand drive Chevrolet Corvette will make "a brief on-track appearance" -- but will not be on public display -- at the OTR SuperSprint Supercars event at The Bend tomorrow, as part of the 'Final Road' tribute to mark the end of 70 years of Holden motorsport. The Corvette reveal and parade lap of 150 special Holdens will take place at around 3:20pm South Australian time.

Original article published 05/05/2021: The all-new 2022 Chevrolet Corvette will make its Australian public debut during this weekend’s 2021 OTR SuperSprint Supercars Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

That’s the obvious conclusion following today’s social media post by GM Specialty Vehicles, which stated ‘Just around The Bend … #Corvette #C8 #GMSV’.

It’s likely the eighth-generation (C8) Corvette – which is also the first mid-engined and the first global version of General Motors’ flagship supercar – will take part in the ‘Final Roar’ Holden tribute.

It will mark the end of the Holden Commodore nameplate in the Supercars Championship this year, before teams switch to the Chevrolet Camaro in 2022, with a convoy of Holdens travelling to The Bend from the National Motor Museum in the Adelaide Hills.

Apart from offering Aussie fans their first official look at the new Corvette, the weekend could also include demonstration laps, although it’s unclear if it will appear in right-hand drive local spec or whether GMSV will roll out one of the LHD versions currently here for promotional purposes.

When GMSV announced pricing on March 30, it said shipping from the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky, North America would commence in the fourth quarter of this year, with first local deliveries to take place by Christmas.

The official Corvette order book won’t open via any of GMSV’s 55 official dealers until Australian MY22 specs are released around mid-year.

However, GMSV has confirmed base 2LT ($144,990 plus on-road costs) and premium 3LT ($160,500 plus ORCs) grades will be offered in both coupe and, for a $15,000 premium, convertible form – each fitted as standard with the US market’s optional Z51 Performance Pack.

The Z51 package includes a performance dual-mode exhaust, performance suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control, larger Brembo brakes, electronic limited-slip differential, front splitter, rear fascia-mounted spoiler, extra cooling provisions, a specific rear axle ratio and slightly more power.

All Aussie Corvettes will be powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 delivering 369kW (up from 365kW) and 637Nm, driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Standard features across the range will include a Front Lift system, colour head-up display and Bose Performance Series 14-speaker audio system.

A 3LT-based Carbon Edition will also add “hand-picked interior trims, premium wheels and brake calliper package, an exclusive build plate and owners’ pack”.