The Corvette supercars have arrived: the ultimate everyday Stingray – the high-performance Z06, and the hybrid E-Ray set new benchmarks for V8 performance. The E-Ray’s arrival heralding a new era for Corvette – one that leverages an advanced powertrain to deliver blistering acceleration, efficient excitement, and a hybrid electric power system that enables all-season driving, claims General Motors.

E-Ray offers a host of Corvette first – including its most important new feature – an electrified all-wheel-drive system that works in tandem with a LT2 6.2L V8 engine to produce 488kW/806Nm.

Offered exclusively in the 3LZ Coupe configuration, the E-Ray retains the same powerful LT2 6.2L V8 from the Corvette Stingray but adds an electric drive unit on its front axle, delivering more power, more torque, and even faster acceleration.

While Chevrolet’s potent V8 delivers 369kW of power and 637Nm of torque on its own, the E-Ray’s electrified powertrain lifts those outputs to a 488kW and 806Nm, unlocking an exhilarating sprint to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds.

The E-Ray is not an electric vehicle or a traditional hybrid, but rather a fuel-efficient performance vehicle with electrified propulsion that does not need charging. Fed by a 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack between the seats, the electronic drive unit powers the front wheels and offering instant response and control. Broadening E-Ray’s appeal even further – Stealth Mode allows the car to run in total silence on electric power alone for between four to six km of distance – or up to 72km/h speed, when Stealth Mode is selected at start-up.

General Motors says Corvette owners can arrive in anywhere, no matter the season, as the new E-Ray uses electrification to enhance the driving experience with sure-footed grand touring capabilities that can only be achieved with eAWD.

Further elevating the E-Ray’s unrivalled performance is the ZER Performance package and carbon ceramic brakes that come standard in Australia and New Zealand. The ZER Performance pack dials up E-Ray’s track readiness with the inclusion of high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, ZER Performance Suspension with Magnetic Ride Control and a taller spoiler wickerbill available for track use.

“The Corvette is a true icon of the performance car world and now that story is entering a new era with the arrival of our first ever electrified supercar, the Corvette E-Ray,” says Jess Bala, Managing Director General Motors Australia and New Zealand.

“With the surety of all-wheel drive, E-Ray isn’t only the quickest Corvette yet, but it’s the ultimate all-weather, all-condition supercar.

“The E-Ray’s arrival means we now have a Corvette to suit every driver. From the ultimate everyday performance car in the Corvette Stingray, to the focused, track-honed Z06, and now the best of both worlds in the all-weather, precision Corvette E-Ray, the new Corvette model range offers levels of performance, versatility, and value that are truly unmatched.”

2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray: Drivetrain

Based around the C8 Corvette’s mid-engine layout for optimal weight distribution, the E-Ray’s LT2 6.2L V8 sends 369kW and 637Nm to the rear axle and works in tandem with an electronic drive unit which powers the front wheels.

With a rated power output of 119kW/169Nm, the electrified motor powering the front axle draws current from a 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery which is mounted between the seats. The battery is self-charging, picking up energy as the vehicle drives and brakes. It is rapidly replenished via regenerative energy from coasting and braking, as well as during normal driving.

In total, E-Ray produces a combined 488kW and 806Nm from both the small-block V8 and the electric motor. Helping harness those outputs is Chevrolet’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, with both automatic or driver-focused manual mode.

Staggered 20- and 21-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres enhance the E-Ray’s grip and composure, while standard Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 offers drivers three distinct suspension settings for an ideal balance between comfort and handling. Standard carbon ceramic brakes, meanwhile, provide optimal braking performance to further boost driver confidence and involvement, claims GM.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray:  Design

The Corvette E-Ray builds on the styling and performance-driven design of the Corvette family, sharing its wider exterior proportions with the Z06 and delivering a low, wide stance.

Design features unique to E-Ray include exclusive badging and alloys, while matching body-colour accents, ground effects and available black exhaust tips complete a look that’s both polished and potent.

E-Ray also offers buyers multiple options when it comes to personalising their car thanks to 10 exterior colours – including Black, Red Mist, Sea Wolf Grey, Rapid Blue, Riptide Blue Metallic, Torch Red, Arctic White and three new colours for MY25, Competition Yellow Tintcoat, Hysteria Purple Metallic and Sebring Orange Tintcoat — and seven interior colour schemes as well as six wheel options. Two seating options are also offered, with the GT2 seat fitted as standard while Competition seats are available as an option.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray: Interior

Like the rest of the Corvette range, the E-Ray offers a richly trimmed and well-equipped interior that delivers the utmost in comfort and technology. Eight-way powered driver and passenger seats feature as standard, with both seats also offering heating and cooling functions. Sumptuous leather or available suede is found on the heated steering wheel and around the instrument panel, while carbon fibre and suede microfibre underscore the E-Ray’s rich mix of high-quality materials inside.

An enhanced roster of driver assistance technologies (shared with all Corvette models from MY24), includes Forward Collision Warning, Lane-Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam Assist, and low-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

The E-Ray’s focus on cutting-edge technology is further highlighted by a full colour Head-Up Display, a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series audio system and a large 8.0-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Also exclusive to E-Ray is the in-car Performance App, which delivers key driving data and telematics to the driver including insights into how the high-tech propulsion system is operating.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray

Now boasting a recently upgraded, three-strong model lineup, the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette has a version to suit every need and driving scenario. Kicking off the model range in Australia and New Zealand is the ultimate everyday supercar, the Corvette Stingray.

Available as either a removable roof coupe or hard-top convertible, the Stingray offers two trim levels and can be purchased as either the value-packed 2LT or even more richly equipped 3LT. Both versions are powered by Chevrolet’s proven 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 producing a potent 369kW and 637Nm. Power is sent exclusively to the rear axle through a fast-shifting eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which offers the smoothness of an automatic with the control of a manual.

Fresh inclusions for Stingray models in 2024 include an improved safety offering that adds Forward Collision Warning, Lane-Keep Assist, and Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam Assist, and low-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

A soft-close bonnet is another addition, while three new exterior colours, a revised rear spoiler design, and two fresh wheel options complete a host of visual enhancements

2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Designed and engineered to act as a precision tool for the track, the Z06 is set apart by its beating heart – an all-new 5.5L LT6 V8, the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 to hit the market in any production car, ever.

Featuring a flat-plane crank and lofty 8,600rpm rev limit, the Z06 experience is further enriched by its unique V8 soundtrack. With 475kW/595Nm on tap, the Z06 can complete the zero-to-100km/h sprint in 3.0 seconds.

A bespoke track-focused suspension tune and larger brakes compared with the Stingray bolster the Z06’s track credentials while its bodywork has also been heavily revised to increase downforce and powertrain cooling efficiency.

Replaceable spoiler wickerbills, rear brake cooling ducts, removable front fascia panel and front underwing stall Gurneys increase downforce, keeping Z06 poised and planted as you round the track.

The Z07 performance package is also available in Australia and New Zealand bringing a larger carbon fibre rear wing and ground effects, specific chassis tuning, specific Magnetic Ride Control calibration and unique Michelin Cup 2 R ZP tyres, along with Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.

The aerodynamic improvements with the Z07 package lift downforce levels to a staggering 333kg of downforce at 300km/h, more than any Corvette ever.

Optional five-spoke, single-piece carbon fibre wheels, which resulted from a five-year collaboration between Carbon Revolution and General Motors design and engineering teams, save 18.6kgs of unsprung, rotational mass. Produced by Carbon Revolution in Waurn Ponds, Victoria since mid-2022, the carbon-fibre wheels are available as an option on both Corvette Z06 and E-Ray models.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette: 71 Years Of Corvette – A Fast History

Style icon, performance pioneer, American legend: all are true of the Chevrolet Corvette, which has pushed the boundaries of technology, performance, and style for eight generations, all the while remaining an attainable cultural icon.

But where did it all start? Now over 70 years old, the Corvette legend began in late 1951 when renowned General Motors designer Harley Earl created a top-secret performance car project, known internally as ‘Project Opel’. Two years later the first-generation Corvette (designated the C1) made its public debut at the GM Motorama concept show in 1953 and such was its warm reception that production quickly followed.

Z06

Boasting a lightweight fibreglass body, distinctive exterior styling, and a six-cylinder Blue Flame engine with 150hp, the C1 Corvette was a uniquely American take on the popular British sports cars of the time.

It wasn’t until two years later, however, that things really took root for the Corvette legend. At the urging of Chevrolet engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Corvette was fitted with a V8 for the first time in 1955. Producing 195hp and featuring a displacement of 4.3L, the V8 was soon paired with a three-speed manual alongside the previous two-speed automatic.

The now-iconic C2 generation made its debut in 1963 and it wasn’t only lighter, leaner, and faster than the original, but it introduced the Stingray nameplate for the first time.

Independent rear suspension also featured and by 1966 Chevrolet had added two big block V8s under its front-hinged bonnet: a 6.5L with 425hp and the renowned ‘427’ 7.0L V8 which would eventually make well more than 500hp in limited-edition L88 guise.

The C3 Corvette followed in 1968 and was one of the longest-serving generations, lasting until 1982. The C3’s design took inspiration from the iconic Mako Shark II concept car and this generation also saw the legendary ZR1 moniker introduced for the first time.

Z06

Revolution rather than evolution was the calling card of the C4 Corvette (1984-96) which debuted a fresh unibody chassis, overhauled suspension, and even more performance improvements. The ZR1 also came into its own with this generation, thanks to the fitment of a high-tech dual-overhead camshaft 5.7L V8 and electronically adjustable suspension which transformed the Corvette into a genuine supercar beater.

Chevrolet’s now legendary small-block LS engines made their debut with the even sleeker fifth-generation Corvette (1997-2004), while the C6 Corvette (2005-2013) continued to cement the reputation of the flagship Z06 and ZR1 models which were even more powerful and focused.

The C7 Corvette (2014-2019) almost saw Chevrolet fulfil its long-held dream of making its performance icon a mid-engine supercar. Ultimately, though, that dream was left to the current C8 generation, with the C7 making a splash all its own thanks to angular styling and new-generation LT engines.

A new chapter was turned for the Corvette with the introduction of the eighth-generation model in 2020. After six-decades of placing the engine in front of the driver, the C8 switched to a mid-engined layout for even better weight distribution and driving dynamics.

The pioneering firsts have kept coming, too, with models like the E-Ray, which is the first Corvette to have an electrified powertrain and all-wheel drive. A trailblazer from the get-go, the Corvette is one the longest running nameplates of any vehicle on sale globally today.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette: Pricing ($NZ)

  • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT Coupe: $192,000
  • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT Convertible: $209,500
  • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT Coupe: $207,000 NZ
  • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 3LT Convertible: $224,500
  • Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray: $285,000
  • Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe: $346,000

Previous articleSubaru releases special 30-year edition of WRX
Next article2024 Honda HR-V Sport | Hybrid Car Review
Fred Alvrez
How on earth to start this? I've been car/bike/truck crazy since I was a teen. Like John, I had the obligatory Countach poster on the wall. I guess I'm more officially into classic and muscle cars than anything else - I currently have a '65 Sunbeam Tiger that left the factory the same day as I left the hospital as a newborn with my mother. How could I not buy that car? In 2016 my wife and I drove across the USA in a brand-new Dodge Challenger, and then shipped it home. We did this again in 2019 in a 1990 Chev Corvette - you can read about that trip on DriveLife, and again in 2023 buying a C5 Corvette and shipping it home. I'm a driving instructor and an Observer for the Institute of Advanced Motorists - trying to do my bit to make our roads safer.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.