GM President, Mark Reuss made an announcement on Linkedin today (4/25): "Some time ago we moved the Corvette team into the EV space in Warren, Michigan, and when we revealed the new mid-engine Corvette, I said there would be 'more to come.' This morning I sat down with Phil LeBeau of CNBC and finally answered the question I’ve been asked countless times.   Yes, in addition to the amazing new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and other gas-powered variants coming, we will offer an electrified and a fully electric, Ultium-based Corvette in the future. In fact, we will offer an electrified Corvette as early as next year. Details and names to come at a later date. In addition, we also announced today Ultium Platform’s energy recovery system, a patented onboard system that takes the heat generated by EV batteries and uses it to warm the cabin, create more efficient charging conditions, and even increase vehicle acceleration. And it can boost the vehicle’s range by about 10%. It’s a perfect example of how developing a ground-up EV platform like Ultium enables unique features not easily done with a retrofit." Watch the teaser video here.

THE EXCEPTIONAL CORVETTE.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. I have experienced many, many Corvettes over the decades, from concepts and street machines, to full-on racing machines. Each and every one was different and left a mark, and though some production machines were sorely lacking - the mid-to-late-70s in particular - the gradual progression of technology and performance for the Corvette has been notable, particularly with the seventh generation. But the latest Corvette - the eighth generation - is something else altogether, because it flourishes in a dimension previously unimaginable for America's sports car. It's not just the fact that it's the first mid-engined Corvette, which has always been the Holy Grail for Corvette enthusiasts. It's because the new Corvette achieves a level of sophistication and overall performance that is truly exceptional. 

After driving countless machines of every stripe over the years, I can pretty much tell a car's character in the first couple of miles. And the Corvette grabbed my attention right from the start. That this machine has been finely executed down to the last detail comes through almost immediately, and as I accumulated the miles, it only got better. This Corvette excels at all the proper enthusiast touch points: steering, braking, the remarkable handling and scintillating high-performance - and that ever-elusive "feel" - to such a degree that it isn't even fair to compare it to previous generations because, as I mentioned, this new generation Corvette lives in a dimension never before occupied by this sports car. 

A few words about the exterior and interior design of the Corvette, because it's not perfect. (Although I think the color combination is stellar. Would I get tired of the Morello Red over time? I'll never know.) My first assessment of the car hasn't changed since its introduction a couple of years ago. I like 85 percent of the design: the front, 3/4 front and profile. But the direct rear view still says "less than" to me. It's busy, fussy and inelegant. If I was doing a refresh of the Corvette, I would start there. As for the interior, the driver-focused elements of the cockpit are all good, which is critical, but the rest of the interior needs a rethink as well. The center spine with all of the extra interior controls seems to be trying too hard, and the fact that it "walls-off" the rest of the interior seems "less than" as well. And the various swoops and shapes on the top of the dash seem to be unnecessary overkill. 

But those critical words about the exterior and interior design don't dissuade me from my assessment of the Corvette: It is truly an exceptional machine and one of the most seductive combinations of power and overall performance that money can buy. The eighth generation of the Corvette is very much a testament to the True Believers at GM who delivered a superlative automobile. For those enthusiasts out there who cling to their preconceived - and mostly negative - notions about the Corvette, that is certainly your prerogative and there is probably nothing I've said that will change your mind. But a word of caution: If you don't afford yourself the opportunity to experience the Corvette, you'll be missing out on one of the great driving machines ever built.


2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT. $72,850 Base Price; Price as tested: $83,770. Hypersonic Gray Metallic, Morello Red Dipped interior; 6.2-liter Direct-Injected V8 with 490HP, 465 lb-ft of torque; 8-speed dual clutch gearbox including manual and auto modes; Numerous interior features (too many to list); Front Lift Adjustable Height With Memory, $2260; Magnetic Selective Ride Control, $1895; 5 Trident Spoke Machined Face Spectra Gray Painted Aluminum Wheels (19" Front, 20" Rear), $1495; Performance Exhaust, $1195; Shadow Gray Exterior Accents, $995; Edge Red Painted Brake Calipers, $595; Composite Rockers, Black (dealer installed), $595; Front Splitter, Low Rear Spoiler, $595.