2010 Corvette – Vette-net

Type: Two Door Coupe, Two Door Convertible, Competition Sport Special Edition, GT1 Championship Edition Coupe, GT1 Championship Edition Convertible, Z06 Coupe, Competition Sport Edition Z06, GT1 Championship Edition Z06, ZR1 Coupe

Pricing: $49,880.00 (Coupe), $54,530.00 (Convertible), $55,720.00 (Grand Sport Coupe), $59,530.00 (Grand Sport Convertible), $75,235.00, (Z06 Coupe), $107,830.00 (ZR1 Coupe)

Engine options: 376 C.I. (6.2L) LS3 Engine (Coupe and Convertible), 427 C.I. (7.0L) LS7 Engine (Z06), 376 C.I. (6.2L) LS9 Engine (ZR1)

Transmission: 6 Speed Manual Transmission, 6 Speed Paddle Shift Automatic Transmission

Units Produced: 12,194

Available Colors: Arctic White, Blade Silver, Black, Velocity Yellow, Cyber Gray, Torch Red, Jetstream Blue, Crystal Red

Highlights of the year:

While the restructure of General Motors had taken its toll on the company, resulting in the discontinuation of Saturn, Pontiac, and Hummer, it had also allowed the company to refocus their efforts on the remaining brands, giving them the bandwidth to develop new strategies to help them excel once more as an innovator in the automotive marketplace. For Corvette, this innovation meant that Chevrolet would not only continue production of their beloved sports car in all of its current forms – namely, the coupe, convertible, Z06, and ZR1 models – but they’d also be introducing another variant to this already impressive lineup.

This new model would be dubbed “Grand Sport”, a name that has long been synonymous with Corvette performance. The original Grand Sport Corvette, as envisioned by Zora Arkus-Duntov, was to be a factory-built, lightweight, and race-ready production model that could outperform both domestic and foreign road-racing competitors.

The new Grand Sport combined the Corvette’s LS3-based powertrain with wide-body styling, a wider track, and a racing-bred suspension for a distinctive model that delivered a great balance of road and race track performance. It offered either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The LS3 6.2L engine rated at 430 horsepower (321 kW)* and 424 lb.-ft. of torque (575 Nm)* with the standard exhaust system. An optional two-mode exhaust system elevated the power ratings to 436 horses (325 kW) and 428 lb.-ft. (580 Nm).

The Grand Sport replaced the Corvette’s previous Z51 package and brought a greater degree of handling performance, with wider wheels and tires; revised shock, stabilizer bar and spring specifications; and specific gearing. A combination of 0-60 performance of four seconds, skidpad adhesion of 1 g, and EPA-estimated 26 mpg on the highway made it a very well-rounded sports car.

The Grand Sport borrowed from its big brother, the Z06, to offer Vette drivers something a bit less hardcore but with similar visual appeal. The front fascia with the center-mounted scoop and wider rear fenders were common to the Z06. The front fenders, however, got a new side scoop design unique to the GS with a chrome badge along the top edge. Unlike the Z06, the GS retained the standard steel frame of the base model, meaning it was available in both removable roof coupe and retractable roof convertible body styles.

All of Corvette’s exterior colors were offered on the Grand Sport, and an available Heritage package added iconic front fender hash marks offered in four colors, as well as two-tone seats with Grand Sport embroidery. The Grand Sport can be ordered with 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, and 4LT trim packages, too.

Although never officially sanctioned by General Motors, the five Grand Sport prototypes did spend a considerable amount of time competing on race tracks across the United States, and around the world. These five cars would continue to race throughout the 1960s, driven by “private” racers who had strong contacts within Duntov’s engineering circle. All five of these original Grand Sport Corvettes are accounted for today and are considered among the most valuable Corvettes in the collector market.

While the Grand Sport Corvette was certainly the major highlight of the 2010 model year, all of the Corvette models that year received at least some minor refinements, though outwardly, those changes were limited to the re-introduction of exterior color choices, including Torch Red. The convertible models, regardless of trim level, now included the tall, rear spoiler previously introduced on the Z06 model.

Of course, no model year of Corvette would be complete with the introduction of at least one special edition Corvette, and 2010 was certainly no exception. To commemorate Corvette’s involvement in the 24 Hours of LeMans since it made its first appearance there in 1960, Chevrolet offered a custom “one-off” Z06 Corvette finished in white with blue stripes, the traditional American racing color scheme. The car’s look matches that of the original 1960 Corvette, which won its class in Le Mans in 1960.

Photos of the 2010 Corvette: