This New C8 Corvette Is Rarer Than A ZR1X, But You Can't Buy It In America

It's hard to think of anything the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X doesn't have going for it. Rocking a monstrous twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V8, an electric motor, and all-wheel drive, it puts far more expensive European hypercars on notice. However, production isn't limited, so it can't match the rarity and exclusivity of its exotic competitors. If you want a really rare C8 Corvette, you'll need to go to Japan.

Chevy has just launched a special version of the C8 in Japan, badged the Corvette V8 Tourer, and based on the standard Stingray model. Capped at just 15 units, it makes a Corvette ZR1X seem certifiably common. Local prices start at ¥21,500,000, or $135,600 at current exchange rates, roughly the same as a well-equipped Grand Sport X in the U.S. It's also about ¥1,900,000 ($12,000 USD) more than a normal Stingray.

All V8 Tourer models are based on the Corvette Convertible, and Chevy is only offering the car in Red Mist Metallic. It also includes full-length silver racing stripes as standard and sits on the regular twin five-spoke silver wheels. The C8's side air vent vanes are also color-matched to the rest of the exterior, rather than painted in black as is often the case. Chevy has also equipped the car with its chrome exterior badging package and black brake calipers.

As CarScoops recently revealed, Chevrolet continues to build Stingray models with the old naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8 engine for right-hand drive markets, and that's exactly what engine the V8 Tourer has. As such, it delivers 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, down from the 535 hp and 520 lb-ft of the new 6.7-liter LS6 V8 available in North America.

Like the exterior, the limited-run model comes with only one interior configuration. Virtually all cabin surfaces, including the seats, door cards, and dashboard, are trimmed in tan-colored leather. The only pieces not finished this way are the black leather steering wheel, some small black areas around the screens, and the metal speaker grilles and switch panels. Heck, the V8 Tourer even has tan floor mats.

Limited-run versions of the C8 Corvette have been few and far between in the United States, which is a bit of a surprise. The most obvious special edition model was the 2026 Corvette Stars & Steel Collection, celebrating America's 250^th anniversary and limited to just 250 individually numbered units.