CONS ›› Expensive, heavy, I can’t afford one
Chevrolet’s decision to develop and release a mid-engined Corvette was bold. Sure, engineers at the company had been experimenting with such a car for decades, but for the general public and most ‘Vette enthusiasts, it all seemed like a pipe dream and something that may have never seen the light of day.
Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of driving several C8 Corvette models, including the Stingray, E-Ray, and Z06, on the roads of America and those in Australia. But up until mid-September, we hadn’t had the privilege of driving it on a racetrack.
Review: Corvette Z06 Delivers Ferrari Thrills For Half The Price But Leaves Buyers Torn
For as impressive as the C8 is on the open road, it’s impossible to explore its performance potential without breaking every traffic law under the sun. So, when an invite landed in our inbox to test the Stingray and Z06 at Baskerville Raceway in Tasmania, Australia, we jumped at the opportunity.
GMSV Australia
As it stands, the Stingray and Z06 represent the entry-level and halo versions of the Corvette sold in Australia. While those living in North America also get to enjoy the ZR1 and ZR1X, there’s simply no business case to build them in right-hand drive, so they remain unobtanium.
Interestingly, the 2026 Stingray we tested wasn’t the all-new model unveiled in the US recently with GM’s upgraded 6.7-liter V8, but rather the older 6.2-liter model with the updated interior. While GM has started building the 2027 model in left-hand drive, the Bowling Green factory also continues to manufacture older models for right-hand drive markets, including Australia. Nonetheless, the Stingray, even with the 6.2-liter V8, firmly remains a benchmark for accessible, mid-engined performance.
Local pricing starts at AU$193,990 ($135,600) for the Stingray 2LT Coupe, rising to AU$222,990 ($156,000) for the Stingray 3LT Coupe, and AU$232,990 ($162,900) for the Stingray 3LT Convertible. Like before, all Stingray models sold in Australia come standard with the Z51 Performance Package. This adds larger Brembo brakes, an electronic limited-slip differential, Magnetic Ride suspension, Chevy’s Performance Traction Management system, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, and a new exhaust.
Then there’s the Corvette Z06. We drove two different examples, painted blue and red respectively, without the updated interior. Crucially, a 2027 model-year Z06 has been confirmed in right-hand drive, rocking the interior changes found in other markets, and priced from AU$299,990 ($209,800).
Of all the changes Chevy has made with the mid-life update to the C8 range, including the launch of the new 6.7-liter Stingray, as well as the Grand Sport and Grand Sport X, the Z06 has remained largely untouched. That’s no bad thing, as its motorsport-derived 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 still delivers 637 hp (475 kW) and 438 lb-ft (595 Nm) in local spec. This is less than the 670 hp (500 kW) of US-spec ones, as Australia has the Euro-spec exhaust, rather than the cool, central quad exhausts sold elsewhere.
Testing The Corvette’s Comfort
GMSV Australia
Our day with these two special Corvettes started in Launceston, where we piloted the updated 2026 Corvette Stingray down to Hobart and on to Baskerville Raceway. Sliding back into the driver’s seat of the C8 felt like coming home and slipping into your favorite set of pajamas. It’s comfortable and cozy, and the cluster and console changes make it feel that little more premium.
From before the C8 Corvette was even officially announced, photos emerged of the unusual ‘wall of buttons’ dividing the driver and passenger sides of the cabin. While customers grew accustomed to them, they were never particularly nice to use. By ditching them and moving important climate control switches to a panel below the enlarged infotainment display, Chevy has hit a home run. It’s also freed up space for a small wireless phone charger.
GMSV Australia
The third screen, positioned towards the driver’s side door panel, is another welcome addition. There’s also a new drive mode selector on the console, although for some strange reason during our road drive, it stopped working for about 20 minutes.
As ever, the Corvette Stingray remains more than comfortable enough for long highway jaunts and spirited driving on mountain roads. A peak power figure of 495 hp may not seem impressive in an era of 1,500 hp+ EVs, or even the 1,250 hp ZR1X, but the Stingray still feels rapid.
Two High-Performance Weapons
Once we arrived at the track, we had four Corvettes at our disposal – two Stingrays, and two Z06s. I quickly snagged a drive in a bright Sebring Orange Stingray to get familiar with the track, before turning in some laps in a Z06 with Australian racing car legend and Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris in the passenger seat.
Review: The 2025 Corvette Stingray Convertible Is Still America’s Best Sports Car
Baskerville is a relatively narrow track with short straights, but it still provides ample opportunity to see what the Z06 is like at the limit. Put simply, it’s ferocious, but it’s not intimidating.
Compared to the Stingray’s V8, which tops out at 6,500 rpm, the Z06’s 5.5-liter screams to 8,600 rpm thanks to the flat-plane crank, making it feel like an entirely different beast to drive. Chevy famously benchmarked the Z06 against the iconic Ferrari 458 Italia, and while it doesn’t sound quite as intoxicating as the Italian great with the Euro-certified exhaust, it howls like a proper exotic.
Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops
Punching through the gears is a dream thanks to the superb eight-speed dual-clutch transmission found across the Corvette range. On the road, it’s smooth, and on the track, it changes cogs in an instant, which matters on tracks with slow and high-speed corners.
Like the Stingray we drove, the Z06’s were equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires, rather than the Cup 2 tires they’re available with given the cold conditions. Despite this, the Z06 delivers an immense amount of grip, both at the front and rear end, clawing into the tarmac with an unrelenting hold.
Crucially, the car remains communicative even as you approach the limits of adhesion. In the performance-focused Z mode, the steering weights up beautifully, and it’s a breeze to steer the Z06 into apexes. We didn’t have the opportunity to play with the myriad of traction control settings – not that we would have been brave enough to anyway – but even in the most aggressive of settings, it doesn’t feel obtrusive. With smooth throttle inputs, the traction under power and through turns is brilliant. The car feels unflappable and is incredibly fun to drive.
Accelerating down the short back straight, the Z06 approaches 200 km/h (124 mph) and feels as though it pulls harder the higher the speedometer climbs. On a track with longer straights, where the car’s 304 km/h (189 mph) top speed can be explored, we imagine it’d feel like firing into another dimension.
Review: I Drove The 2025 Corvette E-Ray And It’s A True Supercar In Everything But Price
Slam on the brakes, drop a couple of gears, and turn in for the final, sweeping left-hander, and the Z06 responds instantly to inputs, doing what no Corvette of yesteryear could dream of doing. This is a proper supercar that feels every bit as special as its European rivals.
Perhaps what surprised me the most was just how easy, comfortable, and controllable the Z06 is to drive at the limit. The ride is quite firm, even on a track in the most hardcore of settings, but the magnetic dampers allow you to easily soften things up in an instant. The brakes and the tires also held up extraordinarily well after several hours of journalists and experienced race car drivers abusing the heck out of the quartet of C8s used during the event.
The Stingray Still Doesn’t Feel Like A Base Model
Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops
While the Z06 was obviously the highlight, don’t for a second think the Stingray isn’t a capable track tool, too.
On a circuit like this, which prioritizes cornering speed over straights where the Z06 can stretch its legs, the Stingray feels almost as quick, despite the significant power discrepancy.
One of the most obvious differences between the pair is the ride. Because of its unique spring rates, the Z06 is much firmer than the Stingray, and this is easily felt on the racetrack. While the Z06 can bounce up and down over slight inconsistencies and undulations in the tarmac, the Stingray soaks them up with ease. For long, enduring days at the track, the Stingray would probably be the easier car to live with, even though it doesn’t have the same screaming engine.
As impressive as the Stingray and the Z06 are on the road, the track is the only place to stretch their legs and explore the limits. In Australia, General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) frequently holds track days like the one we attended for prospective Corvette customers, giving them a taste of what their vehicles can do.
There’s still plenty of life left in the C8 Corvette, and we can’t wait to see how the next few years play out. If only Australia got the ZR1 and ZR1X.
