2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray Displays “Four-Season Supercar” Domination, Amazingly Integrated Performance

 

Some of the most famous thinkers in the world have noted that Earth’s inhabitants need to “evolve or die”, which sounds a bit dystopian to us here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis! However, as we have had our eyes on the market for the last few years, many automotive “species” have had to branch off in many ways to guarantee future survival. The C8 generation became legendary instantly by placing the engine directly behind the seats and was reborn as a memorable and powerful player in the supercar game.

The C8 Z06’s naturally aspirated flat-plane crank V8 performs as if it “escaped from a Maranello dyno cell”, properly setting the stage for the coming of the efficient yet fire-breathing 2024 E-Ray. Many could be potentially skeptical about its hybrid powertrain, but the Car and Driver crew got down to business this past week and checked out its full-blown potential on the challenging roads of the Colorado mountains. It came prepped with all-wheel drive, and standard all-season tires that help with its firmly announced new clout of a “four-season supercar.” 

The first pro-grade conclusion laid out here was that there is not a lick of performance given up in the name of saving fuel, as the E-Ray is situated in the “beast-mode” performance grade. The E-Ray differs a bit from the Ferrari 296GTB and the McLaren Artura, as it is not a plug-in. Its makeup is made possible with the base and very fresh ingredients of the Stingray’s 495-horsepower pushrod 6.2-liter V8, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic, and performance exhaust. On permanent loaner from the Z06 is a wider body, optional carbon-ceramic brakes, and XXL 275/30ZR-20 front tires and 345/24ZR-21 rears.

The hybrid system gets the careening party started with a compact electric motor, which drives the front wheels that reside directly in front of the passenger cell. There’s a 1.2-kWh battery stuffed directly into the tunnel between cabin occupants, along with futuristic coolers to control battery temperature and the software to efficiently get the job done. The hybrid system is not shy in the least, stepping out on the mound confidently and fattening the power output by 160 horsepower, also twisting up 125 lb-ft of torque. The E-Ray is also the very first Vette with all-wheel drive, as well as the first that pairs stealth-level carbon-ceramic brakes with all-season tires. 

When Missouri temperatures soon head in the same direction as the leaves now falling from trees, the all-season tires offer much more grip than the E-Ray’s optional Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires. The Car and Driver crew’s test car was fitted with summer Michelins, and the suspension was pre-dialed for spot-on track alignment. Things then heated up at a Guinness-grade pitch as the car nailed down the quickest 0-60 time the publication had ever recorded for a Corvette, at just 2.5 seconds. 

The E-Ray comes to the table quite hungrily with more than just the performance traits of the Z06, as it offers up over-the-road sophistication and a quality of refinement that was such a massive draw for the C8 with the Z51 treatment. When this very seasoned crew took the E-Ray through twisty and challenging roads, it answered in primo fashion to the call of duty with “far more grip than anyone can sanely exploit.” Finally getting some laps in at Pikes Peak International’s “Roval”, this is where the E-Ray proved its penchant for kicking a hole in the sky and pushing limits. The hybrid system’s Stealth mode enables you to forgo the V8’s startup growl, although we will always prefer its wake-up call!