orcubsfan

Hi all, I'm starting to look at options for a new Corvette, and have read rave reviews about the Grand Sport. My question - as far as I can understand, the primary performance option that makes the GS different from the base Stingray is the Z07 performance package. Is this correct? Is there any sense in considering a Grand Sport without the Z07 performance package? Thanks in advance...I love this forum! Bill

teejake

There will be a lot if input from the for for you that will be better than mine. I think there are two perspectives, how you will use the car (purely road use as opposed to track use) and the appearance. I have a 19 GS on order after having had a 2014 Z51, I don’t track my car, for me it came down to loving that wide body look. Good luck on your decision!

DWS44

For me, I really had no need for that much add'l handling/braking performance beyond what the GS w/o Z07 offered, and wasn't interested in the additional costs for maintenance down the road with respect to the Z07 high-$$$ carbon ceramic brakes and the lower tread life of the stock Cup tires. I'm sure the package is worth considering if you plan to track the car and/or, of course, if money is no object.

I'm sure others who opted for the package will chime in as well.

Blue666's

Do you plan on tracking the car? If not, the Z07 package may not be worth the extra money. The Grand Sport represents he "sweet spot" between the regular Stingray and the track-monster Z06. The GS has the wider track and bodywork of the Z06 but the normally-aspirated engine of the regular Stingray. The GS has the bigger tires and wheels too. So it really boils down to what you plan on doing with your car. I just picked up my 2018 GS at the museum last Wednesday so I'm obviously not totally objective with my answer. Good luck with your search!

Soonere39

Along with the wide body is the wider rear tires, which allow for better hook up on hard acceleration. It's not significant but 0-60times.com indicates a Z51 at 3.8 seconds 0-60 and the GS at 3.6 0-60. The wider tires also allow for a little better grip on the track. If you just plan on ordinary street driving, I doubt you'll be disappointed either way between a Z51 or a GS

vxplt

Exia

The Grand Sport is definitely worth considering without the Z07 package. The Grand Sport is the middle ground between a Stingray and a Z06. The main reasons to consider it, in my opinion, are if you were going to buy a Stingray with MRC and the Z51 package it doesn't cost a whole lot more to move up the Grand Sport. If you also like the Z06 wide body as well then it seems like a no brainer to get the Grand Sport.

If you do not plan on tracking the car and just want a low optioned Corvette, get a Stingray as the price gap between a Grand Sport and a low optioned Stingray is much larger.

Niemienator

If you can find a smokin deal on a '17 w Zo7 - DO IT! The brakes are amazing. I bought before they were a gimme option in 17 and although amazing package, if GM does it again you will be F'd on value if you are not a long time owner of the vehicle.

I would definitely go GS over Z51.

koranke

I have a 17 GS without the Z07 package. As other's have stated, the negatives are the far greater maintenance/replacement expense for the rotors when they wear out or get damaged and the less usable range of the tires. I'm a hard driver on mountain roads and also do Autocross. I doubt I'd have any more fun with a Z07 package. Of course, truth be told, I'd probably have just as much fun in a Z51 too, but I really like the wide body look.

JerryU

I got an early build Z51, September 2013. Felt the tires were a bit anemic in width, the same width as my C6 Z51 with more HP and more important significantly more low end torque with the LT1 variable cam timing.

The Grand Sport fixes that issue. It's still traction limited off the line but a better match now for the power. Very pleased with the GS. I ordered the Stage 2 aero package mostly to get full length side skirts to help avoid pebbles hitting the rocker panels and lower rear fender brake duct opening. In fact in 8 months they have worked, not one mark. Lots of pebbles hitting underneath the side skirts I hear every day. Sounds like a tambourine if I don't have the radio playing! But like the full length skirts I added to my Z51 they are doing the job. Also I had added a quality splitter on the Z51 and the base GS splitter, some call a poverty splitter, frankly -looks it!

I have no need for the Z07 package accept liked the Stage 3 winglets strictly for appearance as they help integrate the spats! Replaced my Stage 2 splitter winglets with Stage 3 (~$200.) Unless tracking the carbon ceramic brakes are an overkill, don't stop any better unless both get very hot.

In fact for street driving both the Z51 and Grand Sport need Carbotech Ceramic Brake pads to stop the excessive brake dust. I was having to clean my Z51 black wheels every ~100 miles as they not only looked bad, the dust was pitting my wheels. Switched to Carbotech 1521 street pads and cleaned the wheels only when I washed the car. Same with the Grand Sport. Suggest you buy the pads and install as soon as you get the car, which every your choice. I have found with cold pads, if you need to make aggressive stops (which I do every day after leaving the house after I merge on a 4 lane divided highway than turn on another rural road) the Carbotech pads stop even better than the OEM race type pad material.

One last thing I have found. There is a tight turn at the end of my street on a single lane road around a ~75 foot fountain. Only grass on the right and if no traffic one of my fun slower speed high lateral "g" turns. Can attest to the greater lateral "g" force the wider tires provide compared to my Z51!

KGoodwin

Own a '17 GS fully optioned (3LT) except for the Z07 option. The ceramic brakes need to be warm before they fully engage which I read as not good for normal driving. Not sure what tires come with the Z07 option but the first thing I did was replace the Michelin's since for me the two Michelin tire options were bad and worst. No real tread on the Michelin's which are great tires as long as the road isn't wet. The tires look they have been shaved. I presume the GS will have a better resale value in the long run if past experience is any indicator.

Socko

I consider the gs a z06 minus the motor but with the z51 motor, as its a drysump. It has the z06 body and tires and brakes. It has msrc by default.

The z07 package is the magazine package, as so few people actually use the carbon ceramics on track due to cost. With the stickiest street legal tires you can buy and the carbon brakes so there is no real thermal limits to the stock brake systems and amounts of grip not reachable by anything besides rcomps till a few years ago. it allows the car to set some great numbers on the track. The consumable costs are quite prohibitive though.

BaconWrappedSushi

If you are a track rat / semi-pro racer, the Z07 package will be helpful.

If you are (and be honest with yourself) an average track driver, or just have no interest in track the non-Z07 is more than enough.

Most people will be unable to extract the full performance of this car in stock form, even in the base trim. Don't add unnecessary costs unless you just got extra $ to burn.

2cnd Chance

The CCB’s on the GS/Z07 according to Car and Driver’s testing in 70-0 stopped 10’ shorter than the non Z07 GS. Another note they grip great immediately, they don’t need to be warmed up.
My personal experience? I’d buy the GS/Z07 again. Then again I’m a handling nut. Speaking of handling, the CCB’s greatly reduce unsprung weight at each corner. Unsprung weight is a huge detriment to handling. And your CCB’s should last 100,000 Miles without abuse.

Finally I bet a GS/Z07 will hold its value better in years to come.

Billy346

To more fully answer your question, the primary difference between the GS and the base Stingray is the wide body and the associated suspension, tires, and wheels. Z07 is not available on the base Stingray. I would buy a GS without the Z07 package, in fact, I would be hard pressed to spend the extra money on the Z07 since I don't track my car or drive it hard enough on the street to warrant the extra performance components. The base GS is one heck of a sports car.

red62vette

I have a 1LT GS, no Z07, MT. It's perfect. I like the features (wider tires, MRC, suspension tuning, dry sump) and the look. Performance is great and I think very few people need the Z07, but it's there if you want it. But the Z07 tires aren't really good for the street (really short life) and I would be really bummed if I had to replace a $1,000+ single rotor. BTW I have no problem with the stock pads.

dmhines

Like a Z06 .. the GS can be ordered with or without z07 package ... actually you can now also order either car with just the Ceramic brakes if you don't want the track tires and save $500.

Like most have said .. the GS is a Z06 without the SuperCharger, Carbon Fiber Torque Tube and has Z51 gearing - and I think nicer Wheels!

Ramler

My 17 GS LT3 is perfect. No Z07--tires are way more expensive and don't wear as long, you don't need ceramic brakes plus it costs about $8k to replace pads and rotors vs less than $2k for standard brakes. I drove one with ceramics at Spring Mountain and can't tell much difference. We drove hard but the brakes never heated up enough to matter. According to instructors at SM ceramics are susceptible to damage from gravel chips and will explode if they are chipped then get very hot. If anyone gets off the track there, they stop all activities until they inspect that car and sweep the track. Also, you live in Oregon where it rains a lot. The PS2 tires on a Z07 are completely worthless in the rain.

Range_Rat

Just curious: is the improvement in stopping performance (Z07 vs non-Z07) due to the CCB vs regular brakes, the tires, or a combination of both? More to the point: How much of an improvement is seen if a braking comparison is made with both cars (Z07 and non-Z07) on the same tires?

2cnd Chance

It was as equipped from the factory.