Driving The Corvette Stingray And Z06 On Track Is Like Dying And Going To Heaven | Review

PROS ›› Supercar looks, brilliant V8s, surprisingly practical
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.

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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.

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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 wit

Source: www.carscoops.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.