2026 Chevy Corvette

Since its 1953 debut, the Chevrolet Corvette has been America's sports car, and the current eighth generation — known as the C8 in Vette circles — is the best one yet. With a V8 mounted behind the passenger compartment, this two-seat sports car comes in a variety of flavors to suit any driver's needs, all while remaining surprisingly affordable considering its performance abilities. The Stingray is an excellent all-around sports car, the Z06 is a monster meant for the track, and the E-Ray adds hybrid power to this flexible platform. Then there's the ZR1; with more than 1,000 horsepower, it's the most powerful production Corvette ever, and the equal of European exotics costing hundreds of thousands of dollars more. But Chevy isn't done with special Corvettes, and we may see a new one for 2026.

Edmunds spotlight: Zora's time to shine?

While the 1,064-hp ZR1 may sound like the ultimate Corvette, let's play a little thought exercise. What if you took that twin-turbocharged engine and added the 160-horsepower electric motor from the Corvette E-Ray? That's the suspected formula behind the rumored Corvette Zora, a model that could boast around 1,200 horsepower. There's more than just speculation to back this up, as prototypes have been spied at Germany's famous Nürburgring racetrack undergoing testing. So why call it Zora? Because Zora Arkus-Duntov is the spiritual father of the Corvette, the man who saw the potential of Chevy's little two-seat roadster long ago and turned it into the V8-powered legend we know today. Seems like a fitting tribute to us.

Competitors to consider

Given the Corvette's wide price and performance gulf between the base model and ZR1, there's no shortage of competitors, depending on which version you're considering. The entry Corvette competes with the Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster and BMW M4 on price, though it edges out both in a drag race. If you like the utility of the M4's rear seats but want something closer to a pure sports car, there's always the Porsche 911, which offers up similar performance as the Corvette. The Mercedes-Benz AMG GT is another choice, especially if you long for the traditional front-engine layout. Both are far more expensive than the Corvette, however. And the ZR1, expensive as it may be, competes against truly wallet-busting exotica from Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini and more.

We owned a C8 Corvette for a few years, and suffice it to say it left a strong positive impression. As Chevrolet continues to develop its sports car, we can't help but stay excited for its future. After all, 1,200 horsepower? Sign us up!