What Is The C9 Corvette?
The C9 Corvette will be the ninth generation of the legendary sports car marque from Chevrolet and General Motors. It will follow the C8 Corvette, which is currently on sale today. The C9 Corvette is expected to begin production in 2028 or 2029 as either a 2029 or 2030 model year vehicle, pending any delays or adjustments in development.
Layout
The C9 Corvette will follow the C8 with a mid/rear-engine layout, two seats, and two doors. It will be the second mid-engined Corvette generation. Also like the C8, the C9 will feature an internal combustion engine.
C9 Corvette Platform
The next-generation C9 Corvette will utilize an updated version of the C8’s Y2xx architecture, dubbed Y3xx. It will underpin the Corvette exclusively, and is intended for mid-engine applications only. It’s anticipated that the Y3 platform will be able to get the weight of the Corvette under control, as the C8 family features the heaviest Corvettes on record. GM may also be looking at ways to re-introduce a manual transmission to the Corvette. The next-generation Corvette is also expected to continue using the GM Global B Vehicle Intelligence Platform electrical architecture, which means control units will continue to be encrypted, which will frustrate the aftermarket.
Design
The design of the C9 Corvette is not yet finalized, but it’s expected to deliver a more sleek profile that communicates less visual weight. At minimum, expect four taillights in the rear.
C9 Corvette Engine
As mentioned, the C9 Corvette will feature an internal combustion engine, and will not be an electric vehicle. As such, the C9 will utilize GM’s next-generation Small Block V8 pushrod engine, also known as Gen VI. This new V8 is expected to exceed 500 horsepower in the next-generation Corvette Stingray, and could see even more power with the assistance of electric motors, or forced induction such as a supercharger. Other variants are expected to continue utilizing the current 5.5L DOHC V8 architecture in various ways.
Performance
Performance of the C9 Corvette is expected to exceed the C8 Corvette thanks to superior power-to-weight ratios, improved suspension technology, next-generation tires, and remapped transmission calibrations. Like other Corvettes before it, expect the base C9 Corvette to match or exceed the performance of the outgoing Corvette Grand Sport. This was the case from C6 to C7, as well as from C7 to C8.
Variants
C9 Corvette variants are expected to be the following:
Stingray (500+ hp standard body)
Grand Sport (500+ hp widebody)
E-Ray (650+ hp widebody)
Z06 (670 hp widebody)
ZR1 (850 hp widebody)
Zora (1000 hp widebody)
GT3 (race car)
C9 Corvette Price
Pricing of the C9 Corvette is likely to come at around $70,000 or $80,000 USD, or some $5,000 $10,000 USD more than the base C8 Corvette Stingray at the end of its life cycle. With the climb in pricing coming closer to $100,000 USD, Chevrolet may refrain from calling the Corvette a “value proposition,” as it has been described in the past. Nevertheless, the C9 will be able to out-perform vehicles some 1.5x-3x its price.
C9 Corvette Production
Production of the C9 Corvette is expected to take place as the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky near the end of the decade.
