Brutal new car brings Ferrari performance at a fraction of the price: 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 arrives as the world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated V8, while hybrid-powered Chevrolet Corvette E-ray delivers a lightening quick 0-100km/h dash – Car News

Chevrolet’s Corvette line-up just expanded in Australia, with the arrival of the hybrid-powered E-Ray and top-spec Z06 variants.

The $275,000 before on-road costs Corvette E-Ray sits well below the all-new Z06 Coupe at $336,000, but well above the pre-existing base-model Stingray 2LT Coupe at $182,000, which is up $7000 for 2025 from the previous $175,000 price.

This is a bargain in the mid-engined supercar field, which usually starts north of $500,000.

If power is your metric, the E-Ray wins with 488kW/806Nm on tap, considerably more torque than the Z06’s naturally-aspirated V8 that makes 475kW/595Nm and revs to a heady 8600rpm.

Power is derived from the Stingray’s standard 6.2-litre LT2 V8, though it gets a substantial boost from a front-axle electric motor and a 1.9kWh lithium-ion battery, pushing it from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 294km/h.

The mid-mounted V8 engine and electric drive unit combine to deliver all-wheel drive grip, with power transferred through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.

There are a number of design and technical features that also distinguish the E-Ray from the preceding Stingray and the Z06.

The E-Ray’s (and Z06’s) body is 9.4cm wider than the Stingray to account for larger 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels with standard carbon ceramic brakes.

The wider body also makes room for the E-Ray’s standard-equipped ZER performance package suspension with magnetic ride control, which also includes Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP Performance tyres and adjustable wickerbills – small tabs that protrude from the spoiler’s edge – for better track performance.

Inside there’s an eight-inch multimedia touchscreen, a full-colour head-up display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Bose speaker system and leather-cladded, eight-way electronically adjustable driver’s and passenger’s seats with heating and ventilation.

There’s the choice of a leather or suede-wrapped carbon fibre heated steering wheel, while carbon fibre, leather and suede trim underscores the rest of the cabin.

Exclusive to the E-Ray is Chevrolet’s in-car performance app, which delivers up-to-date driving data and telematics to the driver on how the propulsion system is operating.

The Z06 packs a quite a different set of kit, headlined by its all-new, flat-plane crank 5.5-litre LT6 V8, the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 in any production car, ever.

It delivers 475kW/595Nm, and does the 0-100km/h dash a fraction slower than the E-Ray at 3.0 seconds, though its top speed is noticeably higher at 313km/h.

The Z06 performance package brings specific chassis tuning, magnetic ride control calibration and Michelin Cup 2 R ZP tyres, as well as Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.

The package also brings unique ground effects that come in the form of a larger carbon fibre rear wing, a carbon fibre diffuser, splitter, canards, mud guards and side skirts.

The aerodynamic improvements lift downforce to a mighty 333kg at 300km/h, more than any other Corvette in history.

Customers of both the E-Ray and Z06 can opt in for custom single-piece, five-spoke carbon wheels produced by Carbon Revolution in Waurn Ponds, Victoria.

Chevrolet says they save 18.6kgs of unsprung, rational mass, if you really want to push your Vette’ to the limit.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette pricing
All prices are calculated before on-road costs