03:23 05-06-2026

2027 Corvette Stingray: new LS6 V8 and a center exhaust that used to belong only to the Z06

The 2027 Corvette Stingray drops the LT2 for a 6.7L naturally aspirated LS6 V8 with 535 hp and an optional quad center-exit exhaust borrowed from the Z06.

The 2027 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has already been caught on video with the new LS6 engine and the optional center exhaust. For the base Stingray this is a big shift: the quad-pipe center layout used to be associated almost exclusively with the Z06.

The headline change is the switch from the 6.2-liter LT2 to a naturally aspirated 6.7-liter V8 LS6. It belongs to the next-generation small-block family and becomes the standard engine across the Stingray, Grand Sport and Grand Sport X. The LS6 puts out 535 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful base engine ever fitted to a Corvette. The motor is built for sharper response thanks to a 13.0:1 compression ratio, a larger throttle body and a new intake.

In the clip the Corvette Stingray is just rolling down a regular street, but the soundtrack is what grabs the attention rather than the looks. The LS6 sounds deeper and fuller than the LT2, and the center exhaust gives the delivery a more focused character. The exhaust itself adds no power: it is there for the acoustics and the visual effect.

For Stingray buyers this is a welcome shift. The car remains the entry point of the Corvette range, but it gains more personality and a visual link to the higher-spec versions. Especially for the kind of driver who is not ready to pay for the Z06, yet still wants a meaner look and sound.

In an era when sports cars increasingly turn hybrid or fully electric, the new LS6 almost feels like a gift to the fans. The Corvette has not just gained power on paper — it has people talking again about the reason many of them fell for the American V8 in the first place.