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Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray 2024.

A gift for the anniversary: a four-wheel drive Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray.

The Chevrolet Corvette turned 70 years old today — its first roadster premiered on January 17, 1953, at the Motorama show held by General Motors in different US cities at the time.

And for this anniversary, another revolution is prepared — already the second in the last four years.

In 2019, the Corvette became a mid-engine car for the first time in history (although attempts were made before), and the now presented Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray got all-wheel drive for the first time!

Engineers did not bother with the usual 4×4 transmission, instead, they used hybrid power plant with separate axle drive (eAWD): rear wheels are driven by a gasoline engine, and the front axle is equipped with a single electric motor.

A similar «division of labor» scheme has long been used on civilian hybrids, but in an inverted form — with an electric motor on the rear axle.

The Corvette E-Ray is powered by the same 6.2L LT2 eight-cylinder atmospheric engine as the base Corvette Stingray with the Z51 package.

The engine is mounted behind the seats, produces 502 hp and 637 Nm, and at low loads it can shut off half the cylinders for fuel economy.

The rear wheels are powered by a standard eight-speed dual-clutch robot.

There is an electric motor with 163 hp and 165 Nm on a front axis.

It has no separate gearbox, only a one-stage reducer.

The whole front module is made very compact, so the volume of the front luggage almost did not suffer: its volume — 355 liters compared to 357 liters in the base model. And in the back the standard 70-liter gas tank is preserved.

Peak power of the hybrid power plant is 665 hp. The front electric motor not only makes the Corvette all-weather, but also actively assists the gasoline engine during startup, transferring traction to the wheels faster.

The E-Ray is noticeably heavier than the base Corvette, though, with a dry weight of 1,712 kg versus 1,530 kg.

It is impossible to charge it from the socket — only by recuperation. There is also a Charge+ driving mode, in which the electronics forcibly charge the battery.

For example, to be able to silently drive up to the house in Stealth mode (it allows acceleration up to 72 km/h).

Standard equipment includes Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 adaptive suspension. The standard 12-volt battery is also lithium-ion.

Like the base Corvette Stingray, the Corvette E-Ray Hybrid is offered with two body types: a targa with removable roof panels or a full roadster with a folding roof.

The extended body (2,025 mm versus 1,933 mm) is the same as the Corvette Z06 flagship version.

Visually, the hybrid differs from its petrol relatives by another shape of air intakes (both front and side), different bumpers and grilles in the rear.

There are original wheels and new body colors have been added to the palette. The interior has a couple of additional buttons and modified screen graphics.

But prices have already been announced: the hybrid costs at least $10,2900, that is almost as much as the 670-horsepower Corvette Z06 (from $10,5300). And the base Corvette Stingray in the States now costs $64500.