2026 Corvette Stingray: 490 Horsepower and a Mid-Engine Chassis

The Stingray is the entry point to the Corvette lineup, which says more about the lineup than about the Stingray. It’s a mid-engine sports car with 490 horsepower that runs to 60 in under three seconds when properly equipped.

Here’s what the 2026 Stingray offers.

The Engine

A naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8 producing 490 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque.

With the available performance exhaust, that rises to 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft — and the exhaust note takes on a considerably more aggressive character. Most buyers who hear both order the performance exhaust.

Naturally aspirated means immediate throttle response with no turbo lag and a rising note all the way to redline. It’s increasingly rare, and it’s a large part of why the Stingray drives the way it does.

An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Gear changes happen faster than a conventional automatic can manage, whether you’re accelerating from a stop or downshifting into a corner.

Launch control maximizes grip off the line.

With the Z51 Performance Package, 0-60 comes in around 2.9 seconds.

The Z51 Performance Package

Worth understanding before you order, because it’s the option that most changes the car.

Z51 adds upgraded brakes, a performance rear axle ratio, a front splitter and rear spoiler for downforce, and enhanced cooling systems for sustained hard driving.

If you plan to run the car hard — a track day, a canyon road, or just wanting the sharper setup — this is the box to check. If the Stingray is a weekend cruiser, you don’t need it.

Available Magnetic Selective Ride Control adjusts damping in real time, which is what lets one car ride acceptably on broken pavement and stay composed at speed. On Alabama roads, that’s worth having regardless of how you drive.

The Mid-Engine Advantage

Moving the engine behind the driver changed the Corvette fundamentally.

Near-perfect weight distribution means the car rotates into corners rather than pushing through them. Steering is precise with genuine feedback — you know what the front tires are doing.

It also changed the packaging. The engine sits under a glass rear hatch, on display. And the Corvette gained a front trunk alongside the storage behind the seats, which together make it far more usable for a weekend away than a mid-engine car has any right to be.

Interior

Everything angles toward the driver. Controls, displays, and the center stack are oriented to the cockpit, which creates a genuinely enveloping feel.

A high-resolution digital instrument display with configurable performance and navigation information, alongside a large central touchscreen running Chevrolet’s latest infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and Bluetooth audio.

A Performance Data Recorder is available — it logs video with telemetry overlay, which is either a track tool or the best way to relive a good drive, depending on how you use it.

Seating: GT1 seats for comfort on longer drives, or aggressively bolstered Competition Sport seats for hard driving. Both offer heating, ventilation, and power adjustment. Sit in both — they’re genuinely different, and it’s the choice people most often second-guess.

Premium materials including hand-stitched leather, metal accents, micro-suede trim, and available carbon-fiber elements. A flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual-zone climate control.

An available premium audio system tuned specifically for the Stingray’s cabin.

Exterior

A low, wide stance with functional air intakes for cooling and stability. Sweeping lines from the pointed nose through the doors into wide rear haunches.

LED headlamps and dual-element LED taillamps, updated wheel designs from lightweight forged aluminum to staggered performance setups, and available quad exhaust tips with rear diffusers.

Personalization runs deep: exterior colors, brake caliper finishes, and carbon fiber accents.

Safety

The rigid structure and mid-engine layout contribute to stability and crash protection, backed by high-performance brakes, advanced traction control, and electronic stability control.

Available driver assistance:

• Forward collision alert
• Lane departure warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Side blind-zone monitoring
• Rear park assist
• HD rear camera and available front curb view camera

That front curb view camera deserves a mention. On a car with this little ground clearance and this long a nose, it’s the feature that saves your splitter in a parking garage.

Where the Stingray Sits in the Lineup

Stingray — 490 hp, rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated. The purest expression of the mid-engine car, and the one most people should buy.

E-Ray — hybrid, all-wheel drive, 655 combined horsepower. The one you can drive year-round and in weather.

Z06 — the naturally aspirated flat-plane-crank track car.

ZR1 — the top of the range.

The Stingray’s argument is that it’s the complete car. Everything that makes a Corvette worth owning is here, and the money you don’t spend moving up buys a lot of tires and track days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much horsepower does the 2026 Corvette Stingray have? 490 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque from the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8, rising to 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft with the available performance exhaust.

How fast is the Corvette Stingray? Roughly 2.9 seconds to 60 mph when equipped with the Z51 Performance Package.

What is the Z51 Performance Package? An option adding upgraded brakes, a performance rear axle ratio, a front splitter and rear spoiler, and enhanced cooling — built for drivers who plan to use the car hard.

What transmission does the Stingray use? An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic driving the rear wheels, with launch control.

Does the Corvette have any luggage space? Yes. The mid-engine layout gave the Corvette a front trunk in addition to storage behind the seats, making it genuinely usable for a weekend trip.

What’s the difference between GT1 and Competition Sport seats? GT1 seats prioritize comfort on longer drives. Competition Sport seats add aggressive bolstering to hold you in place during hard driving. Both offer heating, ventilation, and power adjustment.

What is the Performance Data Recorder? An available system that records video of your drive with telemetry data overlaid — useful on track and enjoyable everywhere else.

Where can I see a Corvette Stingray near Gadsden? Team One Chevrolet of Gadsden at 413 E. Meighan Blvd in Gadsden, AL, serving Gadsden, Anniston, Albertville, and Sand Mountain. Browse our Corvette inventory or contact us at (256) 459-2614.

Come See One

Corvette allocation is limited. If a Stingray is what you want — particularly in a specific color or with the Z51 package — tell us early rather than waiting for one to appear on the lot.

Browse our Corvette Stingray, E-Ray, Z06, and ZR1 inventory, or see our full new inventory, pre-owned, and certified pre-owned selections.

Use Build and Price to spec one exactly how you want it — on a Corvette, that’s most of the fun.

Check current offers, estimate a payment, value your trade, or apply for financing.

Our service center handles Corvette maintenance and warranty work, and you can schedule service online any time.