By Steven Symes 
To your average person, these two C8 Corvettes look the same as they pull up against each other in a drag race. Sure, they’re different colors, but that’s the only obvious difference. But to us gearheads this provides an important test between disparate approaches to America’s sports car.
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One is a Corvette E-Ray and the other a Z06. Not only do these two have wildly different powertrains, the drivetrains aren’t nearly alike, making the race interesting to see unfold.
There’s a small power gap between the two, just 15 horsepower. But specs on paper aren’t everything. The C8 Corvette Z06 is quite the machine, using a naturally-aspirated flat plane-crank LT6 V8 with an 8600 redline to belt out 670-hp.
On the other side is the C8 Corvette E-Ray, which not only has an LT2 V8 engine mid-mounted like on the Z06, but also an electric motor mounted up front. The V8 produces a stout 495-hp, the same amount it makes on C8 Corvette Stingrays, but the electric motor on his hybrid sports car adds 160-hp going to the front wheels.
In other words, the Corvette E-Ray is an all-wheel-drive vehicle. That’s a first for America’s sports car, as is the hybrid powertrain.
Before the E-Ray was launched, people debated whether or not it would be a genuinely fast vehicle. What we know from past experience is overall, and there are exceptions, all-wheel drive is a huge advantage in drag racing.
The E-Ray’s AWD system is obviously tuned for smooth, drama-free launches, which helps it keep up with the Z06, which often struggles with traction off the line.
That proves key in this drag race and in others we’ve seen between these two Corvette models. Does this mean more Corvette models in the future should have all-wheel drive? What about a C9 Z06 with all-wheel drive?
Watch the race for yourself here.
Image via ImportRace/YouTube