General Motors has applied for the renewal of the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport trademark, according to a recent filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The Grand Sport name was previously used for the C6 and C7 Corvette versions, which were one step ahead of the base model in terms of performance, but sat below the Z06 and ZR1 models in the classification. Chevy also used the name for a C4 Corvette variant.
The name originated from a 1962 project by Corvette godfather Jora Arkas Dantov to create a lightweight racing version of the C2 Corvette. However, GM Brass did not approve the project, and only five of the original Corvette Grand Sports were built.
1963 Corvette Grand Sport Chassis 002 003
In light of that history, it is understandable for GM to maintain the Grand Sport trademark. The question is will it be used later?
It’s not hard to imagine a C8 Corvette Grand Sport slot between the Stingray and the Z06. But GM is planning hybrid and all-electric Corvette models, and the name of one of them seems to be flowing right now.
The idea of a hybrid Corvette seemed unimaginable a decade ago, but such a vehicle is now in development. Prototypes have been spotted and Tremec has filed a patent application for what appears to be a car transmission.
2023 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Spy Shot – Photo Credit: S. Baldauff / SB-Median
GM trademarked the Corvette E-Ray in 2015, apparently for an upcoming electrified model. Although the Corvette E-Ray has been abandoned, according to USPTO data, GM still has a trademark filing for the E-Ray name without the Corvette prefix. Can the upcoming Corvette Hybrid be called Grand Sport and the electric one be called E-Ray? GM has not announced the names for both, so we will have to wait until they are unveiled.
If the Grand Sport becomes a hybrid, it will serve as a step towards the electrification of Chevy’s planned all-electric Corvette, just as previous Grand Sport models were a step towards high-performance Z06 and ZR1. GM President Mark Reus said in April that the electric Corvette was coming, but did not say when.