Chevrolet debuts the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo concepts in real life (and virtually)

Fans of the Gran Turismo series of racing games will know that the Vision Gran Turismo program is a way for manufacturers to flaunt their outrageous concepts and build them virtually for people to race. Surprisingly, some of these concepts prove to be very popular, and manufacturers end up building them in real life or translating elements into real-life cars.

This time, Chevrolet has done the opposite by building those concept cars for real life alongside the Vision Gran Turismo program. Meet the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo twins, a preview of the future of the Corvette namesake, where its real-life concepts debuted last weekend at The Quail, a Motorsport Gathering in Monterey, California during the Monterey Car Week.

For the “road-going” Corvette CX, it was designed to provide the “ultimate driving experience” with a very sleek, futuristic fighter-jet aesthetic that also extends to the canopy that opens up like one, and has elements inspired by one. In fact, you could argue it’s like a fighter for the road, since its roofline sits at around 1,041mm high.

Underneath the sleek skin is a novel way for the car to generate downforce and to ensure a very low drag coefficient when straight-line speed is a priority.

It uses a Vacuum Fan System that uses fans to draw air through the bodywork, and active aerodynamics adjust airflow over the massive diffusers, front and back, and also an active spoiler. to help this car get around the corners with ease.

Arguably, the most realistic aspect of this concept is its powertrain, where it’s a quad-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain with four-wheel torque vectoring, allowing for a power output in excess of 2,000 horsepower. Plus, a 90kWh lithium-ion battery is mounted within the chassis for improved weight distribution and a lower center of gravity.

Now, the CX.R race car goes in the opposite direction for a more realistic vehicle meant solely for the track. With a heritage-inspired black-and-yellow color scheme, more aggressive active aerodynamics, a massive swan-neck wing at the back, and a solely business-focused stripped-down interior, it looks the part.

The powertrain is also very realistic and could theoretically work in Le Mans Hypercar regulations, as it uses an electrified V8 powertrain.

Three electric motors (one per wheel, with a third one in the eight-speed gearbox) accompany a mid-mounted 2.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that is powered by renewable e-fuels. On its own, the engine can rev up to 15,000 rpm and produce up to 900 horsepower, but the electric motors crank that output up to 2,000 horsepower.

While these sleek concepts will eventually trickle down their aspects to future Corvettes, the great news is that for those who own a copy of Gran Turismo 7, these two cars will be drivable virtually later this month in a future update.

^{Photos from Chevrolet and Gran Turismo}