2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Makes the Cover of ‘Forza Motorsport’

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The E-Ray shares the Forza Motorsport cover with another V8-powered hybrid, the 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R. 

The official Forza Motorsport Twitter account today confirmed its two cover cars and they’re both GM-branded, V8-powered hybrids. CorvetteForum members will, of course, recognize the 2024  Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which first debuted earlier this year. The E-Ray can be seen neck in neck with something they might not know, the 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R.

We’re excited to confirm your #ForzaMotorsport cover cars – meet the stunning 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R and 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. Tune in to the Xbox Games Showcase on June 11th for an up-close look at the cars, and see a full walkthrough of our single player career gameplay during Forza Monthly on June 13th! See you at the starting line.

For those who might not be gamers, Forza Motorsport (2023), set to release later this year, is actually the eighth game in a popular racing simulator series. Made for various XBox consoles and Windows PCs over the last 18 years, it first debuted in 2005. The most recent iteration, Forza Motorsport 7, released all the way back in 2017. Forza Motorsport fans will get a closer look at both vehicles and the game itself next month.

Although some mistakenly think it’s an all-electric Corvette, the E-Ray is actually powered by the same 6.2L LT2 V8 as the base C8 Corvette Stingray as well as a front-mounted electric motor hybrid system that pushes total system output to 655 horsepower. It is the quickest factory Corvette of all time to 60mph and in the quarter mile.

The V-Series.R currently competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype class. It’s powered by a 5.5L dual overhead cam V8 as well as a hybrid assistance system that pushes total output to 670 horsepower. It’s the only naturally aspirated engine in the Grand Touring Prototype class.

The Future of Racing is Hybrid?

Forza’s choice of two V8-powered hybrid vehicles is fascinating.

First, the Corvette team itself clearly designates the C8 Corvette Z06 as the brand’s ultimate track-going Corvette. And second, the E-Ray recently stirred up some controversy in the racing world after the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) updated its rule book, banning “Electric Vehicles/Hybrids using lithium type battery packs” from competition. Had that designation, which also mentioned parking these vehicles at least 30 feet away from any building structures, gone forward, it would have technically included the E-Ray. But, two weeks later, the NCCC clarified that it had never intended to ban the E-Ray, only all-electric BEVs.

Still, to think that a major racing simulator would feature not one, but two hybrid vehicles speaks, I think, to where performance cars and racing is going in the near future. Especially since the E-Ray is heavier than the Z06. And, as we currently understand it, its hybrid system can’t hot lap at max output for as long as a traditional naturally aspirated or forced-induction Corvette. Still, we’re sure folks like Randy Pobst and Jason Cammisa will test out and compare the E-Ray and Z06 in more detail to see if Forza picked the wrong Corvette for their cover.

What do YOU think about the Forza Motorsport E-Ray cover?
Let us know HERE on the forum!

Images: Forza Motorsport, General Motors