How Much Does a Chevrolet Corvette C7 Cost in 2023?
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The Chevrolet Corvette C7 is the nameplate’s seventh generation of continuous tire-roasting production. However, now that the model is on to its eighth generation, the only way to get a C7 is on the used car market. So, is a Corvette C7 Stingray, Grand Sport, Z06, or tire-vaporizing ZR1 worth it in 2023? Or is the mid-engine C8 the only real option for ‘Vette fanatics?
How much does a C7 Corvette cost?
Depending on the model, a seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette could be one of the best performance bargains on the market. For instance, the average sales price for a C7 base is around $56,046. However, earlier models routinely sell for under $40,000.
| Model | Average sales price |
|---|---|
| C7 Stingray | $56,046 |
| C7 Grand Sport | $74,734 |
| C7 Z06 | $79,112 |
| C7 ZR1 | $182,044 |
Specifically, a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 has a fair value of around $36,817. However, fans will have a hard time finding an example in good shape for that amount. Instead, a cursory internet search reveals earlier 2014 and 2015 models for closer to $42,000. Furthermore, prices will depend on location, mileage, title status, and trim level.
Still, the wide-set C7 Grand Sport, supercharged Z06, and swivel-eyed ZR1 demand much higher resale values. What’s more, the limited-run ZR1, the most powerful Corvette to date, often sells for nearly $200,000. In fact, Classic.com reports that the highest sale for a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 on record is a staggering $363,000. Of course, part of the ZR1’s claim to fame is its rarity; Chevrolet produced just 2,894 of the ultimate C7 models.
Is the Corvette C7 discontinued?
In an initially controversial move, General Motors (GM) discontinued the C7 after a six-model year run in 2019. Gone was the front-engine formula that the Corvette rode on for 66 years. In its place: a balanced midengine 2020 Corvette C8 Stingray with fighter jet-esque looks.
It makes sense; Corvette engineers took the everyman’s performance car about as far as the model would go without a thorough reimagining. Still, the C7’s six-year run makes it a world-class sports car bargain for used car hunters.
What makes the C7 special?
The C7 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette was the last front-engine model in the nameplate’s lengthy history. Moreover, much to the dismay of some new fans, the seventh-gen model is also the last time the ‘Vette packed a manual transmission option from the factory.
Beyond the C7 Stingray, the Z06 and ZR1 are the closest thing fanatics have had to a supercharged Corvette in five model years. Additionally, the ZR1 remains, to this day, the most ballistically powerful model in the nameplate’s history, outmuscling the C8 Z06’s 670 horsepower by a monstrous 85 ponies.
Is a C7 Corvette worth it?
Even the base-model seventh-generation Corvette Stingray has remarkable performance bargain credentials to boast. A used C7, especially with the Z51 package and performance exhaust, can hit 60 mph in under four seconds, an attribute reserved for seriously sharp sports coupes.
Better yet, with features like cylinder shutdown and a liftback trunk, the Corvette isn’t as impractical as previous iterations. Finally, with earlier models routinely selling for around $40,000, a C7 is a much more affordable alternative to a newer, pricier sports car, like a 2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0.
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