buyingThe C8 Chevrolet Corvette Starts Under $60K…But Only for the First Year

Rare Optioned 1966 Corvette Could Spark Bidding Frenzy

Now we can't wait until July!

GM shocked the automotive world when it announced that the mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray would start under $60,000. True to its word, Chevy recently released full pricing details on the C8 Corvette, revealing a starting price of $59,995 including destination charge. That makes the mid-engine Corvette a huge bargain, but according to our intel, that brag-worthy base price won't last long.

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Sweet 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Wows In Every Way

This C2 is some serious eye candy from any angle. Few cars, American or otherwise, evoke the same kind of response as a classic C2 Stingray. Even among those legends, this 1965 Chevrolet Corvette convertible is drop-dead gorgeous. The car has benefited from an obviously quite thorough body-off restoration process that left no detail out of place. As a result, this car is immaculate enough to be displayed in a museum or any venue you can imagine. All 31 of the fiberglass panels have been painted a silky smooth black, hugging every amazing curve.

A well-placed source revealed to MotorTrend that the sub-$60,000 base price would only last for the first model year. For 2021, you can expect to see a price hike. Just how much of a hike? Back in 2013, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette launched with a starting price of $51,995—a number that was easy to swallow since it represented a jump of only $1,400 from the outgoing C6. But a few months into the C7 Corvette's inaugural year, Chevy raised the base price to $53,993, citing higher-than-expected demand. By the 2015 model year, the C7's starting price had risen to $55,995, a full $4,000 more than its original MSRP. Of course, it would've been hard to find a C7 for sticker price at launch anyway, but that's another story (one you can bet will repeat with the C8).

This 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car is Showroom New

It looks like it never left the showroom! There are some cars that are destined to be special as soon as they come out, and collectors usually know it, and the 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Limited Edition Indy Pace Car is one of those cars. To commemorate the silver and black Corvette that paced the field at the 1978 Indianapolis 500, Chevrolet sold a limited number of pace car replicas. And this particular example was snatched up and tucked away. © Motorious.

© Motor Trend Staff

We don't know exactly how much the base price will go up on the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, but the plan to raise it doesn't surprise us. Practically everyone in the industry speculated that the C8 would be significantly more expensive than the C7. Not only did GM redesign the car from the ground up with a new mid-engine layout, it had to invest in all-new tooling for its Bowling Green plant. Selling more Silverados and Equinoxs wasn't going to cover that cost alone. By announcing a base price that was lower than expected, Chevy got everyone's attention and managed to create more hype around a car that was already among the most hyped in history. Plus, diehard Corvette fans might grumble about the move to mid-engine and lack of a manual transmission, but they can't complain too much about a price difference of just $3,000 between base C8 and C7. By launching with a lower starting price, Chevy eases repeat Corvette buyers into the C8's inevitably higher price range with less risk of sticker shock.

1971 Chevrolet Corvette Heads To Auction With No Reserve

Get this hot ‘Vette while you can. One of the most-recognized versions of classic Corvettes were the Stingrays. They introduced a brash, more aggressive design aesthetic that has become iconic today. This particular 1971 Chevrolet Corvette is going up for auction at no reserve. Pushing this ‘Vette forward is a 454 big block V8 engine, which pounds out 365-horsepower and a monstrous 465 lb.-ft. of torque. With a Muncie four-speed manual transmission, this is a car that will keep you engaged and in touch with the road.

© Motor Trend Staff 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 price

But even if the price does go up next year, we still have high hopes that the C8 Corvette will be a sports car bargain. It just won't be a sub-$60,000 one for long.

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