Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold
Corvette collectors are known to be a serious bunch of folks. When a vintage or rare Corvette rolls across the auction block, hands go up, and the money flies. For those with the desire to own a highly collectible Corvette, and the bank account to back it up, any vehicle is theirs for the taking. There has been no shortage of iconic Corvettes to pass through premier automotive auction houses throughout the years. A number of these cars have gone on to fetch final sale prices that would leave the average collector weak at the knees. Where Corvette nostalgia and a room full of eager buyers meet, a significant sum of money is sure to be spent.
1967 Corvette L88 Coupe
Sold for $3,850,000
Of all the Corvettes to be auctioned throughout the years, the rare L88 cars of the late 1960s have commanded the most significant sum. Atop the list of most expensive Corvettes to be sold at auction is the 1967 L88 Coupe, which brought a final sale price of $3,850,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction in 2014. The coupe carried full documentation and was one of only 20 L88 Corvettes produced during the 1967 model year. Those L88’s that were produced in 1967 tend to be the most highly sought after, as they were the only such cars built on the C2 platform.
1967 Corvette L88 Convertible
Sold for $3,424,000
For a period of several months from 2013 to 2014, a 1967 Corvette L88 Convertible held the distinction of being the most expensive Corvette ever to be sold at auction. When all bidding ceased, and the hammer fell at the 2013 Mecum auction in Dallas, this Corvette sold for $3,424,000. Aside from the convertible’s obvious appeal as one of the only 1967 L88 Corvettes still known to exist, much of the talk surrounding the car on the day of sale surrounded its well-documented racing pedigree. Prior to being retired in the 1970s, and receiving a full restoration in the 1990s, this convertible L88 was raced to much success in the NHRA’s A/Sports class.
The First C8 Corvette
Sold for $3,000,000
In January, GM auctioned off the very first C8 Corvette to be driven off of the assembly line in Bowling Green, KY. Ironically, at the time of its sale, the car had not even been built yet. GM, offered this C8, carrying VIN #001, for auction in a bid to raise money for the Detroit Children’s Fund. Following the auction, the winning bidder would be allowed to pick up their new mid-engine Corvette upon the completion of its production. The first of its kind Corvette was sold at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. The winning bid of $3,000,000 was placed by NASCAR team owner, Rick Hendrick, who said that he plans to add the car to his already substantial Corvette collection.
1969 Corvette Rebel Racer Convertible
Sold for $2,860,000
The 1969 Rebel Racer Convertible was yet another L88 Corvette that captivated the minds of bidders. Much of the bidding for this Rebel Racer was driven by the iconic car’s extensive racing history. This car was sold when new, to professional racer Or Constanzo. Constanzo raced this L88 at both Daytona and Sebring to varying degrees of success. When all was said and done, the Rebel Racer sold for $2,860,000 in 2014 at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale. The total sale price of this iconic Corvette solidified the true value of the L88’s racing heritage, as the Rebel Racer was perhaps the most well known of all such production Corvette race cars.
Final 2019 C7 Corvette
Sold for $2,700,000
Everything must eventually come to an end, and the C7 Corvette’s 7-year long production run is no exception. As C7 production drew to a close in 2019, GM formulated a respectable plan for the final seventh-generation Corvette. It was decided that this car would be auctioned off, in a bid to raise proceeds for the Stephen Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation. The final C7 ultimately rolled across the Barrett-Jackson auction block in June 2019, bringing a total sum of $2,700,000 for charity. Adding to this car’s value is not only the fact that it is the final C7 Corvette, but also the final front-engine Corvette to be produced.
