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What American does not LOVE a Corvette?? Okay… there may be a couple, but they are few and far between. This car represents the American dream, baby. Sleek in design and fast on the road, able to hug the tightest curves and, damn, do you look good in the driver’s seat!
Let’s go back to 1953 when Chevrolet drove its first Corvette off the assembly line. $3,490 would have put you in one of the 300 Corvette’s produced that first year. They were all white convertibles with red interior and a black canvas top. This was the first all-fiberglass-bodied American sports car. If, by chance, you happen to have one of these originals hanging out in your garage, it currently carries a low estimated value of $187,000 and a high value of $363,700. Back in 2014, one sold at auction for $660,000! That one was in pristine condition and still had pretty much everything original down to its spare tire and had less than 10,000 miles on its speedometer.
A Corvette represents freedom on the open road and carries with it a certain level of prestige with a huge coolness factor. Even though some models are more beloved than others, every model carries with it the reputation of power and speed. There are currently 7 generations of Vettes with the 8th generation scheduled to hit the market in 2019 as the 2020 C8 model. We don’t know a lot about it yet, because much like the Star Wars movies, the makers are building the suspense. It’s a great sign of its potential viability, or they wouldn’t be so hot to keep it hidden.
Thanks to some shots of the C8 in camouflage, There a few things we can surmise about the C8:
- The body has a significantly wider stance and there will be buttresses flanking the engine bay.
- The engine is set to remain much the same as the C7 (460-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 engine), but it is possible they will offer a performance upgrade in the yet-to-be-seen LT7 twin-turbo V8. There is also talk of a hybrid option. Since the latest green technology offers alternative fuel options without diminishing power of performance, this is a real possibility.
- The biggest change from the C7 is engine-placement shift from front-engine to mid-engine, allowing it to take corners even tighter than before. There is even speculation this design will allow for the possibility of an all-wheel system.
- You can expect the latest in technology, including a digital rearview mirror that utilizes a rear-facing camera.
- Prices have gone up a bit since 1953, and although it won’t cost as much as a 1953 model would today, it will cost a pretty penny. The C7 base price started around $60,000. The C8 will see a significant jump to $70,000-$80,000 for a basic model without all the fixings.
All things American… cherry pie and the Chevrolet Corvette. They continue with sleek design and power-based engines and move into the next century with all the latest in technology. This next generation Vette takes us closer to the future of automotive possibility and keeps us linked to automotive history. Robert’s Collision & Repair will be ready for you and your C8!
Whether you drive an exotic or an everyday vehicle, Robert’s Collision & Repair is here to serve you. You can find us at 234 Ramona Ave. in Monterey. For best service, schedule an appointment online.