I don't know how close you have been following this developments, but the current C7 from 2014 on is a technological and practical wonder. There are still 2018's and it may stay in production beside the 2018 or 2019 mid-engined C8. They dropped the gorgeous Limerock Green in favor of some crappy orange and then in 2016 reintroduced the also stunning Black Rose metallic. The advances are well reflected in costs. Theoretically a base model costs $50K, but you must choose the 7 speed manual or 8 speed paddle shift auto, both adding $1995. Every one I have ever seen also has the $1995 performance exhaust, which the standard equipment drive mode selector does operate without. Red or other custom color calipers adds $595. So effectively, entry level price is $56K. Most have Z51 handling for $4K, or Grand Sport ground effects for $10K. By the time you do that, you might as well take the supercharged Z06 which gets you both plus raises HP from 460 to 650 and the price to $76k. 2LT trim adds the nice whistles and bells, less Nav, for $5K, or the $10K 3LT (or 2LZ or 3LZ for ZO6) adds nav and performance data recorder. Electromagnetic shocks adds $4K and all sorts of silly stuff like factory pickup, personalized markings and custom serial number add $5K or $10K each. The classic 427 version is $150K and the C8 probably the same. We're talking serious money.sammy the blade wrote:Dave, the green hard top corvette is the bomb diggity, you should buy it! I had a 96 and couldn't believe how nice it drove out, fast and good gas mileage if you kept your foot out of it. I can imagine the improvements they have made in them 21 years later. I'll bet it's a monster.
Back here at the ranch, I'm living off social security and bites of my IRA. Just because I have the amount does not mean I am going to park it in the driveway. One of my friends said that a Corvette owner only truly loves it on two days, the day he buys it and the day he sells it. I am not going to sign in for 72 months of $1500 per month after $10K or so for tag, extended warranty, gap, and dealer profit.
It's not unusual to find a 3-5 year old model, single owner, with 5000 miles or less on it and model year variations are effectively invisible. If I can find the right color combination, auto, chrome wheels, coupe for around $40K, then I can manage. Maybe by spring I will have the garage cleared and my finances in better shape or maybe I will buy a Tesla Model 3 or maybe I will have so few brain cells left that I won't give a flip or notice the difference.
Glad you like the picture, have tons of them in my screen saver and I take one for a test drive now and again. So far that is as close as I have come, and yeah, it's a 3.9 second 0-60 car, sophisticated monster.