Lovers of Front-engined Corvettes Stand to Save Big, but Only If They Spend Big

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Who’s talking about the C7 Corvette these days? Precious few, that’s who, as the recent appearance of the mid-engined C8 has sucked all the attention away from the current-generation Chevrolet two-seater.

This situation, paired with the need to clear existing inventory, could be advantageous for buyers of the departing model, assuming you’re ready to shell out nearly six figures for the hottest C7s around.

As reported by Cars Direct, General Motors is upping incentives on the outgoing C7 between now and Labor Day, offering up to $9,404 in savings to buyers who like sitting behind their engine. Naturally, buyers of entry-level models stand no chance of seeing this upper amount.

The offer carries the enthusiasm-sparking billing of “Supplier Pricing for Everyone.” Available on any Corvette model, the deal ties itself to the vehicle’s configuration, meaning less savings for Stingray buyers and more for Z06 customers. Maximum savings come to those who already own a Vette, as there’s a $3,000 loyalty offer in play.

Should this be your first Corvette purchase, the maximum savings to be had (no lease offers, sorry) totals $6,404, and that’s if you’re prepared to fork over just north of $95k on a ZO6. But wait, you ask — doesn’t the Z06 start at around $85k? Indeed it does, meaning you’ll likely have to add some options in order to pare down the final selling price. Yes, this is one of those instances where being a return customer really sweetens the pot.

Any money on the hood of a car is appreciated, however, and customers eager to get into a new Vette — but who didn’t get their name on a reservation list early — could find themselves waiting for a 2021 C8, not a 2020 model. The next-generation model’s first-year popularity boost might lead them to the C7 instead.

[Image: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • TheDutchGun TheDutchGun on Aug 06, 2019

    I checked whatever new 2019s are advertised on auto trader for the province of Ontario and they're definitely marked down to varying degrees. The best deal I found was an all-black base stingray with a manual for $61k, which is $12-$13k off MSRP here. That one was the outlier though. Most were not marked down to that degree.

  • 87 Morgan 87 Morgan on Aug 06, 2019

    No need to rush in to purchasing a C7. No doubt their will be stores with C8's and new C7's on the ground simultaneously, though I suspect the c8's will be spoken for. I am very interested, from an arm chair qb position so to speak, to see what trades come in on the C8. Thos car is a game changer for GM in a positive direction. 2021 Suburban/Tahoe hopefully attracts new buyers as well.

    • See 8 previous
    • 87 Morgan 87 Morgan on Aug 06, 2019

      Hummer, I believe that most people who do serious towing either now or in the future will do so with a pick up vs using a Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/Yukon XL/Escalade an IRS. I used my Suburban to tow my pop up Coleman when we had it a solid 3x times a year. I do not believe that a IRS will decrease the number of sales, it will increase them as the increase in interior space along with the improved ride will make these far more an attractive purchase. Again, time will tell.

  • Redapple2 I gave up on Honda. My 09 Accord Vs my 03. The 09s- V 6 had a slight shudder when deactivating cylinders. And the 09 did not have the 03 's electro luminescent gages. And the 09 had the most uncomfortable seats. My brother bought his 3rd and last Honda CRV. Brutal seats after 25 minutes. NOW, We are forever Toyota, Lexus, Subaru people now despite HAVING ACCESS TO gm EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT. Despite having access to the gm employee discount. Man, that is a massive statement. Wow that s bad - Under no circumstances will I have that govna crap.
  • Redapple2 Front tag obscured. Rear tag - clear and sharp. Huh?
  • Redapple2 I can state what NOT to buy. HK. High theft. Insurance. Unrefined NVH. Rapidly degrading interiors. HK? No way !
  • Luke42 Serious answer:Now that I DD an EV, buying an EV to replace my wife’s Honda Civic is in the queue. My wife likes her Honda, she likes Apple CarPlay, and she can’t stand Elon Musk - so Tesla starts the competition with two demerit-points and Honda starts the competition with one merit-point.The Honda Prologue looked like a great candidate until Honda announced that the partnership with GM was a one-off thing and that their future EVs would be designed in-house.Now I’m more inclined toward the Blazer EV, the vehicle on which the Prologue is based. The Blazer EV and the Ultium platform won’t be orphaned by GM any time soon. But then I have to convince my wife she would like it better than her Honda Civic, and that’s a heavy lift because she doesn’t have any reason to be dissatisfied with her current car (I take care of all of the ICE-hassles for her).Since my wife’s Honda Civic is holding up well, since she likes the car, and since I take care of most of the drawbacks of drawbacks of ICE ownership for her, there’s no urgency to replace this vehicle.Honestly, if a paid-off Honda Civic is my wife’s automotive hill to die on, that’s a pretty good place to be - even though I personally have to continue dealing the hassles and expenses of ICE ownership on her behalf.My plan is simply to wait-and-see what Honda does next. Maybe they’ll introduce the perfect EV for her one day, and I’ll just go buy it.
  • 2ACL I have a soft spot for high-performance, shark-nosed Lancers (I considered the less-potent Ralliart during the period in which I eventually selected my first TL SH-AWD), but it can be challenging to find a specimen that doesn't exhibit signs of abuse, and while most of the components are sufficiently universal in their function to service without manufacturer support, the SST isn't one of them. The shops that specialize in it are familiar with the failure as described by the seller and thus might be able to fix this one at a substantial savings to replacement. There's only a handful of them in the nation, however. A salvaged unit is another option, but the usual risks are magnified by similar logistical challenges to trying to save the original.I hope this is a case of the seller overvaluing the Evo market rather than still owing or having put the mods on credit. Because the best offer won't be anywhere near the current listing.
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