How To Get A Deal On A Corvette Grand Sport

With a new Corvette Grand Sport on the horizon, now is the time to start looking for deals on the C6 Grand Sport. Special edition models are typically purchased by enthusiasts and few vehicles have such an active buying community as that of the Corvette.

Those folks that bought a C6 Grand Sport will likely be looking to get into a C7 Grand Sport, which is an attractively priced vehicle, but not one you’ll be able to get a great deal on for at least a few years. Instead of waiting for the new cars to come down in price, look to the pre-owned market and make peace with the fact that while you’ll have to make some compromises, you’ll be getting an absolute beast of a car.

If you’re considering a C6 Corvette, you should absolutely start with the Grand Sport given the considerable amount of equipment that it came with, and the options that were available for it.

The Grand Sport name was brought back to the Corvette lineup in 2010, a nod the 5 legendary C2 Corvettes produced in the 1960s. The C6 Grand Sport replaced the Z51 trim as a standalone model, and immediately became a hit with the Corvette faithful. Packing the venerable LS3 under the hood, the C6 sported the same wide body as the C6 Z06, but swapped the lightweight aluminum frame for a steel one. Models equipped with a manual transmission retain the same dry-sump oiling system found on the Z06, which is one of the many reasons why you should really only consider a Grand Sport with 3 pedals. A few others are the fact that the manual equipped models feature a hand built motor with a forged crank, and shorter ratios through the first 3 gears.

Both automatic and manual transmission models get the 6 piston 14″ front brakes and 4 piston rear brakes from the Z06, as well as the upgraded suspension setup. If you’re looking for a ‘Vette that you can cruise to the track in, drive hard all day, and then drive home, a Grand Sport with a stick shift is the one to go after.

Points of concern with the C6 Grand Sport are largely the same as they are with any C6 Corvette, the interior is really quite cheap. Buttons are prone to having their lettering rub off, hard plastics are found throughout the cabin, the infotainment system is a joke, and the seats wear quickly. That being said, this is a whole lot of car for the money, and if you’re more concerned about having a quality interior than you are with performance to dollar ratios, then I suggest looking at another car.

As I said before, if you’re willing to compromise a bit, the C6 Grand Sport makes for a compelling choice in the pre-owned performance car market. It offers the visual appeal of the Z06, but at a reduced cost thanks to the LS3 under the hood instead of the LS7. Will you miss the extra 75 horsepower and 46 lb-ft of torque offered by the latter? If you’re a stoplight hero or hardcore track-rat, maybe you will, but for most people, the answer is no. Besides, LS3s are meant to be tuned, and reclaiming that drop in power is only a couple of easy modifications away.

Happy hunting!

2011 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

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