13 Corvettes That Set Auction Records

America’s sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette, is one of the most iconic models ever to roll off the Bow Tie brand’s assembly line. People have been wanting to get their hands on this iconic car for decades.

It has always been a cheaper option to European exotica without sacrificing an ounce of performance.

Cheap isn’t the word we’d use to describe the ‘Vettes on this list, though, as rare and highly sought-after models now fetch top dollar at auctions.

1963 Harley Earl Styling Car — $803,000

This historic Corvette was a one-off styling car that GM gifted to Department Chief Harley J. Earl when he retired. Earl actually used the car as well, driving it around town and even doing some parade laps at the 1965 Daytona 500.

With a history like that, we’re not surprised there was a bidding war between wealthy collectors. When the hammer dropped, Earl’s ‘Vette sold for a whopping $803,000. For that money, the buyer got a one-off convertible with a 327 V8, 4-speed manual, sidepipes, and 4-wheel disc brakes.

1963 Z06/N03 Split-Window Coupe — $935,000

This 1953 Z06 is another very special Corvette. In fact, it’s the only Tuxedo black-over-red 1963 Z06/N03 split-window coupe. It has a 360-horsepower (hp) 327 V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission.

Chevrolet offered a special performance package with these cars, which included a massive 36.5-gallon fuel tank. This car is number 51 of the 63 1963 Corvette Z06/N03 “Tankers” ever made.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible — $1.1 Million

Jeff Hayes has made a name for himself by restoring and modifying classic Chevy Corvettes. One of his creations sold for $1.1 million at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January 2024.

This time, Hayes based his restomod project on a classic 1967 Corvette Convertible. It was given a Vintage Champagne paint job, a more powerful LS3 V8 engine, new Schott wheels, a fresh interior, A/C, a radio with Bluetooth compatibility, and several other upgrades.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Split Window Coupe — $1.24 Million

Split-window C2 Corvettes are among the most desirable classic ‘Vettes for collectors, but this one is on a different level. It’s one of only 199 built and the only Z06 painted Sebring Silver with Saddle Tan leather, so it’s pretty rare. However, that’s not the only reason it created a bidding war.

It had only three previous owners and 5,400 miles on the clock. Furthermore, it’s unrestored and in museum-quality condition. It was estimated to fetch between $750,000 and $900,000, but it sold for over $1.2 million.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine — $1.6 Million

The 1963 Rondine Corvette is coachbuilt by Pininfarina and designed by Tom Tjaarda. They built it for the 1963 Paris Auto Show, and after the show, it was placed in the Pininfarina Museum.

Design-wise, the Rondine doesn’t look like any other Corvette, as it has more in common with European sports cars from that era. In 2008, the one-off creation sold for $1.6 million at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.

First and Last Corvette L88s — $2.58 Million

At the 2024 Mecum Kissimmee auction, the very first L88-powered C2 Corvette and the last C3 with the L88 engine were auctioned as a single lot.

The L88 engine was a race-bred 427 big-block V8 made available in 1967. Officially, it produced 430 hp, but in reality, it produced around 550 hp. These two iconic L88-powered cars sold for $2,585,000.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 — $2.7 Million

In 2019, the last-ever C7 Corvette Z06 was auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast auction for an eye-watering $2.7 million. That’s way more than a regular C7 Z06, but it was for a good cause.

All the money went to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization that helps pay off mortgages for families of first responders killed in the line of duty and builds mortgage-free smart homes for injured service members.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette #57 Rebel Race Car — $2.86 Million

Classic cars with a proven race record can sometimes fetch more than cars stored in a garage and kept in pristine condition. That’s the case with the 1969 Corvette Rebel race car that competed in IMSA championships.

It’s based on a C3 L88, which makes it rare. Only 199 were made in 1969, and it’s one of four early versions. It’s also the only convertible L88 C3 race car, and it’s jam-packed with performance parts. No wonder the 1969 Corvette Rebel race car sold for $2.86 million at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (VIN 001) — $3 Million

In 2020, Chevrolet introduced the brand-new, mid-engined C8 Corvette. While the ‘Vette had always been able to mix it up with European exotics, it was now a bona fide supercar, yet with much friendlier price tags than the Euro machines.

Well, the price tag wasn’t all that friendly for the buyer of the first-ever C8 Corvette. He bought it for $3 million at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. A brand-new 2024 Chevy Corvette Stingray has an MSRP of just under $70,000, but it was for a good cause, as the proceeds from the sale went to the Detroit Children’s Fund.

1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL1 — $3.14 Million

In 1969, you couldn’t get a more impressive C3 Corvette than the ZL1, and they’re among the rarest ‘Vettes, too. Under the hood, the ZL1 had a 427 V8 that officially sent 430 hp to the rear wheels, but it’s believed that the real number is much higher.

In 2023, a Monaco Orange 1969 ZL1 Corvette Convertible was sold for a whopping $3.14 million at RM Sotheby's Arizona auction. However, it’s sparked a debate whether it’s a real ZL1 or a clone.

1967 Corvette L88 Corvette Convertible — $3.4 Million

Another L88 Corvette, and by now, we know these sports cars packing a ridiculous amount of American muscle will fetch top dollar. Being a convertible makes this 1967 C2 model even rarer.

It was painted Marlboro Maroon with a black interior and had a complementing black stinger on the hood. The highest bid was $3.2 million, and with the auction fee, the total price was $3.4 million.

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (VIN 001) — $3.6 Million

While the regular Stingray C8 Corvette is a very impressive sports car, it’s got nothing on the latest Z06 model. Its naturally aspirated 5.5-liter flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine spits out 670 thoroughbred American stallions. That’s enough to send it to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds.

You can buy one for around $115,000, but if you want the very first C8 Z06, it’ll cost a lot more. In 2022, it sold for a whopping 3.6 million at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. True to form, GM donated the money to charity, in this case, Operation Homefront.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe — $3.85 Million

Chevrolet only built 20 L88 Corvettes in 1967, this Coupe is the only red-on-red version. It also won prestigious awards, such as a NCRS 98.2 Regional Top Flight 2001 rating, a 98.4 National Top Flight 2001, and the NCRS Duntov Mark of Excellence Award 2001.

In 2014, it sold for $3.85 million at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, and to this day, it remains the most expensive Corvette ever sold at auction.