The C6 Corvette is one of the most iconic Corvette generations created and designed by Chevrolet. The C6 model consists of the whopping 215,223 Corvettes made from 2005 to 2013.
One of the main reasons the sports car is so popular is the speed combined with the horsepower, which is extremely affordable compared to competitors of the time, like the Porsche 911 and Dodge Viper. The average price of a used 2005 Corvette is “only” $25,000 versus the Porsche averaging $55,000, and the Dodge averaging $64,000.
The vehicle can come with many different engine configurations depending on the year the C6 was released. The variants of the car include the base model, Z06, and the ZR1. A C6 base model contains either a 6.0L LS2 V8 or 6.2L LS3 V8 engine configuration that both give 400 horsepower and 430 horsepower respectively. Z06s contained a 7.0L LS7 V8 which made approximately 505 horsepower and the highest end ZR1 has a roaring 6.2L LS9 supercharged V8 which has an output of 638 horsepower with a 0-60mph time of 3.4 seconds.
Even though there are so many remarkable things about the vehicle, there are unfortunately a few pitfalls of the C6. Firstly, the C6 after years of usage can potentially have faulty or degrading electronic door handles which can lead to unresponsive use of the doors. Luckily, the repairs for the electronic door handles are relatively easy to perform but are still a headache when buying such an expensive car.
Some other issues owners of the vehicle might encounter are wobbling harmonic balancers, timing chain tensioner issues, and airbag light issues which are less common but could occur with higher mileage Corvettes.
The exterior of the vehicle is very minimalistic and sleek. It adopts a uniform design similiar to it’s predecessors, but still looks very modern for a vehicle made at least a decade ago. Unfortunately, the C6 is the first mass produced Corvette without pop-up headlights which were signature in previous Corvettes even though they sometimes were problematic and had electrical issues. Currently, the rarest color variant of the C6 is called “Carlisle Blue”, fitting for the massive Corvette shows that happen in Carlisle every year.
The interior of the vehicle is still relatively updated, but misses some of the modern bells and whistles that are in newer vehicles like Bluetooth and modern infotainment systems. There are not too many user-specific features within the car, but these features aren’t the focus instead the focus is performance. Also, the interior is made mainly of plastics which are generally cheaper than cars of competitors who may have higher quality materials like carbon fiber.
A C6 Corvette is still a phenomenal choice for anyone looking for the best price performance in a sports car. With how abundant the C6 Corvettes are on the market you can find many for very good prices which can fit your budget. You can show off your Corvette at the next car show, even if you get called out for having a midlife crisis you will still get to enjoy driving your C6.
