We can’t remember a time when the Chevrolet Corvette sounded this good. A new 6.7-liter V8 replaces the 6.2-liter unit in Stingray models for 2027, and the combination of 535 horsepower tamed by a lightning-quick dual-clutch automatic gearbox puts it in the ring with supercars from 10 years ago.
With all the new goodies for this year, Chevy asks a steep $73,795 for the entry-level Stingray. But even with no new Porsche 718 models to compete with, and other Europeans disappearing from the class, the C8 Corvette still has tough competition from its older sibling. The C7 generation available from 2014-2019 might be the last front-engine, stick-shift Corvette ever, and the models’ values are starting to reflect its place in history.
The C7 Stingray Is Worlds Apart From The C8
2014 Chevrolet Corvette StingrayGeneral Motors
It was about time Chevrolet delivered a Corvette with the engine behind the driver, and the eighth generation finally did it for 2020. The near-500 horsepower output for $60,000 was a bargain, especially in a package that would look at home in Maranello. The double-wishbone suspension at all four corners – replacing the rear transverse composite leaf springs – brought the ‘Vette into the modern era. Nevertheless, it was a complete game changer for Chevrolet, and one it needed if the company wanted to drop the average owner’s age from 110 years to a youthful 85.
In truth, the C8 brought down the average age by seven years, and the model earned the top spot among sports car owners under 35. It might be the first stock Corvette to be mentioned in the same breath as McLaren or Ferrari. With the addition of each performance model, the competition became even fiercer against the backlog of used, off-lease exotics. The C8 bodes well amongst shoppers of used European supercars, but it’s still no match for the Corvette’s fanbase, who can dictate values without breaking out the New Balances and calling to order an owner’s meeting.
Everything that made the C8 revolutionary is exactly what set it apart from the seven generations that came before. Traditional ‘Vette buyers were at a loss if they wanted a front-engine grand tourer with enough trunk space to pack luggage, racing slicks, or entire Costco runs.
Interior shot of a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette StingrayChevrolet
Aside from the lost practicality, the mid-mounted engine tipped the weight distribution away from the GM-claimed 50/50 split for the C7 to a rear-biased 40/60 for the C8. The C7’s engine placement behind the front wheels and rear transaxle pushed the center of mass close to the middle, giving the car a personality as European as its looks.
Drivers can shift all seven ratios of the C7’s gearbox by hand, something some Corvette evangelists claim they want to see return more than they want a race-bred DCT, hybrid technology, or 1,000 horsepower. It’s not uncommon for relapsing C7 owners to try their hand at C8 ownership, only to realize it wasn’t for them because there was nothing for their left foot to do.
The line separating a sports car from a supercar is a matter of performance. The C7 Stingray’s 455 hp from the 6.2-liter LT1 made it a perfectly balanced sports car, and a manual only improved it. However, recent prices reflect that realization years after its supercar replacement arrived.
2014-2019 Stingray Values Are On Their Way Up
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The cheapest way to get into the previous-generation Corvette is via the base Stingray trim. No surprise, but what is shocking is that online sales show a steady increase in average values over the past year. The Hagerty price guide shows a 6% increase over the past three years. That doesn’t seem like much, but early C8 Corvettes have dropped 20-24% since they first sold, likely because steep initial markups and high production didn’t translate into the used market, not to mention normal depreciation.
C7 Stingrays averaged $45,000 to $46,000 in September 2026, while C8 Stingrays averaged $67,000 to $69,000. Prices (including destination) for 2027 models start at $73,795 for coupes and $80,795 for convertibles. If the new engine and revised interior aren’t a priority, used models are an excellent way to get into eighth-gen Corvettes at a discount. If a manual is what you’re after, then you’d need to start looking at older models.
2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 Coupe Red and Blue Front Angle GroupChevrolet
Previous generations of Corvettes have fluctuated in value, too, but not as a response to the current C8’s perceived lack of engagement or luggage space. Some are reaching classic status, such as pristine examples of the C4 and C5. Meanwhile, inexpensive, high-mileage C6 models are among the most desirable sports cars for track use. The C7 and C8 prices reflect natural market tides and traditionalists flocking back to manuals.
In the C7’s corner is automatic rev-matching, which helps make manual drivers of all experience levels drive like professionals on back roads. Plus, the near-3,500-pound curb weight doesn’t feel overly heavy unless you’re upgrading from a Mini Cooper S or Mazda MX-5.
Chevrolet says the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic is part of the reason for the C8 gaining about 200 pounds over the C7. However, the eighth gen’s extra power makes up for the additional mass. The C8 also grows over 5 inches in length and 2.2 inches in width. Its wheelbase stretches 0.5 inches, and it stands the same 48.6 inches tall.
Is The Ninth-Generation Corvette To Blame For Rising C7 Values?
GM’s UK Design Proposal For C9 Chevy CorvetteGeneral Motors
With speculation about what the C9 has in store for the Corvette nameplate, it certainly raises many qualms that the C8 doesn’t quite settle. Will the manual return? Is it mid-engined? The Corvette’s new layout is unlikely to change, and it’s unlikely a manual gearbox would come back because an automatic transmission allows for better performance.
The situation puts pressure on C7 values for just one of its many traits, as C8’s would likely continue to follow a gradual depreciation slope.
Porsche is currently fielding nearly two dozen 911 variants, slowly returning manuals to cheaper models like the Carrera T and Carrera S with M/T Package. Older models, however, offered more manuals over a broader range of trims. The values of these used 911s can match or even surpass the price of new models because of this one option.
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Exterior Finished In RedChevrolet
The Corvette leaves a lot on the table for die-hard manual enthusiasts, but for everyone else, it was one of the best new-car experiences for $65,000. That was six years ago, however, and its new sticker price is nearly $10,000 above that for 2027. Does it get harder to make that statement and simply readjust the price? Hardly.
Base Trim Engine
6.2L V8 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
7-Speed Manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
455 hp
Base Trim Torque
460 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm
Fuel Economy
16/25 MPG
Infotainment & Features
9 /10
It’s the last performance coupe under $100,000 that drew competition from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and, of course, Porsche. The Stingray’s updates keep it ahead of all other $80,000 new cars in terms of visceral experience—even without a manual. That isn’t enough to satisfy the old guard, inching C7 Stingray values closer to where the C8 started and nearly tipping the Corvette market on its head.
Sources: Classic.com, GM Authority, Hagerty
