After realizing the growing popularity of European sports cars in the '50s Chevrolet decided to put together their own patriotic answer to the European sports car. The first ever American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette, first appeared in 1953. It featured some pretty major innovations, including front independent suspension, and the signature-for-Corvettes fiberglass body panels. Unfortunately, most people agreed that the original, six-cylinder Corvette didn't have enough power.

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Chevrolet responded to these complaints in 1955 with the introduction of an optional V8 powertrain. With that, the Corvette finally received the powertrain it so desperately needed, and it absolutely exploded in popularity. The Corvette evolved steadily over the years, getting better and more powerful, while also retaining the same Corvette ethos, which was always cheap thrills. The sixth-generation car, the C6 Corvette, came along in 2004. Nowadays, this is a fantastic bargain enthusiast car.

Overview Of The C6 Corvette

Front 3/4 view of a white C6 Corvette
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The C6 Corvette was, as the name implies, the sixth generation of America's sports car. It debuted in 2004 for the 2005 model year, and it soldiered on until 2013. On the outside, the C6 wasn't all that different to the C5. The fiberglass body panels evolved nicely, and a set of fixed headlights replaced the pop-ups on the C5. The side profile featured a functional vent by the front wheel, while the rear featured the trademark Corvette quad taillights and quad tailpipes, the latter being all right next to each other.

Rear 3/4 view of a white C6 Corvette
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The C6 Corvette was available as either a coupe or convertible. The regular model, simply called the Corvette, was the volume seller. Over the following years of its production, Chevy put together more powerful versions, like the Z06 and the top-of-the-line ZR1. During its day, the C6 Corvette competed with the likes of the Porsche 911, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the NA2 Acura NSX.

C6 Corvette Powertrains And Drivetrains

A white C6 Corvette on track
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Chevy offered a small handful of different LS powertrains on the C6 Corvette. We'll focus on the base model here. The base C6 Corvette launched with a 6.0-liter naturally aspirated "LS2" V8 with 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 took 4.2 seconds, and it topped out at 186 mph. For the 2008 model year, Chevy gave the Corvette an updated LS2, displacing 6.2 liters. Power was up from 400 to 430 hp, and torque was up from 400 to 424 lb-ft of torque.

A red C6 Corvette on the move
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RELATED: C6 Corvette: The Best Model Years, Ranked

Every C6 Corvette was RWD, and the engine sent power to the wheels through your choice of a six-speed manual transmission or two different automatics. Chevy offered a four-speed automatic only for the 2005 model year, which was also available on the Z06 by special order.After 2005, a six-speed automatic was the only two-pedal choice for the Corvette.

Later on, various performance versions came along, including the 500 hp Z06, and the top-of-the-line ZR1 with 640 hp. The Corvette's drivetrain was pretty simple, though it was available with an early iteration of GM's excellent magnetic dampers. As long as you remember that this is a Corvette and what that entails, you will have a lot of fun in the C6 Corvette, especially on the racetrack.

C6 Corvette Comfort And Quality

The interior of the C6 Corvette, from the driver's seat
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General Motors' infamous cost-cutting becomes immediately apparent when you step inside the C6 Corvette. The interior simply isn't all that spectacular, featuring a very basic layout and not-exactly-great materials throughout. The earliest C6 Corvettes made matters worse with the inclusion of a (hideous) four-spoke steering wheel (pictured below), looking like something from a pickup truck. Despite that, it was available with some nice pieces of equipment.

The interior of the C6 Corvette, from the passenger seat
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This includes stuff like the famous heads-up display, a navigation system, power adjustable driver's seat with memory settings, power adjustable steering column (which also works with said memory settings) and a few other goodies. In terms of safety features, the C6 hails from a different era, so don't expect any stop and go adaptive cruise or rear cross traffic alerts here. It does have airbags, though, as well as electronic stability control and traction control. In terms of reliability, you don't have much to worry about, as the LS motor is famous for its durability and parts availability. Not to mention tunability as well. The C6 Corvette seats two, and the cargo area boasts a modest but usable 22 cubic feet of space in the coupe, and 10.5 cubic feet in the convertible.

C6 Corvette Prices

Chevy Corvette C6 9

In terms of pricing, the C6 Corvette is an absolute bargain considering what you get for the money. You can find a high-mileage C6 Corvette (one without accident history, anyway) for about $15,000. These are sketchy deals, so it's best to stay clear of the cheapest possible C6 Corvette on the used market. $30,000-$35,000 will sort you out with a tidy late model with very low miles and a comprehensive service history, as well as a clean CarFax.

Rear 3/4 view of a silver C6 Corvette
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The C6 Chevy Corvette really is one of the best performance car bargains nowadays. A historic badge, styling that looks good even today, a durable and highly tunable V8 engine, and a well sorted chassis are just some reasons why you should consider one if you're after cheap thrills on the used market.