Since the early 1950s, Chevrolet has been producing one of the most affordable and capable American sports cars. Of course, this is referencing the Chevy Corvette; involved in everything from road vehicles to race cars.
Over the 65+ years, Chevrolet's been building Corvettes, they've had their ups and downs. Thankfully more positive than negative, as there are a vast array of beautiful and valuable Corvettes all around the world. To make it easier, though, here's ten of the most badass Corvettes ever, ranked...
10 Corvette C6.R
Throughout Chevrolet's production of the Corvette, they haven't been shy about putting it to the test in motorsports. Usually, you can find a Corvette racing in almost every G.T. series, such as I.M.S.A., W.E.C., and so on. One of the coolest looking and best sounding of their race cars, though, is their C6 version, called the "C6.R."
The C6.R was a very aesthetically pleasing race car, in both sight and sound. The smooth lines, colors, and aero-package, in combination with the screaming V8, made for an excellent showing. It didn't hurt that the C6.R was good at putting up a fight, as well.
9 Corvette C4 Anniversary Editions
After mild success with the C3, Chevrolet truly found its niche with the Corvette C3 body style. The C4 was one of the first Corvettes to mark a turn towards larger versions like the proceeding C5. Like many of their other models, they made plenty of 'special versions' too.
One of their most badass C4's was the Anniversary Editions. More specifically, though, the 35th Anniversary, as it has sold for a large sum in recent years. Maybe it's due to their rarity/history or improved cosmetics behind this decision. Nonetheless, the C4 Anniversaries are easily the most sought after versions of the early 90s Corvettes.
8 Corvette C5 Z06
After a successful line of C4 model Corvettes and the beginning of the C5, Corvette was noticeably following a similar design structure for each vehicle. To differentiate a bit, Chevrolet decided to mix up their C5's exterior with their newest (At the time) Z06.
Compared to the standard Corvette, the Z06 wasn't a 'fastback' style. Instead, it had a rear window that dropped nearly straight down (Like the Mustang Coupes from 1965). It was also very quick, with many enthusiasts saying that the C5 Corvette is the best sports car for your money. We're not sure if this is true or not, but it wouldn't be surprising if it was.
7 Corvette Mako Shark
Once again, Corvette made a special, 'one-off' version of their standard Corvette. This time, though, it was based off of the C3 Stingray. Also, the Mako Shark was never full produced, as Chevrolet only made a handful for concept and Motor Shows.
Since the Mako Shark was never mass produced, we will never know how well it would have done on the market. It was a bold car, though. As far as a standard Corvette goes, the Mako Shark concept certainly looked like it belonged in the future; not forgotten by the general masses.
6 Corvette C2 Stingray Split Window
The quintessential Corvette. The "perfect Corvette" to some enthusiasts, and to others around the world. If you haven't thought of it already, we're referring to the second generation Corvette: Designated the Stingray Split Window.
As the name would suggest, it has a split rear window due to a small metal beam in between the pieces of glass. It was also the first real 'Stingray' Corvette, too. As a result of all of this, the C2 Stingray Split Window is one of the most expensive Corvettes you can buy. Many sell for upwards of a hundred thousand dollars to even millions depending on the circumstances.
5 1962 Corvette Grand Sport
Like the Corvette C2 Stingray Split Window, the 1962 Grand Sport alternative was built off of, nearly, the same chassis. The hugest difference between the two, however, was their purpose. While the standard Stingray was for the road, the Grand Sport was bread for the track.
The Grand Sport is one of the most replicated classic Corvettes out there. After all, a replica is probably more preferable than spending over $5 million on a real one. Yes, the 1962 Grand Sport goes for a pretty penny. Although, with that price tag, you purchase a piece of American motorsports history along with the car itself.
4 Corvette C1
Every great thing has to start somewhere. For Chevrolet, the greatness of the renowned Corvette series began in 1953. Due to it being their first iteration of the Corvette, it was dubbed, simply, as the "C1."
As stated beforehand, the C1 was the first Corvette generation produced by Chevy. Before the Corvette, nobody had really tried anything like it before. "An affordable sports car for regular people? Why would anyone buy that?" is probably what went around the board room for quite some time.
Luckily for us, the Corvette was made and, as a result, changed the automotive world forever.
3 Corvette C6 ZR1
With the success of the standard C6 body style and the subsequent C6 with a Z06 package, Chevrolet thought it would only be natural to bring back the ZR1 name. This time, though, it would be with a new aesthetic and significantly more powerful engine.
At almost 700 horsepower stock, the Corvette ZR1 was one of the fastest, yet cheapest, American cars you could buy. With a supercharger to boot, the ZR1 was undoubtedly speedy with a soul of a true American muscle car. What was also neat about the C6 ZR1 was its small differences from the regular Z06, especially the clear bonnet piece showing off the ZR1's source of power.
2 Corvette C7 ZR1
With how beloved and prominent the C6 ZR1 was, it seemed as though the new C7 was destined to have the same variant. As fortune would have it, they were correct when Chevrolet announced the production of the C7 ZR1 back in 2017.
Now, it's 2019 and the C7 ZR1 is finally out and about. With its power figures and information fully exposed, it's clear that the newest ZR1 is the fastest Corvette ever made. With a redefined aero-package and new 6.2-liter supercharged V8, the C7 ZR1 can go over 210 miles-per-hour. That's not bad when you realize it goes for a quarter of the price of a competing Ferrari or Lamborghini.
1 Corvette C8
If it wasn't blatant already, the first place spot is clear: The newest adaptation of the Corvette, the C8. A mid-engine alternative to the classic front-end V8 setup, allowing for more speed, better weight distribution, and (potentially) more on-track victories if they decide to race it.
With this complete upheaval of the usual Corvette design structure, the C8 looks to be a whole new breed of supercar. Many experts speculate that the C8 will not only be the most competitive Corvette made to date, but also the best to go up against Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, and other foreign manufacturers. Only time will tell if these guesses are well-founded or not.