$250 Can Land You This Very Special 2023 Corvette 70th Anniversary Edition Convertible

If you are a fan of American-made sports cars, the Chevrolet Corvette surely is among your favorite vehicles. With a history spanning over seven decades and a direct connection to Motorama, the model quickly gathered the people’s attention and remained one of the best things the U.S. auto industry ever created.

One particular thing that we must remind you of here is that General Motors decided in 1953 to give Americans a reason to stop thinking about hyped-up European-made or -styled vehicles. But it wasn’t a decision taken lightly. Since Motorama was a great event for General Motors from a marketing point of view, it used to introduce at least one concept vehicle every time the event was to begin. Some were well received by the audience, while others were quickly locked up in a vault.

But in 1953, a vehicle named after a type of small warship appeared in a room as a striking GM concept meant to impress viewers. But people were ecstatic about it, so the automaker decided that at least a couple of units had to be made. Only 300 (Spartans, what is your profession?) were created, and all of them found an owner. The approximate cost of $3,500 ($38,144 in today’s money) didn’t matter much to those that fell in love with the machine.

Saved by passion

Sadly, two years later, it seemed like the first American sports car had no future. Fortunately, a very passionate man who saw the concept in 1953 wanted to work for GM so he could be part of the story. That man was nonother than Zora Arkus-Duntov, and he helped revamp the Corvette into a legend. Some might say that it is even a cult!

Now, however, things simply are a whole lot better than back in the day, thanks to the unexpected overhaul the C8 brought to the table. Besides drawing inspiration from the amazing Ferrari 458 Italia, the current generation of Corvettes is the epitome of snob-less fun. The performance, the sound, the technology, its amazing history, the experience of a vehicle that is meant to satisfy your thirst for motoring fun, and a reasonable price for all these things are what make Corvette America’s sports car.

But with the current engine layout, some may be right to claim that the unit is now as exotic as it can be, so you could theoretically say that it has evolved into a supercar.

But 2023 is a special year for Corvette for two reasons – it marks the seven decades that have passed since the first iteration was shown to the world, and it reminds everyone that only two years are left before Chevrolet has to give up on keeping this model in its portfolio.

American prowess!

That’s a great opportunity for some good ol’ marketing shenanigans, so GM decided to support Chevrolet in creating something that’s nearly as special as the rumored 1,000-HP electrified Corvette Zora – the 2023 Corvette 70th Anniversary Edition.

It’s available for both the Stingray and the Z06, meaning you’ll be able to choose between a 490-hp (497-ps) 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 and a 670-hp (679 ps) 5.5-liter LS V8. The latter is inspired by Ferrari’s choice for the powertrain found on the 458 Italia and boasts the famous flat-plane crankshaft, which some consider un-American. But innovation is good, and progress is necessary. So, we wouldn’t be that harsh. Especially since the engine is manually assembled at the Bowling Green Plant in Kentucky and develops nearly 110 hp (112 ps) more than the Ferrari unit ever did.

Moreover, the $5,995 70th Anniversary Edition package is available for both the coupe and convertible models mentioned above. It includes a couple of nifty upgrades like:

• the 70th Anniversary Edition exterior badging, including the special Corvette cross flags;
• Edge Red brake calipers;
• 70th Anniversary Edition logo on seats, steering wheel, and sill plates;
• rear bumper protector and trunk cover
• custom luggage set with red stitching and 70th Anniversary Edition logo;
• an Edge Red engine cover (available only for the 70th Anniversary Edition Stingray coupes).

Sadly, dealer markups are still a thing. You might have to pay extra to secure a Stingray or a Z06 with the 70th Anniversary Edition package. Some people even said online that they were asked to pay nearly $100,000 over MSRP for one. That seems hard to believe even in today’s hectic car market, but just be aware of the hardships that may come with trying to get a special edition for yourself.

But the National Corvette Museum decided to snatch the second Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 Convertible with the 70th Anniversary Edition (VIN 0002) that left the factory and is now raffling it off to sustain its operations.

You could be the one to take it home!

Tickets cost $250 each and, at the time of writing, there are 1,283 left out of a total of 1,953. Yes, the Museum did it right and tried to subtly remind everyone of the year when the first Corvette was introduced. If the remaining tickets are not sold before the draw date of April 28, the raffle still takes place. The only change is that every participant’s chances of winning increase.

Almost any U.S. citizen can partake in this raffle, but there are some rules. Tickets can be bought in person from the Museum and the NCM Motorsports Park. People who want to get them online must be physically located in Kentucky at the time of purchase, be at least 18 years old, and have a valid driver’s license. If you’re not in the Bluegrass State, then the so-called “Interactive Mode” is what you’ll have to use but it’s a tad bit more complicated.

The first-ever Corvette with the 70th Anniversary Edition pack was a Z06 coupe, and the model was auctioned off for charity. It went away for the eye-watering sum of $3,700,000 at a no-commission Barrett-Jackson auction. The money went to Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that works with some of the nation’s military.

Finally, if you want to buy a new Corvette this year and don’t want to deal with raffles, know that Chevrolet is going to include a commemorative 70th anniversary interior plaque located on the center speaker grille and a graphic imprinted on the lower rear window with every unit sold this year, no matter the model you pick.