Mid Engine Monthly Update: 2023 Stingray Pricing & Options and Z06 News (John Elegant)

The price for the 2023 Stingray’s MSRP went up to $61,900. This is a just 1.6% increase and far better than most competitor brands have announced. It is truly amazing when that 1.6% increase for the 2023 Stingray is compared to many other OEM’s, i.e., OEM price increases have been consistently at least twice what the Corvette’s is for the upcoming year — and one OEM just adopted a 10% across the board price increase. Well done GM!

The 70th Anniversary SR is a $5,995 extra cost option — unless you choose to add its optional dual, full length stripes at the typical C8 price of $995. The package is not limited in terms of total numbers, i.e., if you want it and your dealer has a 2023 allocation for you, you will not be shut out.

New 2023 Stingray wheel options: Q9I = Black & Q99= Machine Faced; picture credit to “Z06WOT”

 

Equally stunning is that none of the major options for the Stingray went up in price, i.e., such expensive components as the Z51 package, mag ride, front lift, the interior upgrades to the 2LT and 3LT trim packages do not have even a $1 additional cost. A couple of the more minor cost options actually had a price decrease. KUDOS TO GM!

Key new-for-2023, additional Stingray component option pricing increases include:

$200 for the black exhaust tips;

$595 for the interior aluminum black out trim;

$995 for Gloss Black Q9I wheels

$1,995 for Machined Q99 wheels

N/C for the complete Adrenaline Red interior IF you get the 3LT trim

More info here: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/363977-2023-stingray-price-increase-only-1-000

And while we are talking about deserved praise, the 2022 Stingray was just named the “Best Luxury Sports Car” by U.S. News and World Report. It was praised by them for its “value proposition, lightning-quick acceleration, precise handling, comfortable and well-trimmed interior, and intuitive tech featuresPros of the new Stingray, according to U.S. News, include its sharp handling, blistering acceleration, comfy, posh interior, and useful cargo space; the only con they could come up with is poor rear visibility.” Which competitors did it beat out to win this award? The Porsche Boxster, Porsche C amen, Porsche 911, the Audi R8 and 8 other luxury sports cars.”

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/luxury-sports-cars

One other praiseworthy review of the C8 Stingray comes from Top Gear UK. While historically the Europeans, especially the British automedia have not been kind to Corvettes, here is a YT video that I believe you would enjoy. It’s title is: “Sports car money, SUPERCAR SPEED: Chevrolet Corvette, 184mph, 480+bhp | by Top Gear: https://youtu.be/HMFQ0RvvsxI

2023 Official Stingray Order Guide released by GM:

https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/362770-2023-stingray-order-guide-is-now-up

First 2023 Stingray orders officially went in on Thursday, March 31st. This first batch is already closing in on status 3000 and if later GM confirmed, the initial 2023 Stingrays would start down the production line on Monday, May 9th.

The news on Z06 production is far different. As Josh Holder, Chief Corvette Vehicle Manager, and Harlan Charles. Marketing Manager, told us at Sebring race presentations, allocations for the Z06 are not beginning until later this summer. Of course summer starts as early as June 20th, and later this summer does not necessarily mean late this summer. However lots of insider sources are repeatedly whispering that if we get our first customer Z06’s around September 1st, we would be fortunate. Still in spite of other revisions, GM’s official web site is still stating, “available summer.” Does this mean that the most likely time for first batch Z06 customers to get theirs delivered is during the September 1st through September 20th window?

Picture thanks and credit to CorvetteBlogger.

 

The Z06 Order Guide was leaked. While not official, it appears to be perhaps 90% correct?

https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/purchasing-your-new-corvette/357265-z06-ordering-code-sneak-peek-thanks-to-corvette-action-center

We also have not heard word one about the Z06’s MSRP. However, Tadge said on the Z06’s October reveal date, and this was echoed later by Harlan Charles on a “Corvette Today podcast,“ that the MSRP price differential between the C8 Z06 and the C8 Stingray would be “in the ballpark” of the difference between the C7 Z06’s MSRP and the C7’s MSRP. This difference averaged $26,000 during the C7 generation, so approximately $89,000 and $90,000 for the C8 Z06’s MSRP is within that estimate. If so that would be truly amazing as the cost to make a DOHC motor, with its hundreds of more parts than the C8’s OHV, is considerable. Also factors suggesting the C8 Z06’s could be higher include that the LT6 is a bespoke motor with all of its internal parts and many of its external parts are not only being machined but all are the best quality engine parts that can be bought anywhere. The connecting rods for example are made by CP Carrillo who makes them for many race cars. As Jordan Lee, the Chief GM Engineer and Manager of Small Block Performancesaid, “The LT6 has the best parts we can source.” Because of these latter factors, my own estimate for the Z06’s MSRP is $91,495 — though full disclosure I was high in my C8 MSRP pricing estimate and lately wrong in predicting a $2,000 price increase for the 2023 Stingray. I hope I am again too high and that the majority opinion of $89,995 is accurate for it.

The National Corvette Museum Bash is this month from April 28th-30th. There will be a ton of GM Corvette staff there to share their Stingray and Z06 knowledge though their Engineering Technical presentations and to answer your questions. Harlan noted that there will be Z06’s there on display and for folks to sit in. The same displays and that have been at the Z06 dealer tours will be there too. Here are the key GM and related Bash seminars: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/364108-ncm-bash-agenda-and-information

Also we are having there the annual MidEngineCorvetteForum Bash Breakfast. Over 65 signed up already: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/349963-mecf-bash-breakfast-back-again. We hope you can join us!

Here’s to your having many miles of Corvette driving smiles.