First introduced as a 1953 model, the Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic American sports cars. Now in its eighth generation, the Corvette looks a little different from its fiberglass forefather, but to honor its heritage, Chevrolet has added the 70th Anniversary Special Edition Package to the 2023 Corvette’s list of available options. I recently got to drive a 70th Anniversary Edition Corvette convertible around California’s lovely roads — the job does have its perks — to see if the package is worth the added cost or if non-collectors can skip it.
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What Do You Get to Celebrate 70 Years of Vettes?
To start, the 70th Anniversary Edition Package is available for the top 3LT and 3LZ trims of the Corvette Stingray and Corvette Z06, respectively, which adds cost (and features) on top of the $5,995 package itself. In the Stingray, the 3LT adds a more luxurious interior and upgraded GT2 seats, while the 3LZ Z06 adds those features as well as a carbon fiber- and microfiber-trimmed steering wheel.
The starting price for a 70th Anniversary Edition Corvette Stingray is $83,840 for the coupe and $90,840 for the convertible (all prices include destination). A 70th Anniversary Edition 3LZ Z06 coupe will run you $129,140, including a $2,600 gas guzzler tax, while the convertible rings in at $136,140 — given demand, at least; good luck finding a Corvette of any kind at MSRP.
While both the Stingray and Z06 are performance bargains, neither one falls into the affordable category, and the $5,995 for the 70th Anniversary Edition Package isn’t pocket change, either. As for what the package includes, it paints the car in one of two exclusive paint colors: White Pearl Metallic Tri-Coat or Carbon Flash Metallic. For an additional $995, optional racing stripes in Satin Gray (with the white paint) or Satin Black (with the black) provide a subtle touch of flair. The package also adds unique wheels, carbon-painted side mirrors, red-painted brake calipers and unique exterior badging. Stingray coupes also get a unique red engine cover (convertibles hide the rear-mounted engine under the storage compartment for the power-folding hardtop).
I really like the exterior look of the Corvette C8 and think the wheels included in the 70th Anniversary Edition look especially good — I’d choose them as a stand-alone option if I were configuring a Corvette of my own. I would probably skip the subtle stripes, however, and go without while wishing for something in a more distinctive color.
Inside, the upholstery is a unique two-tone ceramic white with red stitching and red seat belts, there’s suede-style trim for the seats and steering wheel, and there are also loads of 70th anniversary logos. The interior looks good and is extremely comfortable, though I worry that the light-colored leather could discolor easily.
I didn’t get to experience everything that comes with the 70th Anniversary Edition Package, though I can’t fault Chevrolet for not including the unique cargo protector mat and matched luggage set that are included, as they’d easily be lost or misplaced as the car traveled from journalist to journalist. The luggage is a nice touch, too, reminiscent of higher-end exotic cars, though the Corvette’s available front and rear storage compartments were enough to hold three roll-aboard suitcases and a backpack when a colleague and I took it to the airport on our way home from Los Angeles.
Drives as Good as It Looks
The best news about the 70th Anniversary Package is that it doesn’t do a thing to the Corvette C8’s driving experience. It’s still every bit as excellent in its fourth model year, and I have few quibbles. The steering is incredibly direct, the 6.2-liter V-8 nestled behind your head delivers gobs of power, and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission knows exactly what gear to be in (when you’re not shifting yourself using the steering wheel-mounted paddles). The ride is supercar firm but not unpleasant.
My two main complaints are poor visibility (there’s nothing much to be done about it in a car shaped like this, though the coupe has a helpful standard rearview camera mirror — and a low-speed judder we noticed when the car was introduced. Occasionally, letting off the brake without getting on the gas quickly enough caused the car to lurch, like I’d just stalled a conventional manual-transmission car. But then I’d step on the go-pedal, the (optional) performance exhaust would sing, and all was right with the world.
You can read our initial review of the Corvette C8 or Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman’s recent road-trip tale for more details on the Corvette’s driving characteristics, but the important thing is that there are no driving-related consequences to adding the 70th Anniversary Edition Package. If it changes the car’s curb weight compared to a regular 3LT Corvette, it’s by a negligible amount, and the unique wheels don’t alter its ride quality. I have seen some interesting appearance choices on this generation of the Corvette, but so far, it doesn’t seem like you can screw up the driving part of the equation.
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Is the Package Worth It?
The 70th Anniversary Edition is an appearance package, one that with the optional racing stripes costs just under $7,000 (it feels like a missed marketing opportunity, to be honest, not to have the 70th Anniversary Edition Package cost exactly $7,000). The package changes the looks of the Corvette but nothing else — and for that I’d say skip it, though it’s almost worth it for the wheels alone.
Collectors, however, may want the unique look of the package. While Chevrolet hasn’t said it will limit the number of cars equipped with it, Vette owners will surely know exactly how many were built. Don’t be surprised to see very-low-mileage examples popping up on resale sites as collectibles in a few years. If you’re looking for just any Corvette, you can save a few thousand dollars and skip the 70th Anniversary Edition — but if you want to get it, rest assured you’re not inadvertently making the car worse. And hey, maybe it’ll make your money back one day.
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