1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Description

The last and arguably the best of the C4 Corvettes, the 1996 Grand Sport was definitely not subtle, but today it remains a high-profile fun car that's both reasonably priced and ready to become a future collectable. This one shows just 36,066 original miles, making it ideal for the guy who actually wants to drive his cars rather than letting them slumber in silence while they appreciate.

You already know why the GS is collectable, with only 810 Grand Sport coupes being built (this is number 459) and of those, only 270 had the Torch Red interior, so if you want one, this is the one to own. Obviously it's always been treated as something special by its owners, who seemed to understand that its value would only go up. As a result, it's been babied and protected its whole life and those 36,000 or so miles have been gentle, not on a track. The Admiral Blue paint looks as good today as it did nearly 20 years ago, the Arctic White stripe is crisp and sharp, and the red hash marks on the fender just look plain awesome. Fit and finish are quite good, as the guys at Bowling Green got pretty good at their jobs by 1996 and even the giant clamshell hood fits well and sits tight. The chin spoiler hasn't been abused by parking curbs and steep driveways and even the weather seals are still in almost new condition.

You could get your Grand Sport with either black or Torch Red leather, and while black was the safe, conservative choice, the cars that will be most valuable in the future are those 270 built with Torch Red. The combination is striking and in a car this vivid, the high-impact look works exceedingly well. There are some very minor signs of use on the driver's seat, but otherwise the interior of this car is pretty much as new, including the carpets and high-traffic area on the driver's door sill. Everything was standard, too, including power windows, locks, seats, and mirrors, cruise control, automatic climate control, an adjustable suspension system, and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo system that still sounds great. The instrument panel is fully functional with its combination of analog and digital gauges and if you like tech stuff and buttons, this Corvette is for you! The cargo bay is big enough for weekend trips and looks virtually unused.

Packing the last and greatest version of the first-generation small block V8, the Grand Sport features 330 horsepower from its rev-happy LT4. Obvious upgrades include the bright red intake manifold, but inside there's more compression, a bigger camshaft, and revised computer tuning to get that extra grunt. The rest is still familiar, with a 6-speed manual transmission, capable suspension that's actually comfortable enough for cross-country blasts, and hugely powerful brakes, which have been a Corvette hallmark for decades. And despite being one of the most mod-friendly engines of all time, this one remains completely stock, which is exactly how you want it if you're investing for the future. The underside hasn't seen any inclement weather and is incredibly clean and even the stock exhaust system is still in place. Trademark A-Mold wheels are painted black and carry ZR-1 sized 275/40/17 front and 315/35/17 rear Goodyear rubber.

So go ahead and drive it while it appreciates. You'll be getting the best-driving C4 ever built and a car that attracts attention everywhere it goes. Isn't that the point? Call today!