vetteman620

I am thinking of purchasing a new Corvette and I am wondering if the difference in price between a plain C6 and a Gran Sport can be justified. What are the major differences in the two cars. I appreciate any advice you can give.

Iconic

Grand sport is basicaly a Z06 but with 70 less hp.

Imo the cost of a GS is justified over a base. Brakes, suspension, bigger meats, wide body, hand built engine with an M6.

Mach2

I think the price difference is justified. The kicked out wheel wells, bigger tires, brakes and get it with a 6 speed stick.

LucaBrasiAZ

R&L's C6

If the widebody, bigger brakes and bigger tires are what you're looking for then yes, it's worth it.

Supersonic 427

I think it depends on how you are going to use your new Corvette. If it is going to be a weekend fun car...I would say the Grand Sport. The Grand Sport is worth the extra money for it's wide body looks, wide tires, big brakes, etc. However, if this is going to be your primary car and money is an object...I would go with the regular Coupe. The Coupe will get better gas mileage, the tires will last twice as long and cost half as much to replace, the brakes will make much less brake dust and the pads are much cheaper to replace. Also the ride will be a tad better than the GS.
I have had both, but as a Daily driver for my budget, the base Coupe was more practical for me. Keep in mind also...behind the wheel you would be hard pressed to know which was which. I would drive both and decide.

cards51

As a Grand Sport owner I would say there is no question about which way to go. If you bought the plain jane you would regret it every time you saw a Grand Sport on the road. Buy the G.S.!!!!!

R&L's C6

Rich Mickol

Having two narrow bodies, an 05 and an 07 and now a 2012 GS, the GS gets my vote. For all the same reasons listed above.

Rebel 1

Never heard of a "plain" C6.
There is the C6 Coupe and some refer to it as "base".

The GS has a steel frame same as the Coupe.
They have the same LS3 engine.
The GS has the same manual Transmission as the Z51 Coupe.

The major differences of the GS from the Coupe are the Z06 sway bars, tires, wheels, brakes and wide body. The GS is heavier and tires wear out quicker.

The Z06 has a aluminum frame with beefed up transmission, rear end, etc. Lot more to it than 70 hp. over the Coupe and GS.

I don't care for the wide body look and didn't need the bigger sway bars, tires and wheels. The sleek look of the Coupe looks great to me.

Good luck whatever you decide. They are both great cars.

Bob

Rebel 1

Supersonic 427

Possibly, but he might feel differently if he goes for the GS and has to spend $2200 for the tires that wear out at around 10,000 miles. In that case, he may wish he bought the "Plain Jane" model and saved himself $8 grand (with tires)! If money is not an issue to the OP, then maybe you're right!

Adam_W

I think it is a fair characterization that most corvette owners do not track their cars, and that - in that context - the difference between Coupe and Grand Sport is basically the appearance of the cars and the cost of maintenance, and with little difference in performance when driving around on the streets/freeways. If that shoe fits you, the only question is how much the looks are worth to you.

I say, if you want a widebody, consider taking whatever money you were going to spend and buy an older C6 Z06 (taking into account the $2K to get the head/valve guide preventative work if out of warranty). That's the route I took and am very pleased.

Always Red Dave

100%!!!

Iconic

Better flip a coin.

Heads, go with a GS.

Tails, do 2 out of 3.

FlyerVette

On the street the only difference being the looks. Otherwise you are only shelling out extra money...

simplegto

So many tire wear problems too.

Stavesacre21

To a casual outsider who's apparently just starting to look in, the Grand Sport simply has the widebody, different wheels with wider ties and an intake scoop in the nose. As others have mentioned, there are beefed up suspension, tranny and braking performance upgrades, but that's where the similaties to the Z06 end and the base similarities begin. The engine is 100% identical to the base, and the interior will be near identical sans the seat stitching.

The rear shocker to me was finding out how the base model was actually quicker in a straight line. However, after hearing the weight differences, it all makes sense.

You have to ask yourself what YOU will be using it for and what is more important to you. If you love the widebody or plan to track the car frequently or even casually, it might be the better call for you. However, dont sell the base model short...if you dont HAVE to have a widebody and/or tend to mosey around frequently without any track ambitions whatsoever, the base should be a very easy choice.

Maintenance on the GS will cost more as it takes more oil for the dry sump system, has tires that are almost twice as expensive and wear out much quicker, and brake dust is apparently MUCH worse.

There is no right or wrong answer. Get whats right FOR YOU.

And lastly, as others have mentioned, go with the term "base" over "plain". When i think plain, i think of a stripped down LT1 without a single option, if even a Corvette. Furthermore, a stripped down Grand Sport may actually cost LESS than say, an LT4 fully loaded base.

Vegas Sam

I also had a 08 Z51 car, and love my G.S.

I would have bought a 10-11 ZO6 for similar money, but I'm the one guy that actually takes the targa top off. I have headers and an intake on the way, with a good tune I'll be not too far down from a ZO6 with a top I can pop!

Red08

I have seen plenty of GS's, and I have never regretted buying a base coupe.