One of the Corvette‘s core value propositions has always been “it’s a lot of car for the money.” Now the addition of a hybrid variant, the 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray, makes the C8’s lineup even more diverse and interesting. The E-Ray is not the cheapest ‘Vette with about a $105,000 starting price (a base car is closer to $65,000), but with 655 horsepower and all-wheel drive, is it the most sports car for your money?
I personally think you’re getting the best deal, objectively, in a base-base new Corvette if you can get it at list price. I mean, come on, a 490-HP mid-engine sports car that basically looks like a Ferrari for the price of a Porsche Boxster? That’s a pretty impressive notion.
Still, I think there’s a strong case to be made for the E-Ray as the ultimate good deal in usable sports cars right now. Obviously, it’s still a six-figure toy, so the concept of it being a “bargain” is relative. But what else can you get brand new with all-wheel drive and 650-plus HP for just over $100,000?
Cars like the Porsche 911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, and Audi R8 are in this orbit of power with a far higher entry cost. And yes, they might be dynamically superior in other ways, though I don’t think any can claim a better value on paper.
But I wrote this post up to start a discussion—so what do you think?