2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

This car will be on display at The PistonHeads Annual Service on Saturday 10th August at Bicester Heritage

Highlights

• Z51 dry-sump specification
• One-owner car
• Colossal performance from the fabled LT1 V8
• US-specification car
• Showing just over 30,000 miles from new

Overview

The Corvette Stingray may appear like the automotive equivalent of a meathead bouncer – the type you see guarding the doors of some iffy provincial nightclub at chucking out time – but, in C7 form, this seventh generation of The American Sports Car is a modern, sophisticated beast.

With its all-new aluminium space frame, the C7 boasted 57 per cent greater stiffness alongside a 45kg weight decrease compared with its predecessor. And sure, the LT1 6.2-litre V8 may have rods rocking the rockers – rather than the usual European-spec double-overhead cams – but it was also made of aluminium. GM claimed it was 10cm lower and 18kg lighter than anything with equivalent muscle from Germany or the UK, too.

On the topic of Germany and the UK, this was, and still is, the very antithesis of cars from Bavaria, Swabia or the good ol’ Midlands. The Stingray is absolutely American in style and completely unapologetic about it. And what’s to apologise for? It looks epic, doesn’t it? Especially in this particular car’s gleaming Crystal Red metallic, punctuated only by the black bonnet vent, Z vents on its flanks, and those farther back atop its ‘don’t mess with me’ burly rear haunches.

Some might say the best bit is those four, chrome-tipped trumpets poking out the centre of the diffuser. We certainly won’t challenge that viewpoint, especially as those trumpets will announce your arrival with a delicious V8 fanfare – made even more public by this car’s switchable sports exhaust. Other delights on this high-spec car include the dry-sump Z51 performance package, electronic limited-slip differential and magnetic switchable dampers. You change the settings using the driving modes, which range from Weather, Eco, Touring, Sport and Track.

Touring, for example, puts you behind the wheel of a supple GT car, riding the wave of effortless torque while slipping deftly through the auto transmission’s eight speeds. Or, if you’ve woken up feeling a bit feisty, there’s always Sport or Track. That’s when everything is sharpened up and you can use the shift paddles to maximise the glorious LT1’s colossal peaks. It’s rated at 466hp at 6,000rpm and 465lb ft at 4,600rpm, so be in no doubt: this is a properly quick car. 0-60mph (according to official figures) is done and dusted in 3.9 seconds.

This one-owner car was imported directly from the US in 2015. It includes the original GM build sheet, detailing its comprehensive specification, plus the original invoice from the American Car Centre Ltd in Fulham. The final bill was a not inconsiderable £70,000, by the way. It’s also been maintained in the interim by GM specialist Ian Allan Motors, and has racked up around 3,000 miles per year on average, so today it’s showing a relatively few 33,000 miles in total.

So get busy living (the American dream) by getting busy bidding, folks.

History and documentation

• Specified and imported from the US new by its current owner in 2015
• Registered in the UK on 20th Feb 2015
• One owner car
• Current mileage (at the time of photography) 33,303 miles
• Complete with original sales invoice from American Car Centre Ltd (Fulham) and GM build sheet
• Stamped service book with services by GMC specialist Ian Allan Motors as follows: Feb 2016 @ 6,000 miles, March 2018 @ 14,037 miles, Sept 2020 @ 22,593 miles, Feb 2022 @ 26,938 miles
• The owner carried out his own interim oil and filter changes as follows: March 2017 @ 10,694 miles, March 2019 @ 18,219 miles, Aug 2023 @ 30,956 miles
• Additional invoices include a gearbox oil change in July 2019, and again in June 2021, plus x4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres in Jan 2021
• Complete with its original wallet and document pack
• Collection of invoices and old MOT certificates
• Two keys
• Current MOT with no advisories expires 19th Feb 2025
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Note that the DVLA recently allocated a “54” 2005 number plate when the seller’s private plate was removed and it should be a “64” 2015; the DVLA have been contacted, asking them to correct it.
• HPI clear
• London ULEZ compliant - while this may not be immediately apparent from the ULEZ checker, the seller reports using it in London without any charges arising
• As a U.S. import, VED is currently only £345 per year

Interior

• High specification includes: twin-spoke alloys (19in front/ 20in rear), head-up display, rear-view camera, European satellite navigation, cruise control, climate control, ventilated and heated seats, BOSE stereo, selectable drive modes, launch control, electrically operated memory seats, auto-dimming mirrors, performance data and video recorder, removable carbon fibre roof panel (painted body colour) and xenon headlights
• Part-leather seats with contrasting grey stitching
• Extended leather pack includes door cards and upper dashboard
• Suede microfibre headlining and sun visors
• Interior trims look to be in excellent condition, with no obvious signs of undue wear to the seats, dashboard or door cards in the pictures
• Indeed, the owner describes this car’s interior as ‘immaculate’
• Luggage compartment appears to be as new, too
• The owner also reports that there are no issues with any of the car’s features

Exterior

• This stunning-looking Stingray is painted in Crystal Red metallic with body-colour carbon fibre removable roof panel and silver wheels – i.e. a fabulous spec
• The C7’s shape remains a class act, featuring the classic long bonnet and cab-back profile synonymous with all the great front-engine, rear-drive sports cars
• Stingray emblems on each front wing
• Gloss black vents in the bonnet, front wings and upper rear wings
• Gloss black rear diffuser
• Stunning chrome-tipped quad tailpipes
• Overall, the car’s bodywork is in superb condition going from the pictures, with the paintwork popping in the sunlight
• The only reported paintwork damage is a small scrape on the nearside rear wheel arch, which has been touched up (see pics)
• There’s also some light kerb damage to three wheels, the worst of which is on the offside front (see pics)
• Underneath the car appears to be in great condition, with just the usual light scrape on the underside of the front splitter being the only obvious damage

Mechanical

• 6.2-litre LT1 all-alloy naturally aspirated, pushrod, petrol V8
• Rated at 466hp at 6,000rpm and 465lb ft at 4,600rpm
• Z51 performance package with dry sump
• Switchable sports exhaust
• Although fitted with launch control, the owner says it’s never been used
• Eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shift
• Electronically controlled limited-slip differential
• Magnetic switchable dampers
• 2.73 ratio rear axle
• Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
• Black brake callipers
• The owner tells us that the car ‘starts, stops and goes perfectly’ and the switchable sports exhaust ‘delivers a classic American V8 rumble’
• We don’t doubt the above, bearing in mind the GM’s LT1 V8 is a fantastic engine whatever it’s in
• There’s nothing untoward in the under-bonnet pics, with the engine bay looking fantastic as well as clean and tidy

Summary

The C7 Corvette Stingray is no straight-line-only muscle car. It’s a sophisticated bit of kit that can hold its own against the sports cars from this side of the pond. Of course, it still carries plenty of muscle under the hood, thanks to that glorious LT1 V8, here in peak Z51 spec. It’s brimming with punch along with every mod-con you could wish for from a car from this period. And that’s all wrapped in a distinctive yet classy design that looks as modern and fresh today as it did when the C7 was launched. This one-owner car is a fantastic example, too, with lots of provenance showing it’s been well-maintained over the years.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

You can also see this very car in person on the American Lawn at our Annual Service powered by Michelin on 10th August at Bicester Heritage. If you haven’t already, grab yourself a ticket!