Rare 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Sells for Record $18.7 Million
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18.08.2026 21:14
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2 min read
One of the most valuable sports cars in American automotive history has set a record price for Chevrolet. The rare racing 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport with chassis #003 sold at RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey for $18.705 million including buyer’s premium.
The final bid started at $5 million and reached $17 million, surpassing the pre-auction estimate of $11–13 million. The car became the most expensive Corvette and Chevrolet ever sold at public auction, more than doubling last year’s record set by the experimental 1957 Corvette SS ($7.705 million).
One of Five Secret Sports Cars by Zora Arkus-Duntov
The Grand Sport project was developed by Corvette’s chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov as a secret weapon to challenge Shelby Cobra’s dominance on international tracks. General Motors planned to build 125 homologation cars, but corporate management canceled the racing program.
Engineers managed to hand-build only five original examples — three coupes and two roadsters. The car sold at auction, with chassis #003, was the first coupe built in the series.
The design featured a body made of ultra-thin fiberglass, a lightweight chassis, and Plexiglas windows. The curb weight was about 860 kg, making it radically lighter than the production Corvette Sting Ray.
Sebring Livery and 600 Horsepower
According to CorvetteBlogger, the car has been restored to its historic 1964 12 Hours of Sebring specification, where the crew of legendary drivers A.J. Foyt and John Cannon finished second in class.
Under the hood sits a racing 6.2-liter V8 with 377 cubic inches and four Weber carburetors, producing over 600 hp. The Armstrong engine that powered the car early in its career has also been restored and is included in the lot.
Top Three Most Expensive American Cars
The sale price of $18.705 million puts the Corvette Grand Sport in third place on the list of the most expensive American cars ever sold at auction.
Ahead of it are only:
- 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe: sold in August 2026 for a record $42.905 million;
- 1935 Duesenberg SSJ: sold at auction in 2018 for $22 million.
