When you hear that a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe 3LZ Z07 70th Anniversary Edition with 930 miles just auctioned off, how much do you think it was sold for? $150,000? $200,000? It’s probably not as much as you think.
Recently, as reported by Auto Evolution, a Chevy dealer in Clinton, Illinois sold this exact model with $31,000 in extras for just $115,000. I hate to say this when the price is still in the six-digit zone, but… That’s it? Indeed, it seems the price of this particular special-edition Corvette has been depreciating quite quickly.
In 2023, Bring a Trailer sold one with 1,400 miles for $192,000. Then, in 2024, Bring a Trailer sold another with 707 miles for $162,000. Last year, Bring a Trailer sold a 14-mile one for $133,000. You may be noticing a pattern here. Well, by December 2025, we reached the $115,000 mark.
This is despite having a carbon fiber aero package, including a carbon fiber rear wing, LED headlights, 70th anniversary badging, and the Z07 suspension and front-axle lift system with memory settings. The inside featured power-adjustable GT2 bucket seats upholstered in leather (heated), a head-up display, and a 14-speaker Bose sound system. Complete with its 5.5-liter LT6 V8 engine, this is an incredible collector’s piece and equally impressive performance car.
The comments reflected this. Said one viewer: “I remember when these 70th anniversaries were going for $225K and I said at the time that it was not a good price and was shot down pretty hard. Now they fetch over $100K less. This is a great ride — the price is super good for the buyer.” Others simply said that it was practically “stolen.”
Why do supercars depreciate so fast?
Alright, I know we can argue about the Corvette Z06 being a supercar all day (and I’d be one of the first to tell you it’s not), but it’s still a collectible performance vehicle that fits the category in many ways. And that includes rapid depreciation. It’s a strange concept since supercars are often seen as special, limited, and high-quality. These are cars kept in rich guys’ garages to ensure they stay in mint condition and don’t rack up too much mileage. But what’s the point if the price will just rapidly decline anyway?
Well, I think these rich guys should just enjoy the car as much as they can. Supercars are not a good financial decision and are not really an investment. Instead, they are a way to show off your wealth, style, accomplishments, and taste. Even though supercars cost a lot and are often limited-production, they depreciate pretty similarly to a regular commuter car. In fact, some commuter cars hold their value at a better rate since they are seen as useful, reliable, and cheap to own. Supercars are often purchased for emotional reasons, like fulfilling a dream or liking how they look, but the reality is that owning one can be very expensive and time-consuming.
Hagerty found that modern supercars lose about 6% of their value in the first year, then 20% after three years. Most hold about 65% to 75% of their original value. That’s not as fast of a drop as people make it sound, but it feels like a lot more since we’re talking cars that are worth $300,000. That 20% drop can feel a lot harsher at that price point than it would for a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe 3LZ Z07’s price when brand new was $150,000, so $115,000 is actually not too far off from the predicted 20% drop over three years for supercars.
On the other hand, older supercars can often appreciate in value. The Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta sold for about $2 million in 2017 when new. However, Bring a Trailer sold one for $5.36 million in 2022, making it the most expensive car sold online at the time. The McLaren F1 sold for about $640,000 when it launched in 1992, but it has reached over $20 million at auctions in recent years. The key to finding supercars that become collectibles worth multiple times what you paid for? Look for ones with heritage, special edition stuff, and incredible performance. Ones that won’t be recreated year after year. A McLaren 750S loses value quickly because it’s not the carmaker’s top-of-the-line option, and a new version is made every year that offers better technology and performance.
I know you were really eyeing that $350,000 McLaren, but you really should be considering that Ferrari 250 GTO for $70 million. You can pay me a percentage of the sale later for that advice. You’re welcome.
Seriously, if there’s a supercar (or supercar killer like the Z06) that you love, don’t worry about the depreciation. It may go down, then it may go up. Who knows? (With EVs taking over, maybe these gas-guzzling supercars will all skyrocket later, even the Z06.) But supercars are purchased to be enjoyed and shown off. They’re purchased because you want one. Not to make a profit.
