First 2017 Corvette Grand Sport Headed to Auction for Breast Cancer Charity

The very first 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport built for the public will be auctioned off this Friday at the Barrett Jackson Palm Beach auction, with the proceeds going to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit – which will be accompanied by a $400,000 contribution from the GM Foundation.

The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport was introduced last month in Geneva with the promise of offering comparable performance to the C6 Corvette ZR1 and if that proves to be true, the newest Grand Sport will be the best performing “base power” Corvette of all time. Figure that the Corvette Stingray is the best performing “base model” Corvette of all time and with the new Grand Sport being based on the Stingray’s drivetrain – the C7 Grand Sport will be the best handling non-Z (ZR1, Z06, etc) to date.

The incredible performance measures of the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport will surely make it a hot commodity and early on, buyers might be stacked up when trying to order the new road-handling beast. It might be hard to get ahold of a Grand Sport when they first reach dealerships later this year, but if you have deep enough pockets – you can buy the very first C7 Grand Sport this Friday in Florida.

2017 Corvette Grand Sport #1
The first 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport offered up will include the Collector’s Edition package and Vin #0001, although the Collector’s Edition was stated to be a late arrival package after the “normal” Grand Sport had arrived this summer. This means that the person who wins this Corvette at auction will likely have the only Grand Sport Collector’s Edition on the road until the rest arrive later this year.

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport is based on the Corvette Stingray, so it is powered by the LT1 V8 with 460 horsepower and 465lb-ft of torque, the newest Magnetic Ride Control suspension system with unique springs and stabilizer bars, wider rear quarter panels, huge Brembo brakes, high performance Michelin rubber on lightweight wheels and a dry sump oiling system. The Collector’s Edition package adds Watkins Glen Gray Metallic exterior with Tension Blue hash-mark graphics, a satin black stripe that flows out of the hood vent and up the middle of the car, black painted wheels and an entire interior wrapped in Tension Blue leather.

There is no specific information on which transmission is available for the first 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, nor does it specify coupe or convertible, leading me to believe that the winner of this high profile charity auction gets to configure the car however they would like. The buyer will likely get to pick between the 7-speed manual or the 8-speed automatic and whether they want the full-fledged convertible or the coupe with the removable panel, but it is unclear whether or not the winner will be able to add other options – like the Z07 package. Really, if the winning bidder pays a half million dollars for the first Corvette Grand Sport Collector’s Edition, I imagine that GM will let them check all of the boxes.

All for a Good Cause
The proceeds of the auction for the first 2017 Corvette Grand Sport will go to Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit. If some big money bidders and hardcore collectors like Rick Hendrick get involved, we could easily see the price of this Corvette climb up around the million dollar mark. Hendrick has paid 6 and 7 figures for a few other VIN #001 vehicles, including several of the first examples of the various C7 Corvettes. Hendrick’s collection seems like the rightful home for this Grand Sport, but someone with deeper pockets could spoil the fun for the famed NASCAR team owner.

In addition to whatever money is raised by the sale of the first Corvette Grand Sport this Friday, General Motors will add in an addition $400,000 as part of the donation to the Karmanos group.

Click here for a closer look at all of the details on the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport.