1967 Corvette L88
source: ShutterStock
The most expensive Corvette ever produced and sold came with an absolutely jaw-dropping price tag: Over $3.8 million. But this was no sticker in a dealer showroom, this was an auction price. Such a price could only be commanded by a car as rare, storied, and coveted as the 1967 Corvette L88. Just a few were produced, and it’s a Corvette that Chevy didn’t really talk about. Rarely does a carmaker not flaunt its niche flagship, especially if it boasts the most horsepower in its lineup.
This is the story of the L88. This hyper-rare ‘Vette was borne of Zora Arkus-Duntov’s imagination. The director of GM’s Performance Division, Arkus-Duntov had one goal in mind: Take the already-top-tier Corvette and send it into hyperspace by ramming a highly modified version of Chevy’s 427 under the bonnet, pumped up to 12.5:1 compression and sporting a hi-lift cam, an 850-cfm 4-barrel carb, and aluminum heads. Advertised power was said to be 425 horses, though real power was between 540 and 580 horses. The result was a Corvette that could run the quarter mile in just 11-something seconds.
L88 427 V8 Engine
Of course, this level of performance in such a comparatively small package required some serious beefing up. The L88 came with performance suspension, a Posi rear with a track-ready 4.56 ratio, and upgraded brakes. A track car that happened to be street-legal didn’t need creature comforts weighing it down, so the L88 ditched the radio and air conditioning.
Many muscle makers of the 60’s and 70’s strived to sell their performance and special edition renditions of their own V8s, but Chevy went against the grain. Arkus-Duntov wanted as many L88s to end up on the racetrack as possible, so the carmaker actually discouraged regular folk from purchasing the car.
What’s most stunning about the L88 isn’t its insane power and performance, though. It’s how well these cars were preserved. Occasionally, a thing comes out and is regarded as an instant classic – something to be collected and cherished before time and history take their tolls. The L88 is perhaps one of the greatest examples of this preservation. Every L88 available currently is an immaculate example of the pinnacle of the muscle car era.
The L88 is like a treasure contained within a hermetically sealed time capsule of Americana. It earns perhaps one of the top spots on our list of 25 stunning muscle cars because of its sheer beauty and styling alone – never mind the mind-boggling power. Underneath the perfectly preserved hood.
