The 2009 Corvette

The Overview

The 2009 Corvette went on sale in the summer of 2008 as the economy fell apart and GM ran out of money; the company accepted a government-managed Chapter 11 on June 1, 2009, shed Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab, a quarter of its workforce and 2,400 dealers, and came out of it with the Corvette intact. The year’s car was the one GM had promised in the good times: the ZR1, the Blue Devil, revealed at Detroit in January 2008 and in showrooms by that summer at $103,300 including destination plus a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax. On the Z06’s aluminum frame and magnesium cradle it carried the LS9, a 6.2-liter LS3-sized block with forged rotating parts, titanium intake valves, a 10.5-quart dry sump and an Eaton TVS R2300 four-lobe supercharger with twin intercoolers at 10.5 psi: 638 hp at 6,500 rpm and 604 lb-ft at 3,800, the most powerful engine GM had ever put in a production car, hand-built in Wixom. Behind it a Tremec TR6060 six-speed with a twin-disc clutch (manual only), a 3.42:1 axle, Magnetic Selective Ride Control tuned for the car, 15.5- and 15.0-inch Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors with six- and four-piston calipers, 19 x 10 and 20 x 12-inch wheels on Michelin Pilot Sport 2 285/30ZR19 and 335/25ZR20 tires, and a body of carbon fiber: roof, raised hood with a polycarbonate window over the intercooler cover, fenders with their own vents, splitter, rocker extensions and a full-width spoiler. 3,324 pounds, 0–60 in 3.4 seconds, the quarter in 11.3 at 131 mph, 205 mph and 1.10 g; 1,415 were built, 1,202 of them with the $10,000 3ZR group, one of them in LeMans Blue.

The rest of the line moved in smaller steps. The LS3 coupe and convertible carried over at 430 hp (436 with NPP) with Bluetooth, standard steering-wheel audio controls, a power hatch pulldown and variable-ratio steering, a bright surround on the crossed flags, a new 1LT convertible ($52,550, with the manual top) below a 2LT that now included the power top, Cyber Gray and Blade Silver replacing Machine Silver, and custom leather-wrapped interiors in Ebony and Dark Titanium joining Sienna and Linen. The Z06 ($73,255) kept its 505-hp LS7 but gained the ZR1’s 10.5-quart dry-sump system, spider-design wheels in Sparkle Silver, Competition Gray or chrome, color-keyed door and dash panels with the red and titanium interiors, gray stitching on the Ebony seats, Z06 sill plates and more sound insulation; 3,461 were built. Three specials closed the GT1 era. The GT1 Championship Edition, shown at Sebring in March 2009 to honor Corvette Racing’s eight ALMS manufacturers’ titles, five Le Mans wins and 74 victories, came as a coupe ($65,410), convertible ($71,915) or Z06 ($86,486) in Velocity Yellow with black headlamps or Black, with C6.R-inspired graphics and the Jake mascot, ZR1-style spoiler, chrome wheels, an Ebony leather-wrapped interior with yellow stitching and GT1 embroidery, a carbon-pattern engine cover and, on the LS3 cars, Z51 and NPP; 600 were planned, 100 of each color and body, and 125 built, 53 coupes, 17 convertibles and 55 Z06s, with their own 300001 (yellow) and 400001 (black) VIN sequences.

The Competition Sport (RPO CSC) was the track-day special: Competition Gray stripes, headlamp bezels and wheels, an Ebony interior with titanium stitching, Jake and CSR logos on the B-pillars, headrests and armrest, racing pedals, a special engine cover and an owner-installed roundel with the car’s build number, on Arctic White or Black 1LT coupes ($55,765, with Z51, NPP, the differential cooler, HUD and Z06 spoiler) and Blade Silver or Black Z06s ($77,600); 52 coupes and 20 Z06s were built. Hertz took 375 Velocity Yellow ZHZ convertibles with automatics and black stripes for its Fun Collection, sequenced 200001–200375. Corvette Racing won GT1 at Le Mans for the last time in June with O’Connell, Magnussen and García and then moved to GT2 with a ZR1-based C6.R that debuted at Mid-Ohio in August; a Z06 paced the Brickyard 400 while a Camaro took the Indianapolis 500. The Stingray concept appeared at Chicago in February and in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that summer. Production fell to 16,956, 8,737 coupes, 3,343 convertibles, 3,461 Z06s and 1,415 ZR1s, less than half of 2008 and the fewest since 1962’s 14,531 apart from the short 1997 run. In 2026 the 2009 ZR1 sold at auction for $73,700 to $147,400 against a $100,221 benchmark, the Z06 for $36,500 to $80,500, the GT1 Championship coupe for $30,800, and the coupe and convertible for $14,232 to $40,150.

The 2009 Corvette Story

The arrival of the 2009 Corvette came at a time when General Motors, and indeed the world, was facing considerable economic hardships. The financial crisis and the dramatic drop in the U.S. vehicle market exposed deficiencies within General Motors that had to be addressed.

As sales slowed to a crawl (despite an improved vehicle lineup that consumers found appealing, even without added incentives) and their own cash reserves nearly depleted, GM was forced to accept a government-ordered “managed” bankruptcy in the summer of 2009. GM filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in the Manhattan New York federal bankruptcy court on June 1, 2009 at approximately 8:00 am EST. In order to keep General Motors from truly going under, it was decided that GM would receive a taxpayer-funded bailout in exchange for a massive, corporation-wide reorganization.

The reorganization would be spearheaded by the U.S. Government, and supervised by a “car czar” appointed by President Barack Obama. During this process, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner was forced to resign. At the end of it all, General Motors would be transformed from a company with eight unique brands – which (up to the reorganization) included Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, and Hummer – to just four – which included the surviving brands of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.

The result was fewer brands, less bureaucracy, dramatically reduced debt, new corporate management (including new GM CEO Frederick Arthur Fritz Henderson), and a more competitive cost structure. Sadly, however, the reorganization of GM also resulted in a dramatic reduction in GM jobs – approximately 25% of its total workforce (20,000 of 80,000 jobs) - were eliminated. Additionally, it meant a dramatic reduction in the total number of its U.S. Dealerships (leaving just 3,600 of 6,000) under the GM umbrella.

Despite all of this, GM announced that the 2009 model year would not only bring changes to the current Corvette model line-up, but that it would also introduce the world to one of the most powerful – and, ironically, most expensive - production-model Corvettes of all time – the 638-horsepower ZR1 coupe (see the ZR1 section below).

GM’s designers and engineers did not see the setbacks of a corporate reorganization as anything that should interfere with the continuation of the Corvette’s development, and in February 2009 the latest in a long line of Corvette concept vehicles stunned both the press and the public as it was unveiled for the first time at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. This new Corvette, which was appropriately named “Stingray,” was billed by GM’s Chief of Design Ed Welburn as “a no-holds-barred vision” of America’s sports car.

This Corvette blended elements from earlier Corvettes (such as a rear split window reminiscent of the 1963 Sting Ray) with futuristic visual cues unlike anything seen on any Corvette before it. Although a vision of what future Corvettes could very well look like, this design was actually developed in conjunction with Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures for the movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” which hit movie theaters later that same year.

While the 2008 model year saw a number of notable improvements to the C6 coupe and convertible, including the introduction of the LS3 6.2L V-8 as the new standard engine for the base model Corvettes, the focus of the 2009 model year would be centered on refining those improvements while simultaneously ushering in a new era of Corvette performance unparalleled in the production car’s impressive history.

“The Corvette is an American icon with world-class credentials,” said Ed Peper, General Manager of Chevrolet. “It’s the car we all aspire to own and the 2009 edition, with more choices and features, only amplifies that craving.”

Returning for the 2009 Corvette lineup was the coupe and convertible models, each powered by a 430-horsepower (321 kW) LS3 V-8 engine. As before, the LS3 small-block V-8 was rated at 430 horsepower (321 kW) and 424 lb-ft of torque when equipped with the standard exhaust system.

Introduced in 2008, an optional two-mode exhaust system was also offered once more (RPO NPP) for both the coupe and convertible. When so equipped, the dual exhaust brought the LS3’s output to 436 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque.

Also returning on the 2009 Coupe and Convertible models was a six-speed manual transmission, or the optional six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. When ordered with the Z51 Performance Package, the six-speed manual transmission came equipped with more performance-oriented gearing, including a “shorter” 2.97:1 first gear.

The optional six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission on the coupe and convertible provided drivers with a greater sense of control when using the shifting paddles. A 2.73 performance axle ratio was available to consumers when ordering their Corvette with an automatic transmission, and it was included in the Z51 Performance Package.

As for what was new for 2009, there were few readily identifiable changes between the current and 2008 models, although the offerings for 2009 included some unique new features such as: a 1LT Convertible package, which dropped the MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) on convertibles in this trim level. In addition to this, consumers purchasing a convertible at the 2LT trim level now received a power top as a standard part of that option package.

Did you know? Probably due in large part to the downturn in the U.S (and global) economy, the total production run of 2009 Corvette was only 16,956 cars, making it the lowest since 1962's production run of 14,531 units (not taking into consideration 1997's run of just 9,752 cars, which was due to the late introduction of the new C5 model).

This low production run is doubly ironic considering that in 2009, consumers had their choice of nine different Corvette configurations including the base coupe, base convertible, Z06, ZR1, Competition Sport Special Editions (Coupe and Z06), & GT1 Championship Editions (Coupe, Convertible and Z06).

Two new exterior colors were introduced for the 2009 model year – Cyber Gray Metallic and Blade Silver Metallic – bringing the 2009 Corvette’s exterior color palette to nine colors. Machine Silver Metallic was discontinued. For the 2009’s interior, two new, custom-leather-wrapped interiors were offered – a Dark Titanium and Ebony – which joined Sienna and Linen as available options. Lastly, steering wheel audio controls and variable-ratio steering became standard on all models, while a power hatch pull-down became standard on all 2009 coupes and Z06s.

Naturally, a new model year wouldn’t be complete without at least a few new unique features, and the 2009 Corvette had a couple, though only the discerning eye of an educated Corvette enthusiast might identify these changes. To start, the Corvette’s crossed flags emblem was enhanced to include a bright, new surround. The 2009 Corvette was also the first to be equipped with Bluetooth capability, which provided owners with the convenience and safety of utilizing Bluetooth hands-free phone service.

While the changes to the coupe and convertible were indeed subtle, the Z06 received a little more flair for the 2009 model year. Outwardly, new “spider” design, 10-spoke Z06 wheels were offered in multiple versions: Sparkle Silver, Competition Gray and Chrome. Inwardly, the 2009 Z06 now featured color-keyed door and instrument panels (on cars with red and titanium interiors), gray stitching was now included on the Ebony base seats (previously, the stitching had been red), and the door sill plates now came equipped with the Z06 logo. Additionally, all 2009 Z06 Corvettes included an upgraded acoustic package standard.

Mechanically, the Z06 Corvette remained largely the same. The 505-horsepower LS7 engine returned for the new year, though it did receive a larger-capacity, dry-sump oil system. The dry-sump system included a capacity upgrade to the 10.5-quart (9.9 liters) system of the new ZR1. By comparison, the previous system held 8 quarts (7.5 liters).

The 2009 model year also featured a number of special edition Corvettes. To start, there was the Competition Sport model. The Competition Sport featured gray stripes, wheels and headlamps, an ebony interior with titanium stitching. The standard Corvette acceleration, brake and clutch pedals were replaced with special racing pedals.

Additionally, the car came equipped with a special engine cover and other unique features. Each Competition Sport model included a racing numbers decal package, uninstalled, that was based on the VIN sequence. The Competition Sport model coupe included the Z51 performance package, NPP exhaust, differential cooler and head-up display.

Coupes had either a white or black exterior (with a retail base price of $55,765) whereas the Z06 Competition Sport model came in either silver or black (with a retail base price of $77,600). In total, only 52 coupes and 20 Z06 Competition Sport Corvettes were built, making this one of the most collectible variants of all Corvettes produced in 2009.

To commemorate the successes of the C6.R Corvette Race Car, GM also introduced a limited production GT1 Championship Edition Corvette. The exteriors of this special edition Corvette came in one of two unique color schemes: titanium-colored graphics set against a vibrant yellow paint, or black paint with yellow-and-titanium accent to match the C6.R’s 2009 livery. Both versions included special rocker panel decals which read “ALMS Manufacturers GT1 Champions.” Unique ebony leather-wrapped interiors had yellow stitching with GT1 and “Jake” logos embroidered into them. Chevrolet had planned 600, 100 of each color and body, but only 125 were built: 53 coupes (base price $65,410), 17 convertibles ($71,915) and 55 Z06s ($86,486).

Despite the introduction of the ZR1, the special edition/commemorative editions, and the continual improvement in quality represented in every coupe and convertible built, Corvette’s sales numbers saw a dramatic drop from 2008 to 2009.

Production Volumes

Where 2008 saw over 35,000 Corvettes built, the 2009 model year saw less than half that, with a total of just 16,956 cars being sold that year. Understandably, the U.S. economy was in the middle of a fairly dramatic recession, and purchasing a Corvette was a luxury that fewer consumers could – or would be willing to – afford given the financial hardships experienced the world over.

For 2009, GM sold a total of just 8,632 base model coupes with a base price of $47,895, 3,326 convertibles with a base price of $52,550, and 3,386 Z06 Coupes with a base price of $73,255. Ironically, the inaugural year of the ZR1 saw a respectable number of these high-end Corvettes sold. In total, 1,415 ZR1 Coupes were sold at a base price of $103,300 each.

Racing: the last GT1 win and the GT2 C6.R

The C6.R made its final GT1 appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13–14, 2009, and won: Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen and Antonio García took the class in the No. 63 car, Corvette Racing’s sixth Le Mans class victory (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009) at the end of a decade in GT1 that had brought eight ALMS manufacturers’ championships. The program then moved to the production-based GT2 class, and the new C6.R, built on the ZR1’s aluminum frame with a 6.0-liter version of the LS7.R making about 470 horsepower under the rules, made its debut at Mid-Ohio in August 2009; it would race through 2013 and give the GT1 Championship Edition its livery.