Basic Info

The Collector Edition was based on the 2017 Grand Sport and required a 3LT trim package. It could be ordered as a coupe or convertible with an 8-speed automatic or a 7-speed manual transmission. It was identified by the $4,995 Z25 option code which added the following components that make up the Collector Edition;

• Watkins Glen Gray (G7Q) exterior color with Tension Blue Hash Marks (20A) and Satin Black Grand Sport Center Stripe Package (DUR)
• Two-tone Tension Blue leather seating surfaces with sueded microfiber inserts (246)
• Blue custom leather stitch (37S)
• Collectors Edition Sill plates (BE8)
• Premium carpeted floor mats with Grand Sport logo, LPO, interior brushed aluminum hash marks and seat and steering wheel emblems (VYW)
• Carbon Flash Badge Package (EYT)
• Grand Sport black aluminum CUP-style wheels, 19″ front/20″ rear (Q8X)
• Carbon fiber instrument panel trim (FAY)
• Numbered plaque (CFY)
• Some other options, including the Z07 performance package, ground effects and others could be added to the cars factory configuration.

Factory Pricing

Base model MSRP ($USD) pricing is listed below. As mentioned, other options could be added which would drive the MSRP up. MSRP’s ranged from the base numbers up to the most expensive one listed at $110,830 which happened to be car #001.

Coupe Manual	$81,185
Coupe Automatic	$82,910
Convertible Manual	$85,185
Convertible Automatic	$86,910

Production

The Collector Edition was only available during the 2017 Model Year. Actual production went from September 2016 through May 2017. The first production car was invoiced on September 23, 2016 and the final car produced (#940) was invoiced on May 25, 2017. Only six were made in September 2016, the next cars that were produced had invoice dates in November, none in October. On average, 9.3 Collector Editions were built per production day with a peak of 26 being built in one day (November 22, 2016).

A more detailed view of production, options per vehicle, etc. can be found on the Statistics – Configuration tab of the GSCE Registry Google Sheet.

Geneva Prototype

The car that was shown at the 2016 Geneva Auto Show looked like a production Grand Sport Collector Edition but in fact it was not (more info in this post). This particular car was used at many public showings of the car, including at the Barrett-Jackson Auction of the first production car, but it is not the first production car. Essentially this was a prototype vehicle and there are at least two visible differences that have been noted between it and the real production vehicles:

• The dash badge shows the sequence number as 0001/1000. The production vehicles only show the sequence number.
• The door sill plates say Grand Sport and has blue coloring, there is no blue in the production version.

Missing Cars

The Collector Edition cars have a sequential VIN. The last car produced was #940 but the production figures show that 935 cars were built (even though 1,000 were planned). The reason there is a difference in these numbers is that five cars were never built. Cars that would have been numbered 246-250 were in fact put into the system as ordered, but were not completely built. Through some research it was discovered that these cars were put into the system, but the factory did not build them or they were partially built and destroyed due to some “production issues”. The orders were subsequently completed to fulfill delivery but they were different numbered cars (evidence of later numbered cars with the exact build configuration and delivery destinations was found). This information was verified through sources at GM.

Raffle Cars

There were three Collector Edition vehicles that were raffled off as prizes:

• 003 – National Corvette Museum raffle: This car was originally a GM owned vehicle. It is unknown at this time as to what this particular vehicle was used for, but once that was completed it was donated to the National Corvette Museum which subsequently raffled the car off as one of their regularly held raffles. The raffle was held on April 28, 2017 and was won by Duane Evans. Raffle tickets were $200 each.
• 043 – National Corvette Museum raffle: This was the first Collector Edition given away by the National Corvette Museum. Tickets were $250 each and the raffle was held on January 12, 2017. The winner was Ken and Chris Pauley. 
• 588 – Jeff Gordon raffle: Every year, race car driver Jeff Gordon raffles a Corvette owned by him to benefit his Childhood Cancer Research Foundation. In 2017, the car was a Grand Sport Collector Edition, car #588. The winner was drawn in August 2017, won by Joe Smith from Absecon, New Jersey.

Unique Cars

• Factory Yellow Calipers: There were four cars that came from the factory with yellow painted calipers, all four were coupes. One has been nicknamed the beast due to its uniqueness and sequence number, #666. The cars are #206, 253, 666 and 675.
• There were only 7 Convertible / Manual Transmission cars with the Z07 package
• There were 4 cars that had factory ordered Red Safety Belts (3F9)
• There were 3 cars that were ordered with the Customer Selectable VIN (PIN)
• The most expensive factory optioned coupe is #733 with a MSRP of $102,540
• The most expensive factory optioned convertible is #001 as mentioned which had a MSRP of $110,830.

First and Last Cars

The first production Collector Edition was sold at a Barrett-Jackson Auction for $170,000. This was a charity auction benefiting the Karmanos Cancer Institute. The winning bidder was David Flynn from Columbiana Ohio who also owns the first retail Cadillac ATS. This was the most expensive optioned vehicle produced with an $110,830 MSRP. It is a convertible Automatic coupe with the Z07 performance package (among other things).

The final production vehicle is #940, a 7-speed manual coupe. It was museum delivered and had an MSRP of $94,265 and is rumored to have been sold to a GM employee.

Museum Delivery

There were a total of 12 cars that had the $990 R8C Museum Delivery option on the original order. This option allowed the owner to pick up the car at the National Corvette Museum. The cars that had this option are identified in the Grand Sport Collector Edition Registry as numbers 006, 029, 036, 043, 052, 083, 229, 230, 232, 456, 623 and 940.

GM Owned Cars

The Grand Sport Collector Edition Registry shows twelve cars that are/were GM owned vehicles. Two are Canadian and the rest had destinations in the United States. One is confirmed to have already transferred to public ownership, that was car #003 which was raffled off by the National Corvette Museum. The GM owned cars are numbers; 002, 004, 005, 007, 024, 465, 691, 699, 768, 785 and 888.

Track Cars

Two vehicles were owned and used on a commercial track. Car #861 and #876 were used at the Ron Fellow’s Spring Mountain track in Pahrump, NV.

Notable Owners

• 444 – Archie Hamilton: Hamilton is a British race car driver and had published YouTube videos of his car, including modifications that were made to it. He also published a video on July 16, 2017 stating that he sold the car to businessman and muscle car enthusiast Mo Imtiaz, who also owns a 2016 Custom S550 Mustang, a custom 1967 Mustang Fastback, a custom 2012 Camaro SS.
• 588 – Jeff Gordon: Car was titled as his vehicle and given away in an August 2017 raffle to Joe Smith from Absecon, New Jersey