The Four-Door Corvette That Won Over Car Guys Without Breaking the Bank

There comes a point in life when the two-seat sports car has to go. The Corvette in the driveway gets listed online, and the cash goes toward something with four doors and a sensible back seat. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to give up all the thrills. Cadillac quietly built a sedan that packs Corvette DNA under its hood, and it still flies under the radar.

The C6 Corvette, launched in 2005, turned Chevy’s flagship into a genuine Porsche 911 rival. 0 seconds and cost around $43,500. That kind of performance for the price was unheard of. GM decided not to keep the magic exclusive to two-seaters. 7-liter LS6 V8, borrowed straight from the C5 Z06, into a luxury sedan.

The result: 400 horsepower, a six-speed manual gearbox, and Brembo brakes at all four corners. To the casual observer, it just looked like a sharp Caddy.

On the road, the CTS-V delivered. 1 seconds, close enough to the C6 Z51 to make you smile, and actually quicker than a 1998 Corvette convertible. Today, the first-gen CTS-V is a genuine bargain. com shows 2004 models averaging $14,638, and low-mileage examples on Bring a Trailer sell for around $28,000.

A comparable C6 Corvette often costs more. For anyone who needs to trade a sports car for something practical, the CTS-V offers Corvette-level fun, room for the family, and a price that’s hard to beat.