The C8 Corvette Z06 continues to build hype around itself as the world anxiously awaits its official pricing and availability. Just recently, the very first C8 Z06 sold at auction for $3.6 million. Following the sale of that car, Chevrolet sent the first Z06 convertible to auction as well. Though it did not quite fetch the same level of astronomical that the Z06 coupe did, the Convertible still raised $1 million for charity!

The convertible Z06 sold for $1 million on the dot

Chevrolet recently confirmed that the very first C8 Z06 convertible sold for $1 million. The Z06 hit the auction block on April 9th at Barrett-Jackson’s 2022 Palm Beach event.

The winner of the Z06 is Rick Hendrick. He’s the chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group, a nationwide automotive retailer that sells both new and used cars. Additionally, Hendrick is the owner of the Hendrick Motorsports racing team. The team has a remarkable 14 NASCAR Cup Series championships on record.

As the winner of the auction, Hendrick has the opportunity to customize the first Z06 convertible any way he wants to. This includes selecting any options and choosing everything from the car’s paint to the color of the brake calipers. While that’s all well and good, the best part is that 100 percent of Hendrick’s winning bid is going to charity.

The charity of choice is the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions. The funds from this sale are specifically going to the organization’s Teacher Quality & Retention Program, a training initiative that helps aspiring teachers succeed in difficult teaching environments.

“Through the generous support of GM, Chevrolet and Barrett-Jackson, we raised a significant amount of funds and awareness of our TQRP initiative, which provides opportunities for students of color in the K-12 educational environment and beyond,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

“General Motors and Chevrolet are honored to support the Thurgood Marshall College Fund on its mission to empower students and educators for success,” said Scott Bell, Chevrolet’s global vice president.

Chevrolet has sold a lot of Corvettes for charity

This sale brings the total charitable donations from the Z06 alone to $4.6 million. However, Chevrolet has sold plenty of other Corvette models for charity, too. The very first C8 Corvette ever made sold for $3 million in 2020. Additionally, the very last C7 Corvette sold for $2.7 million, according to Carbuzz. It seems, then, that Corvettes and charity go hand-in-hand.

Though the first coupe and convertible C8 Z06s models are both officially sold, the rest of the world is still hotly anticipating being able to order one. Car and Driver estimates that the 2023 Z06 will have a starting price of around $90,000 and will go on sale in the summer of 2022.

Though $90,000 isn’t all that affordable, it’s a lot better than $1 million! Plus, you get the highest horsepower naturally-aspirated V8 ever put in a production car. Additionally, you get a mid-engine layout and performance to rival supercars that cost three times as much. With that in mind, that price point starts to look a lot more reasonable. Frankly, auto enthusiasts worldwide can’t wait to see them on the road.