1997: Dave Hill makes his mark as the new chief engineer, sweating details to deliver
a refined sports car. The 345-hp, LS1 V-8 engine features an aluminum block. A newbackbone frame, a rear transaxle, and a small-block moved behind the front suspensionadd nimble handling to the Corvette’s long-standing virtues of high performanceand affordable price. Our Csaba Csere writes, “Purists have tended to dismiss [its]value by reciting the litany of quality and refinement shortcomings that accompaniedWith the C5, that list is suddenly very short indeed.”
1998: Available as a coupe only in ’97, the convertible returns for 1998. Although itweighs 114 pounds less than the 1996 convertible, it possesses more than four timesthe torsional rigidity. The Corvette paces the Indy 500 for the fourth time.
1999: A hardtop joins the lineup as the lowest-cost Corvette, completing of Chevy’sthree-model Corvette strategy for the C5. It was the lightest of the bunch by about 80pounds, yet also the stiffest. The Head-Up Instrument Display option comes onboardat the price of $375.
2000: The passenger-side key cylinder lock is deleted as standard Active KeylessEntry renders it redundant.
2001: The Z06 is introduced, packing a 385-hp LS6 V-8, and reaching a top speed ofmore than 170 mph. New front fascia grilles improve airflow to the engine air inlet, andthe algorithms for the Selective Real Time Damping are refined. It hits 60 in 4.3 secondsin our road test—”goes like stink” indeed.
2002: Horsepower for the Z06 crests the 400 mark, totaling 405 ponies. All 2002Corvettes come standard with Active Handling and Traction Control systems.
2003: It would have been a sin for the Corvette’s golden anniversary to pass without aspecial model, and so buyers can celebrate by plunking down an extra $5000 to geta coupe or convertible with special red paint, a unique two-tone shale interior, specialemblems, and Magnetic Selective Ride.
2004: The final year of the C5 sees some models receive a carbon-fiber hood, thefirst use of a painted carbon-fiber panel for a production vehicle in North America.