The first generation of Corvette debuted in 1953 and the C5 Corvette which was launched in 1997 happens to be the fifth generation. GM almost ended the Corvette project with the fourth generation due to financial trouble and an internal power struggle. With Jack Smith’s emergence as chairman of the board of directors of General Motors, Corvette C5 was made a reality. Wayne Cherry the new head of design for the Corvette and Jerry Palmer, head of the Chevy III design studio team up to get the C5 design.
The C5 development was managed by John Carafo who came over from the Camaro program just to ensure that the project was a success. GM designer Tom Peters and third-party design firm, ACC were also involved in this project. Under the new leadership at the aim of affairs at GM, Surveys of what people wanted out of the new ‘Vette were circulated to past and present Corvette owners, as well as owners of other manufacturers’ sports cars. The outcome of the survey heavily constricted the designer’s creative freedom. As professionals, they had no choice but to work with the result of the survey because that will certainly be the selling point of the Corvette. Thanks to all those who took part in the survey as the project came out successful.
The Interior Design
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The Long, low, lean, and thick truncated tail Corvette comes with a new dashboard housing the analog gauges and intuitive radio and climate controls. The car boasts 25 cubic feet of luggage space beneath the rear hatch glass courtesy of the dual mid-ship mounted fuel tanks. The car feels airier inside, thanks to a narrower door sill and taller height combined with a low cowl.
The Exterior Design
The redesigned exterior of the Corvette C5 brought a new chassis and a new rear transaxle for better weight distribution. The wheelbase got an increment to eight inches long and the track width was also increased by four and two inches in the front and rear respectively. With the wheels pushed further to the car’s corners, the laid-over windshield, and the diving nose, the C5 looked faster than ever. Two suspension options were available early on, the track-ready Z-51 package and an active, selectable option with which the driver could tailor the car’s response to their preference. New vented disk brakes and aluminum calipers stopped the car from 60 mph in an eye-popping 125ft.
For the 2001 model year, Road & Track reports, Chevrolet released the C5 Corvette Z06. It had redesigned suspension, titanium exhaust, lighter wheels, grippier tires, and less sound deadening. The 2004 model year Corvette C5 came with the Z06 edition, to commemorate its back-to-back Le Mans victories. It featured a carbon-fiber hood, additional suspension tweaks, and a unique blue paint.
The Engine And Performance
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The C5 Corvette featured one of the best naturally-aspirated engines ever made: the LS1 V8. The Corvette’s 5.7-liter V8 delivers 345 hp at 5,600 rpm with a torque of 350 lb-ft. Accompanied by a 6-speed manual transmission, the car accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5 seconds. Car and Driver reports. By the 1999 model year, that had been slashed to 4.8 seconds. But the best was still to come.
For the 2001 model year, the C5 Corvette Z06 came with 40 more hp and 35 more lb-ft than the standard C5 Corvette thanks to its LS6 5.7-liter V8. The 2002 and later models were even more powerful, Hagerty reports, with output increased to 405 hp and 400 lb-ft. A late-model C5 Corvette Z06 could go 0-60 in 4 seconds, matching the current Ford Mustang Shelby GT350. the Corvette will return 28 mpg on the highway with the manual tranny.
What to look out for
The C5 Corvette had some challenges ranging from battery prone to draining without regular use to expensive parts for the 1997 and 1998 models mostly electronic parts like the tire-pressure sensors. Super Chevy reports the C5 Corvette’s brake rotors have been known to warp. And there were several recalls regarding its steering-column lockout, CorvSport reports.
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