C5 Corvette

High Performance c5 Corvettes For Sale. The following is a listing of c5 Corvettes for sale and a little history of the the c5 Corvette.

Now about the c5 Corvette Features and Changes:

The classic Chevrolet Corvette C5 is considered a sports car that was produced by Chevrolet between the years 1997 and 2004. It is part of the fifth generation of the marque and was later replaced by the C6 Corvette.
The C5 Corvette was a large change production from the previous generation of corvettes. It was designed from the outset as a sturdy solid convertible (as opposed to the coupé that was unexpectedly weakened by the removal of the sturdy roof structure in order to meet the demand for a corvette convertible model), the car now had a hydroformed box frame that strengthens it much more. The high performance transmission was moved back to the rear of the car to form an integrated one piece, rear-mounted transaxle assembly system which was powered by the all-new LS1 engine through a torque tube.
This engine/transmission set up helped advance a desirable 50-50 (percentage, front-rear wheels) weight distribution for the Corvette. The high performance and demanding LS1 engine initially produced a whopping 345 hp (257 kW), but that was boosted slightly in 2001 pushing it to 350 hp (261 kW).

The sturdy 4L60-E automatic transmission was continued on from previous models, but the old manual was replaced by stronger Borg-Warner T-56 6-speed transmission. With the c5 reworked the squeaks and rattles of the C4, were replaced by a stronger designed frame that would last for at least two more future generations. In comparison, the new C5 was better in every aspect than the C4 that Chevrolet had replaced.

The new , unique styling of the C5 was also a departure from the standard trend set by the previous-generation of Corvettes. The styling of the C4 had largely been a quick simplification of the C3 Shark hatchback design,by straightening out the complex curves of the corvette to give it sleeker and more stylish lines. The C5 attempted to reversed that somewhat. The c5 Corvette now had a more rounded and graceful design and look that attempted to recapture some of the aggressive design and looks of the C3 Shark without compromising any of its aerodynamics.

In the introduction model year of (1997), only the hatchback coupé was offered to the public, with the convertible model which was the first to offer a trunk since the year 1962 — following it up in 1998. 1998 also saw the C5 Corvette convertible pacing the Indianapolis 500 race track, and a replica pace car edition was sold. C5 Corvettes continued to pace the 2002 and 2004 Indianapolis 500 races, but no replica pace car reproductions were ever offered during those model years. In 1999, a third introduced body style was the Corvette hardtop which became referred to as the "fixed-roof coupé" or (FRC), and became added to the c5 Corvette lineup.

This new body style, as its name suggested, included a fixed top without any removable targa top panel as with was the case with the hatchback coupé. It hada roofline shape and trunk space similar to that of the Corvette convertible. The hardtop soon became the top-performance Z06 in 2001, but for two model years was offered as a variant of the base-model Chevrolet Corvette.

Apart from new cosmetic differences such as new wheel styles, paint colors, pace car/commemorative editions in 1998, 2003, and 2004, etc. along with horsepower boosts, and new offerings for optional equipment. Corvette added a few fundamental changes from one model year to the next within the production run of the C5 Corvette as small details. One of the more popular and sought after "high-tech" options which were introduced to the Corvette line was a head-up display system or HUD. The other high tech innovation was the Active Handling System which was first available as an option in 1998 model, then became standard on all models in 2001).

Another change in reputation of high-performance vehicles for poor fuel economy was the 2004 C5 achieves a moderately high EPA ratings of 18/25 mpg (city/highway) with the automatic transmission and 19/28 with the new reworked manual transmission.This allowed it to avoid the "gas guzzler" tax that is was being levied against most other vehicles in in the car industry and in the Corvette's class. A number important factors were responsible for this achievement. One was the relatively light weight of the C5. It was able to obtain a curb weight under 3,300 lb or 1,500 kg. Chevrolet also went so far as to throw out the spare tire as a weight-saving option and instead relied upon run-flat tires. Another factor was the C5's low drag coefficient and wind resistance and the vehicle's tendency to upshift into the higher gears faster and sooner than before. The reworked high performance manual transmission's Computer-Aided Gear Shifting success and results created an obligatory shift starting from 1st gear then directly into 4th gear under certain driving conditions. However this new system can be inhibited through the use of any aftermarket devices by the owner.

Suspension choices for the base model C5 were restricted to the easy produced standard suspension (RPO FE1), with upgrade options for either the autocross-inspired FE3 Sport Suspension. This also included the Z51 Performance & Handling Package which was standard on the 1999-2000 FRC) and the F45 Selective Ride Control Suspension, which permitted "on-the-fly" driver selection of different ride characteristics (sport or touring. Some time later in the production run starting with the 2003 model year the F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension replaced the F45 as the third suspension choice. The racing-inspired FE4 suspension was used for the Z06 which was and is stiffer again than any offered on the conventional floor base model C5. It was unique to that model with no optional suspensions offered to the buyer.

Published performance numbers outlined for the base-model coupé and convertible shows a 0-60 mph time of around 4.7 seconds, and a standing quarter-mile time of around 13.2 seconds at 109 mph. Both included a vehicle equipped with the 6-speed Corvette manual transmission.

Although it is some times criticized for its liberal use of light-weight materials such as plastics, balsa wood, etc. in the areas such as interior trim components and redesigned overhead valve engine including its reliance upon leaf springs in its suspension. Most of the criticism was often and perhaps unfairly interpreted as "cheap-and-easy" substitutes for higher-quality materials. Still the C5 Corvette quickly became regarded as the best performance vehicle available for the money. In some cases, the C5 Corvette provided high performance which was equal to, or even better than other performance classic cars approaching 2-3 times its the Corvettes lower price, which was received by Corvette buyers of the C5 as an acceptable trade-off for these "lower-cost" compromises to get a fast muscle car or classic car.

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