It’s one of the most iconic cars of all time, and it’s been in continuous production since 1953. You probably think you know everything there is to know about this classic car, but there are still plenty of fascinating Corvette facts that have gone under the radar—here are 10 fascinating facts about the Chevrolet Corvette C5 that you may not have known before now!
1) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 was the First Model with a Fully Independent Suspension
The C5 was the first Corvette with a fully independent suspension, which made for a much smoother ride. In fact, it was so smooth that you could go from driving on the pavement to driving on sand and it wouldn’t affect your steering at all. The modern-day Corvettes still use this suspension.
2) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 is Also the First Vette with a Rear Transaxle
The C5 was also the first Vette with a rear transaxle. The engine and transmission were both located in the back of the car. This gave it better weight distribution and improved handling, but required some creative driving techniques.
3) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 was the First Corvette with an Aluminum Frame
The C5 was made from 1997 to 2004. It was the first Corvette with an aluminum frame. This helped make it lighter than its predecessors and more powerful, too. The car won many awards in its time, including Motor Trend Car of The Year in 1998 and North American Car of The Year in 1999.
4) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 was Powered by an LS1 V8 Engine
The C5 was powered by an LS1 V8 engine, which it shared with its other GM siblings. It was a pushrod design with 4 valves per cylinder, and it had a redline of 6500 rpm. Power was rated at 345 hp (260 kW) and torque at 350 lb·ft (475 N·m). The engine used a throttle-body fuel injection system, but also delivered better fuel economy than its predecessor.
5) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 Could Accelerate From 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 Seconds
The mid-engine, rear-wheel drive design of the C5 allowed it to reach 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 175 miles per hour. This was not only faster than the previous generations but also made it one of the fastest cars on earth at that time.
6) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 Has a Top Speed of 176 mph
The C5 had a top speed of 176 mph and was capable of accelerating from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. The engine was GM’s LS1, which is the same engine that is used in many other GM vehicles, including the Pontiac GTO, Chevy Camaro SS, and Chevy Monte Carlo SS. The C5 also featured big brakes, which means it had larger brake rotors than its predecessors and more powerful calipers.
7) The C5 is Available with a Six-Speed Manual Transmission
The first generation of the Chevrolet Corvette, known as the C1, was only available with an automatic transmission. But in 1996, that all changed with the introduction of the fifth generation model: The Corvette C5. The ‘Vette’s new six-speed manual transmission was a response to increasing competition from European sports car manufacturers and would go on to become one of its most popular features.
8) The C5 was Offered with a Fixed-Roof Coupe Body Style
The fifth generation of the Corvette, which was produced from 1997 to 2004, had a fixed-roof coupe body style. This was the first time since 1964 that this type of roof style was available on a production model. In addition to being made as a coupe, it could also be ordered with a removable roof panel and an optional hardtop roof for those who wanted their car to have more features but still look like a regular sports car.
9) A Total of 33,682 C5 Corvettes were Sold in 1998
The Chevrolet Corvette is a two-seat sports car that was first introduced in 1953. Its most recent incarnation, the C5, came out in 1997 and is considered to be one of the best cars of all time. The C5 was produced from 1997-2004 and has a wide variety of options for customization.
10) The Chevrolet Corvette C5 was succeeded by the C6 in 2005
The fifth generation, or C5, of the Chevrolet Corvette, is one of the most loved generations. It was succeeded by the sixth generation, or C6, in 2005. There are many reasons why this generation of Corvette is so popular but we must move on to a new generation at some point.
