1997-2003 Chevrolet Corvette

June 18, 2003 - By John LeBlanc

Thirteen years seems to be an appropriate vintage for a quality single malt beverage as experts proclaim that the longer a whisky remains in the cask, the more flavour it will attain. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for cars. Because it took a similar amount of time for Chevrolet to replace its long-running fourth-generation Corvette (C4 in Vette-speak), by the time its replacement showed up in 1997, it became painfully obvious how obsolete the aged C4 had become and how much better the new Corvette was going to be.

Messing with the Corvette faithful is always a dicey proposition. You're talking about Route 66, hot dogs, apple pie and America's Sports Car. Respectfully, the new Corvette (or C5) had all the legendary Vette basics: two seats, rear-wheel drive, a big honking pushrod V8 up front and a low-to-the-ground, swoopy fibreglass body.

Constructed principally out of aluminum, the C5's standard 5.7-litre V8 originally pumped out 345 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Owners could choose from a six-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic. But changes such as a 211-millimetre increase in the wheelbase and locating the gear box at the rear axle instead of behind the engine for improved weight distribution and a more spacious interior meant the C5 was a very different car than its predecessor.

Initially available only as a hatchback coupe with a removable roof panel, a convertible Vette was brought out in 1999. That same year, Chevrolet added a third C5 body style -- the hardtop coupe.

Essentially the convertible with a fixed-in-place roof, the hardtop's goal was extra performance by shedding unnecessary weight, in this case about 41 kilograms compared with the hatchback coupe. To this end, the hardtop had a limited options list and was available exclusively with the six-speed stick. The coupe and convertible could be had with the standard suspension setup or an optional driver-adjustable setup with soft, medium and firm settings, but the hardtop came exclusively with the hardcore Z51 sports suspension.

The hardtop was targeted at drivers who might want to take their C5 to the track. In 2001, Chevy took the hardtop, added horsepower, engineered an even tighter suspension and larger brakes and rechristened it the Z06.

Arguably, the 2001-'03 C5 Z06 is one of the best performance bang-for-your-bucks. Where the standard C5 accelerated from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in a not too shabby five seconds, the Z06 can easily shave a second from that time.

For some, there's nothing like a good ol' American pushrod V8. The Z06's 385-hp 5.7L was backed up by a nice, round 400 lb-ft of torque and received a further bump in horsepower by 20 a year later. Despite the prodigious amounts of power, Z06 owners have complained that the titanium mufflers, exclusive to the Z06, deliver a rather tinny sound above 4,500 rpm and the stick is, well, too sticky. Other Z06 whines are excessive road noise and a rear suspension that has a hard time being composed on bad pavement.

Keep in mind: A nice 2003 Z06 can be had for less than $45,000. And, despite not being the most refined sports car on the road, the Z06 has tons of grip (on smooth pavement at least). Performance-wise, nothing comes close to the Z06 for the money.

Despite all of this high-end performance, C5 Corvettes are relatively low-maintenance sports cars. The 1997-'99 models have problems with the audible key reminder after the key is removed from the ignition accompanied by power door locks not working due to a problem in the lock cylinder, the dust shield for the serpentine belt bends easily and can squeal and, on white cars, the door handles turn yellow from the lock-cylinder grease staining them. Coupes of 1997-'98 vintage and '98 convertibles suffer water leaks from above the door windows. The rear defrosters can fail on '98 C5s because the Velcro that holds the wires in place comes undone. Finally, on 1998-2002 models, the engine knock and/or check-engine light could stay on due to corrosion on the rear knock sensor.

 On the recall front, be sure to check for faulty seat belts, leaking gas tanks and a fix required for the ball stud assemblies on lower control arms.

Like single malt whiskey varieties, the 1997-2003 Chevrolet Corvette provides a distinctive sports car flavour. It may not have the interior build quality or the sublime ride and handling found in other more expensive premium sports cars as the C5 is all about in-yer-face, big-bold performance for not much money. That, for some, is a taste worth savouring.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com

THE SPECS

TYPE OF VEHICLE Rear-wheel-drive, two-seater, hardtop coupe/hatchback coupe/convertible
ENGINES 5.7L V8, 345-405 hp, 350-400 lb-ft of torque
TRANSMISSIONS Six-speed manual, four-speed automatic
SAFETY Driver, passenger air bags, ABS (optional on some models)
NHTSA CRASH TEST RESULTS FRONT IMPACT (OUT OF FIVE): driver/passenger 5/4
NHTSA RECALL HISTORY Seat belt's energy-management loop is inadequate. Torn fuel tank seal can cause fuel odour and/or leakage ('97). Vehicles may be able to be driven when the steering wheel is locked, resulting in dangerous driving conditions ('97-'04). Lap belt webbing can become jammed in retractor ('97-'00). Washers for ball stud assemblies on lower control arm could fracture and loosen, causing separation of control arm from its knuckle ('04).
PROS 1. Acceleration 2. Handling 3. Performance value
CONS 1. Ride 2. Interior material quality 3. Image

© National Post 2006. This article originally appeared in The National Post's Driving.