Corvette Generations:
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Corvette: Year by Year
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 19631964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
1997 C5 Corvette
A Brave New Corvette World
The C5 was introduced in 1997. It was an entirely new car; more so than any other Corvette generation in that all major elements - the drivetrain, the chassis and the body - had not appeared before.
Something else was new: when describing the C5, road testers used the word "refined", which was not how previous Corvettes were labeled. It's not that the Corvette was going soft in its later years; the difference was in the state of the automotive art.
The output of the LS1 was 345 hp - only 30 hp less than the ZR-1 as introduced in 1990. Engine RPM was limited to 6,000 RPM
1997 Corvette Options, Prices
RPO | Description | Production | Price |
AAB | Memory Package | 6,186 (63.43%) | $150.00 |
AG2 | Power Passenger Seat | 8,951 (91.79%) | $305.00 |
AQ9 | Sport Seats | 6,711 (68.82%) | $625.00 |
B34 | Floor Mats | 9,371 (96.09%) | $25.00 |
B84 | Body Side Moldings | 4,366 (44.77%) | $75.00 |
C2L | Dual Removable Roof Panels | 416 (4.27%) | $950.00 |
CC3 | Removable Roof Panel, blue tint (coupe) | 7,213 (73.96%) | $650.00 |
CJ2 | Electronic Dual Zone Air Conditioning | 7,999 (82.02%) | $365.00 |
D42 | Luggage Shade and Parcel Net | 8,315 (85.26%) | $50.00 |
F45 | Selective Real Time Damping, electronic | 3,094 (31.73%) | $1,695.00 |
G92 | Performance Axle Ratio (Automatic only) | 2,739 (28.09%) | $100.00 |
MN6 | 6-Speed Manual Transmission | 2,809 (28.80%) | $815.00 |
NG1 | Massachusetts / New York Emissions | 677 (6.94%) | $170.00 |
T96 | Fog Lamps | 8,829 (90.54%) | $69.00 |
U1S | Remote Compact 12-Disc Changer | 4,496 (46.10%) | $600.00 |
UN0 | Delco Stereo System with CD | 6,282 (64.42%) | $100.00 |
V49 | Front License Plate Frame | 2,258 (23.15%) | $15.00 |
YF5 | California Emissions | 885 (9.08%) | $170.00 |
Z51 | Performance Handling Package | 1,077 (11.04%) | $350.00 |
Total Production:
9,752
Notes: Base Corvette Coupe with 346 cu. in. 345 hp engine and four speed automatic transmission: $37,495.00. |
Colors
Code | Exterior | Quantity | Interior | ||
10 | Arctic White | 1,341 (13.75%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
13 | Sebring Silver Metallic | 2,164 (22.19%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
23 | Nassau Blue Metallic | 292 (2.99%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
41 | Black | 2,393 (24.54%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
53 | Light Carmine Red Metalli | 381 (3.91%) | Black / Light Gray | ||
70 | Torch Red | 3,026 (31.03%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
87 | Fairway Green Metallic | 155 (1.59%) | Black / Light Gray / Red | ||
Notes: Listed are recommended color combinations but any combination was possible. |
1997 Corvette C5 Chassis, Suspension and Transaxle Progress
1997 Corvette Chassis, Family Portrait