Chevrolet Corvette C5

The Chevrolet Corvette C5 is a sports car produced by Chevrolet between 1997 and 2004. It is the fifth generation of the marque and was replaced by the C6. The C5 was a major change from the previous generation. Designed from the outset as a sturdy convertible (as opposed to a coupé that was subsequently weakened by the removal of the roof structure in order to accommodate demand for a convertible model), the car now had a hydroformed box frame. The transmission was moved to the rear of the car to form an integrated, rear-mounted transaxle assembly which was connected to the all-new LS1 engine via a torque tube; this engine/transmission arrangement helped facilitate a desirable 50-50 (percentage, front-rear) weight distribution for the vehicle. The LS1 engine initially produced 345 hp (257 kW), but that was increased slightly in 2001 to 350 hp (261 kW). The 4L60-E automatic transmission carried on from previous models, but the manual was replaced by a Borg-Warner T-56 6-speedwhathas a top speed of 186. Gone were the squeaks and rattles of the C4, replaced by a stronger frame that would last for at least two more generations.