# Chevrolet Corvette (C5)
Source: https://fullysorted.com/research/models/chevrolet/corvette-c5
Publisher: Fully Sorted (fullysorted.com), collector car research
Last updated: 2026-09-24

## Key facts
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Corvette
- Generation: C5
- Factory code: C5
- Years: 1997 to 2004
- Body styles: 2-door hatchback coupe with removable roof panel, painted or tinted (1997-2004), 2-door convertible with a trunk lid, the first on a Corvette convertible since 1962 (1998-2004), 2-door fixed-roof hardtop coupe, notchback with a trunk (FRC, 1999-2000; the only body for the Z06, 2001-2004)
- Engines: 5.7-liter (346 cu in) LS1 all-aluminum pushrod V8, naturally aspirated, 345 hp at 5,600 rpm and 350 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm (1997-2000); 5.7-liter LS1 V8, 350 hp; Vette Vues gives 375 lb-ft (2001-2004); 5.7-liter LS6 V8, Z06 only, 385 hp at 6,000 rpm and 385 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm (2001); 5.7-liter LS6 V8, Z06 only, 405 hp at 6,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm, with sodium-filled valves, stiffer valve springs and no pre-catalytic converters (2002-2004)
- Production total: 248,715
- Production notes: Three independently fetched sources give the same C5 total, 248,715 cars built at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the same year-by-year split: Corvette Central's tech blog, Vette Vues Magazine and the Wikipedia table. All three are secondary; no Chevrolet or National Corvette Museum page was fetched, and the agreement may reflect a common upstream source such as the Corvette Black Book, which Corvette Central sells and refers readers to. By year: 1997, 9,752 (coupe only); 1998, 31,084; 1999, 33,270; 2000, 33,682; 2001, 35,627; 2002, 35,767; 2003, 35,469; 2004, 34,064. CorvSport confirms the 1997 figure and adds that 1997 VINs run from 100001 to 109707 because prototype and pilot cars took serial numbers. The hardtop column is the variant story: 4,031 FRCs for 1999 and 2,090 for 2000, 6,121 in all, then 5,773, 8,297, 8,635 and 5,683 Z06s for 2001-2004. Those four add to 28,388, the Z06 total classic.com prints. The 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Z06 (RPO Z16) totals 2,025 per both Wikipedia and classic.com; Wikipedia alone says 325 went overseas. US list prices disagree: Wikipedia and CorvSport give $37,495 for the 1997 coupe, while Vette Vues prints $38,060, and the two lists differ every year through 2004 ($46,535 against $44,535). The 2001 Z06 is $47,500 to start per MotorWeek and $48,055 per Vettes of Atlanta; the Auto Channel estimated $50,000. None of these gaps is explained by a fetched source. No count was found for the 1998 Indy Pace Car replica or the 2003 50th Anniversary Edition.

## Summary
The C5 is the Corvette that was redrawn from a clean sheet, sold in the United States for the 1997 through 2004 model years and built at Bowling Green, Kentucky. It put the gearbox at the back in a transaxle joined to the engine by a torque tube, carried the body on hydroformed frame rails with a balsa-cored composite floor, and introduced the aluminum LS1 V8 at 345 hp, raised to 350 hp for 2001. A convertible with a real trunk lid followed for 1998 and a fixed-roof hardtop for 1999, sold at first as the cheapest Corvette and then, from 2001, as the Z06 with the LS6 engine at 385 hp and, from 2002, 405 hp. Sources agree on 248,715 built, 28,388 of them Z06s. The steering column lock that can strand or endanger a driver, the harmonic balancer, the brake control module and the Z06 valve springs are the known faults, and all of them are documented. As of September 2026 classic.com averages the C5 at $26,426 and the Z06 at $30,308; a Z06 ran 168 mph in MotorWeek's 2001 test.

## Specifications
- power: 345 hp (LS1, 1997-2000); 350 hp (LS1, 2001-2004); 385 hp (LS6, 2001); 405 hp (LS6, 2002-2004)
- engine: 5.7-liter (346 cu in) LS1 aluminum pushrod V8 in coupe, convertible and FRC; 5.7-liter LS6 V8 in the Z06 only
- layout: Front-mid-engine V8, rear-wheel drive, rear-mounted transaxle joined to the engine by a torque tube; two seats
- torque: 350 lb-ft (LS1, 1997-2000); 375 lb-ft (LS1, 2001-2004, per Vette Vues only); 385 lb-ft (LS6, 2001); 400 lb-ft (LS6, 2002-2004)
- weight: Coupe 3,245 lb and convertible 3,247 lb (Wikipedia and Vette Vues); hardtop 3,172 lb (Wikipedia) against 3,118 lb for 'FRC / Z06' (Vette Vues); Z06 3,118 lb (Wikipedia)
- chassis: Hydroformed steel perimeter frame rails with a central tunnel backbone; composite floor panels sandwiching balsa wood
- us_msrp: 1997 coupe $37,495 (Wikipedia, CorvSport) or $38,060 (Vette Vues); 2004 $46,535 (Wikipedia) or $44,535 (Vette Vues); 2001 Z06 $47,500 (MotorWeek) or $48,055 (Vettes of Atlanta); see productionNotes
- top_speed: 172 mph (1997 coupe, CorvSport); 168 mph (2001 Z06, MotorWeek); 171 mph recorded for a Z06 (Wikipedia)
- dimensions: Wheelbase 104.5 in (2,654 mm); length 179.7 in (4,564 mm); width 73.6 in (1,869 mm); height 47.7 in, convertible 47.8 in
- suspension: Double wishbones with transverse composite leaf springs; FE1 standard, FE3 with the Z51 package, F45 Selective Real-Time Damping to 2002, F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control from 2003, FE4 on every Z06
- acceleration: 0-60 mph: 4.7 sec for a 1997 manual coupe (CorvSport); 4.5 sec for a 2001 Z06 (MotorWeek test); 4.0 sec on track per the Auto Channel's 2001 Z06 review; 3.9 sec for a 405-hp Z06 (Vette Vues, Wikipedia)
- braking_60_0: 125 ft (1997 coupe, CorvSport); 104 ft (2001 Z06, MotorWeek)
- quarter_mile: 13.0 sec at 113 mph (2001 Z06, MotorWeek); 11.9 sec (405-hp Z06, GM High-Tech Performance via Wikipedia)
- transmission: Four-speed 4L60-E automatic standard on coupe and convertible; Borg-Warner T-56 six-speed manual optional ($815 in 1997); Z06 six-speed manual only per MotorWeek and Wikipedia, although the Auto Channel's 2001 review says an automatic was available
- epa_fuel_economy: MotorWeek printed 19 mpg city and 28 highway for the 2001 Z06, and Wikipedia gives 19/28 for a manual and 18/25 for an automatic C5; fueleconomy.gov now lists a 2002 5.7-liter at 17/26 manual and 16/23 automatic
- wheels_and_tires: Run-flat tires and no spare on coupe and convertible; Z06 17 x 9.5 in front and 18 x 10.5 in rear with 265/40 and 295/35 Goodyear Eagle F1 SC tires
- body_construction: Sheet molded composite (fiberglass) body panels; pop-up headlights, the last generation of Corvette to use them

## Notable variants
- 1997 coupe: First year, coupe only, 9,752 built, on sale March 7, 1997 at $37,495 with the automatic; the six-speed was an $815 option. Torch Red was the most common color at 3,026 cars and Fairway Green Metallic the rarest at 155.
- 1998 convertible and Indy 500 Pace Car replica: The convertible arrived for 1998 with a proper trunk lid, the first on a Corvette convertible since 1962. The Pace Car replica (RPO Z45) wore Radial Yellow and Pace Purple; no fetched source gives a production count.
- 1999-2000 hardtop (FRC): Offered as the cheaper base body with a fixed roof and notchback trunk: 4,031 built for 1999 and 2,090 for 2000, 6,121 in all, the smallest C5 body by volume. It became the Z06 for 2001.
- 2001 Z06 (385 hp): LS6, FE4 suspension, titanium muffler, thinner glass and a six-speed manual. MotorWeek tested it at 4.5 seconds to 60 mph for $47,500 to start; 5,773 hardtops built that year.
- 2002-2004 Z06 (405 hp): Output rose to 405 hp and 400 lb-ft with a revised cam, sodium-filled valves and stiffer valve springs. Wikipedia alone flags spring failures on late 2002 to mid 2003 cars, so the spring history is the paperwork to ask for.
- 2003 50th Anniversary Edition: Coupe and convertible in Anniversary Red Metallic with shale leather, Warm Nickel painted wheels and the new F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control. classic.com benchmarks it at $26,280 as of September 2026.
- 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Edition (Z15 and Z16): Le Mans Blue across all three bodies; the Z06 version (Z16) added a carbon fiber hood, polished wheels and stripes. 2,025 Z16 cars built, the majority of 2004 Z06 production. Recent low-mile results cluster between $35,890 and $40,000 as of September 2026.

## History

### Why Chevrolet started over

The fifth Corvette was meant to arrive in 1993 for the car's 40th anniversary. Wikipedia records that financial trouble at GM and changes in staff pushed it back four years. When it came, chief engineer Dave Hill and exterior designer John Cafaro had been given a clean sheet, and almost nothing carried over from the C4: engine, gearbox, frame and body were all new. The goals, in the words of interior designer Jon Albert, were improved performance, reduced mass and increased reliability, balanced across the whole car. The C5 was unveiled at the Detroit auto show on January 6, 1997, and went on sale on March 7.

### 1997: the LS1, the transaxle and a balsa floor

The new small-block, the LS1, kept the 5.7-liter displacement and the pushrods but moved to an aluminum block with cast-in liners and electronic throttle. It made 345 hp and 350 lb-ft and, by CorvSport's account, weighed 45 lb less than the LT4 it replaced. The gearbox moved to the rear axle, a four-speed automatic as standard or a Borg-Warner six-speed manual for $815 more, and the frame used hydroformed rails tied together by floor panels of composite sandwiching Ecuadorian balsa wood, chosen for stiffness and quiet. A 1997 coupe cost $37,495 with the automatic. CorvSport's figures for the manual car are 4.7 seconds to 60 mph, 172 mph and 0.93 g on the skidpad. Only 9,752 were built in the short first model year, all coupes; Torch Red was the most popular color at 3,026 cars and Fairway Green the rarest at 155.

### 1998-2000: a convertible with a trunk and a cheaper hardtop

The convertible arrived in August 1997 as a 1998 model, the first Corvette convertible with a trunk lid since 1962, alongside a Radial Yellow and Pace Purple Indy 500 Pace Car replica. For 1999 Chevrolet added a third body, the fixed-roof hardtop or FRC, with a notchback rear window and the convertible's trunk. It was sold as the entry model with the stiff FE3 suspension standard, and it sold in small numbers: 4,031 were built for 1999 and 2,090 for 2000. Vette Vues credits the fixed roof with 12 percent more torsional rigidity than the coupe, and it became the base of the next car.

### 2001-2004: the hardtop becomes the Z06

For 2001 the hardtop became the Z06, named for the 1963 racing package. The LS6 built on a modified LS1 block made 385 hp and 385 lb-ft, and weight came out through a titanium muffler that MotorWeek called the industry's first mass-produced one, thinner glass, lighter wheels and less sound deadening. MotorWeek ran 4.5 seconds to 60 mph, a 13.0-second quarter at 113 mph and 168 mph, at $47,500 to start. The base LS1 went to 350 hp that year and Active Handling became standard. For 2002 the LS6 gained a hotter cam, sodium-filled valves, stiffer springs and freer exhaust for 405 hp and 400 lb-ft. Z06 production rose to 8,297 for 2002 and 8,635 for 2003.

### 2003-2004: anniversaries and the last pop-up headlights

The 50th Anniversary Edition of 2003 brought Anniversary Red paint, shale leather and the new F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control. For 2004 the Le Mans Commemorative Edition marked the C5-R's class results in Le Mans Blue on all three bodies; the Z06 version, the Z16, added a carbon fiber hood and accounted for 2,025 of that year's Z06s. Production ended on July 2, 2004, with the C5 the last Corvette to use pop-up headlights.

## What to look for

Start with the steering column lock. NHTSA campaign 04V060000 (GM recall 04006) covers 1997-2004 cars: on automatics the dealer removed the column lock plate, and on manuals the dealer reprogrammed the powertrain control module and checked or replaced the lock plate. Ask for the recall record, and note whether an aftermarket bypass module has been fitted instead, which Vette Vues and Vettes of Atlanta both describe as a common fix. On a 1997-2000 car the brake control module is the harder one to source and repair; from 2001 it can often be serviced. Look at the front of the engine at idle for harmonic balancer wobble or belt squeal. Lift the battery and look at the wiring harness beneath the tray, where cracked factory batteries leaked acid. On a 2002-2003 Z06, ask whether the original valve springs have been replaced; for a 2001, ask about oil consumption. The fetched sources describe spring failures on the LS6, not valve guide wear. The pop-up headlight motors fail, and the fuel level senders read erratically. Check the driver seat bolster, which wears on every C5. Receipts matter because the big jobs are expensive in labor: a clutch requires dropping the drivetrain, 10 to 15 hours per Vettes of Atlanta, and an oil pan or front seal leak means lowering the front subframe. Budget up to $1,800 for four run-flat tires per CorvSport. For color, 1997 production ran from 3,026 Torch Red cars down to 155 in Fairway Green; CorvSport reports that red, black and yellow ask the most.

## Common problems

The steering column lock is the defect that reached NHTSA. GM's electronic column lock is meant to cut fuel if the column fails to unlock at start, but NHTSA's summary says low or interrupted voltage at the control module could let the car be driven with the steering locked, and the lock pin could contact the plate while driving. The 2004 recall disabled the lock on automatic cars and reprogrammed and inspected it on manuals. Owners still report 'column lock' messages that prevent starting. Harmonic balancers separate as the rubber ages, and Vettes of Atlanta reports thrown belts. The electronic brake control module fails and lights the ABS and Active Handling warnings; Wikipedia says a pre-2001 unit must be replaced outright because GM no longer makes it, while 2001 and later units can sometimes be repaired. Factory batteries cracked and leaked acid onto the harness beneath. Fuel level senders read wrongly from sulfur deposits, and headlight motors and the hazard switch fail. On the LS6, Wikipedia cites valve spring failures on late 2002 through mid 2003 Z06s, fixed with revised GM springs; Vettes of Atlanta reports higher oil consumption on some early 2001 engines, which it traces to forum reports. The fetched sources give labor hours rather than dollar prices for these repairs: 10 to 15 hours for a clutch, and a front subframe drop for an oil pan gasket. No fetched US source prices a balancer, EBCM or valve spring job.

## Market notes

All figures are US dollars as of September 2026. classic.com averages the C5 at $26,426 across all bodies and records its lowest sale as $7,000 for a 2002 convertible on July 6, 2023. Its category benchmarks are $29,998 for the 1998 Indy Pace Car replica and $26,280 for the 2003 50th Anniversary Edition. The Z06 averages $30,308, with the base Z06 benchmarked at $27,975 and the lowest recorded Z06 sale $13,862 for a 2001 on October 18, 2024. The 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Z06 sits above it, benchmarked at $35,221 and averaging $35,688, with a low of $16,500 on February 21, 2025. Recent Commemorative Z06 results shown by classic.com from Bring a Trailer are $40,000 for an 11,000-mile car on June 29, 2026, $38,250 for a 6,000-mile car on August 20, 2026, $38,250 for a 4,000-mile car on May 6, 2026, $35,890 for a car with 19,000 indicated miles and true mileage unknown on March 7, 2026, and $30,000 for a 28,000-mile car on April 16, 2026. Vette Vues, undated, puts clean coupes and convertibles at $14,000 to $20,000 and low-mile Z06s at $22,000 to $30,000 and up. Many classic.com C5 entries are dealer asking prices, not sales, and are not used here. No individual auction house lot page for a C5 was fetched, and no classic.com figure for the 1999-2000 FRC was found.

## Value trajectory

CorvSport's buyer's guide, written about ten years ago, found many low-mile C5s under $20,000 and Z06s listed around $20,000. As of September 2026 classic.com averages the C5 at $26,426 and the Z06 at $30,308, so the gap between a base car and a Z06 is small, and a 2001 Z06 has sold as low as $13,862 in October 2024. The special editions separate more clearly at the top. The 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Z06 benchmarks at $35,221, and low-mile examples brought $38,250 to $40,000 between May and August 2026 against $30,000 for a 28,000-mile car in April. That is below the $47,500 MotorWeek quoted for a 2001 Z06 new. The 1998 Pace Car benchmark of $29,998 and the 50th Anniversary's $26,280 sit close to the base-car average. Mileage, the column lock recall record and Z06 spring paperwork explain more of the spread than model year does. No classic.com series for the 1999-2000 FRC was found. None of this is a forecast.

## Sources

- [1997 C5 Chevrolet Corvette Model Guide](https://www.corvsport.com/1997-c5-corvette/) (CorvSport)
- [The 1997 - 2004 C5 Corvette Buyers Guide](https://www.corvsport.com/c5-corvette-buyers-guide/) (CorvSport)
- [C5 Corvette Production Figures](https://www.corvsport.com/c5-corvette-production-figures/) (CorvSport)
- [C5 Production Numbers - Corvette Central Tech Blog](https://tech.corvettecentral.com/2010/04/c5-production-numbers/) (Corvette Central)
- [C5 Corvette Overview & Specs: 1997-2004 Model Year Guide](https://vette-vues.com/c5_corvette_overview/) (Vette Vues Magazine)
- [Chevrolet Corvette (C5)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_(C5)) (Wikipedia)
- [2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - MotorWeek](https://motorweek.org/road_tests/2001_chevrolet_corvette_z06_program_2002/) (MotorWeek (Maryland Public Television))
- [2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Review](https://www.theautochannel.com/vehicles/new/reviews/2001/heilig_chevrolet_corvette_z06.html) (The Auto Channel)
- [C5 Corvette Z06 & Z51: Specs, Problems & FAQ (2001-02)](https://vettesofatlanta.com/c5-corvette-z06-z51-specs-problems-faq-2001-02/) (Vettes of Atlanta)
- [NHTSA recalls by vehicle: 2002 Chevrolet Corvette (campaign 04V060000)](https://api.nhtsa.gov/recalls/recallsByVehicle?make=chevrolet&model=corvette&modelYear=2002) (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
- [Gas Mileage of 2002 Chevrolet Corvette](https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2002_Chevrolet_Corvette.shtml) (US Department of Energy and EPA (fueleconomy.gov))
- [Chevrolet Corvette - C5 Market - CLASSIC.COM](https://www.classic.com/m/chevrolet/corvette/c5/) (CLASSIC.COM)
- [Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - C5 Market - CLASSIC.COM](https://www.classic.com/m/chevrolet/corvette/c5/z06/) (CLASSIC.COM)
- [Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LeMans Commemorative Edition - C5 Market - CLASSIC.COM](https://www.classic.com/m/chevrolet/corvette/c5/z06/lemans-commemorative-edition/) (CLASSIC.COM)

Cite as: Fully Sorted, "Chevrolet Corvette (C5)", https://fullysorted.com/research/models/chevrolet/corvette-c5, updated 2026-09-24.