The C4 Corvette Was A Game Changer, And A Much Better Car Than It Gets Credit For

Full review and test drive of a 1994 Chevrolet Corvette C4 Coupe, and a general history of the C4 and other Corvette models.

Review and test drive by Bill. Vehicle is for sale at Autohaus of Naples, viewable at http://www.AutohausNaples.com

1984 Corvette ad:
   • Chevrolet Corvette 1984 commercial (us)  

Given how long the C3 Corvette hung on to production, and how it used some of the running gear from the C2 Corvette (released in 1963!), the 1984 model was light years beyond the 1982 release (There was no 1983 Corvette).

Horsepower was not on tap - digital engine management was still in its infancy, and compression ratios were still out the window with emissions controls in place. Using the L83 "Crossfire FI" motor from the 1982 Corvette, all that could be mustered was 200HP. Given that, the engineers decided to make the car handle.

Handle it did. Car and Driver turned in a .90 on the skid pad - light years past their previous best recorded number, a ,83 by the 928 and some assorted Ferraris. This was a sea change. It also out-braked everything they'd ever tested with the exception of a Porsche 930 - a car that cost supercar money compared to the Corvette.

So out of the box, the C4 Corvette turned in performance that was world class, and tuning and tweaking over the years only served to make it better - particularly in special edition models like the ZR1 and Gran Sport - and yet, the C4 became the orphan stepchild of the Corvette world, with a desirability factor even below the truly anemic C3s of the Malaise era,

This has changed. The completeness of the performance of the C4 has brought about a new appreciation for them, and prices are rising. Some special editions have even doubled in value in recent years, and the cream of the crop cars are commanding higher auction prices than ever before - I think this is well deserved, and good to see. For a long time, these cars have been a lot better than the perception, and it's nice to see them get the credit they deserve.