1997 Corvette Production and Performance Numbers




Model Year Highlights:

  • Door sills are lower due to a new perimeter frame built with hydroformed steel tubing. These single-piece side rails are much stiffer than the 14-piece rails of the previous generation.
  • Floorpan consists of a lightweight composite sandwich with a core of balsa wood that aids in chassis rigidity and noise isolation.
  • Entire chassis structure is 4.5 times stiffer than the chassis structure of the C4 generation.
  • Chassis is rated at 23 hertz. Previous C4 generation chassis was rated at 17 hertz.
  • 34 percent fewer parts are used in the C5 over the C4 generation. This equates to approximately 1500 fewer parts used.
  • New C5 weighs approximately 69 pounds less than the 1996 Corvette. This is due to the use of new SMC (sheet molded composite) body panels instead of the previous generation's FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) body panels.

Available Options
RPO Description Price Production
1YY07 Base Coupe $37,495 9,772
AAB Memory Package $150 6,186
AG2 Power Passenger Seat $305 8,951
AQ9 Sport Seats $625 6,711
B34 Floor Mats $25 9,371
B84 Body Side Moldings $75 4,366
CC3 Blue Transparent Roof Panel $650 7,213
CF7 Base Roof NA 2,078
CJ2 Dual Zone Climate Control $365 7,999
CV3 Mexico Export NA 46
C2L Dual Roof Package** $950 416
C60 Manual A/C NA 1,753
D42 Luggage Shade and Parcel Net $50 8,315
EXP Export NA 426
FE1 Base Suspension NA 8,675
FE3 Sport Suspension NA 1,077
F45 Selective Real Time Damping $1,695 3,094
G92 Performance Axle Ratio (Auto. only) $100 2,739
MN6 6-speed Manual $815 2,809
M30 Automatic Transmission NA 6,943
NG1 MA/NY State Emissions Requirements $170 677
R8C Customer Pickup - National Corvette Museum NA 9
T96 Fog Lamps $69 8,829
U1S Remote Compact 12-Disc Changer $600 4,496
UN0 Delco Bose Stereo with CD $100 6,282
V49 Front License Plate Frame $15 2,258
YF5 California Emissions $252 885
Z49 Canadian Export NA 325
Z51 Performance Handling Pkg. $350 1,077
Total Production (all coupes): 9,752**

**Note:  Production number and VIN number did not match because the production number includes all 1997 pilot and prototypes built as well.

Color Options
Exterior/Interior Combinations
RPO Exterior Interior Production
10U Arctic White B-LG-R 1,341
13U Sebring Silver Metallic B-LG-R 2,164
23U Nassau Blue Metallic B-LG-LO 292
41U Black B-LG-R 2,393
53U Light Carmine Red Metallic B-LG 381
70U Torch Red B-LG-R 3,026
91U Fairway Green Metallic B-LG-R 155

Interior Color Codes
RPO Color Production
193 Black 6,481
923 Light Gray 2,543
943 Firethorn Red 728
Abbrv:  B=Black, LG=Light Gray, R=Firethorn Red

Performance Numbers:

Performance Review
Magazine GM Spec. C&D R&T R&T MT C&D
Pub. Date   Feb. 1997 Feb. 1997 Apr. 1997 Apr. 1997 Aug. 1997
Transmission   6-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-speed manual
0-30 mph (sec) NA 2.1 2.1 NA NA NA
0-40 mph NA 2.9 2.9 NA NA NA
0-50 mph NA 3.8 3.7 NA NA NA
0-60 mph 5.05 sec. (auto.trans.)
4.72 sec. (man.trans.)
4.9 4.8 NA 4.8 4.8
0-70 mph NA 6.1 6.0 NA NA NA
0-80 mph NA 7.8 7.9 NA NA NA
0-90 mph NA 9.5 9.2 NA NA NA
0-100 mph NA 11.4 11.5 NA NA 11.1
0-110 mph NA 14.0 NA NA NA NA
0-120 mph NA 16.8 NA NA NA NA
0-130 mph NA 20.5 NA NA NA 19.5
0-140 mph NA NA NA NA NA NA
0-150 mph NA 20.5 NA NA NA 33.6
0-100-0 mph (sec) NA NA NA 17.69 NA NA
1/4 Mile (sec/mph) 13.36 / 109.4 13.4 / 108 13.3 / 108.0 NA 13.2 / 109.6 13.3 / 109
Top Speed (mph) 172 NA NA NA NA 175
Braking (ft.) 125 (60 - 0 mph) 163 (70 - 0 mph) 116 (60 - 0 mph) NA 114 (60 - 0 mph) 158 (70 - 0 mph)
Lateral Accel. 0.93g NA NA 0.89 0.93 0.90

References:

Car and Driver, February 1997
Car and Driver, August 1997
Motor Trend, April 1997, Vol. 49, No. 4, pg. 64-68
Road and Track, February 1997
Road and Track, April 1997, Vol. 48, No. 8, pg. 68-77