2001 Chevrolet Corvette Restoration Kit
to maintain
leadership, even.
in
the face
of
strong recent competition. The following statistics, gathered
from various sources by the Corvette Brand Team, serve to illustrate the battle that has been raging since
1995
in
the U.S.
Dodge Viper
BMWZ3
Porsche
Boxster
Porsche
911
M-B SLK
Others
(1) Corvette C5 introduced in March, 1997
Styling
When Chevy Studio designers redid the Corvette for 1997 they took great care to be sure that the car
included several styling cues from the past, while giving it a fresh
new
look with much better aerodynamic
characteristics.
Four
almost-round taillights, a Corvette styling signature evocative
of
many previous models, grace the
rear
of
the car.
The design
of
the instrument cluster, with analog-style instruments, is also reminiscent
of
early models. It
includes
unique black light illumination and a sophisticated electronic driver information center with
readouts
in
four languages.
A passenger "grab handle", similar to that found in Corvettes
of
the mid-60's, is also included.
A stylized side "cove" in the bodywork behind the front wheels harkens back to the Corvettes
of
the 50's,
and the famed Corvette "crossed-flags" emblem returned with a new, more modern look.
On
the C5 convertible a sleek "waterfall" panel, another feature from the 50's, reappeared between the
seats.
Last but not least, the Corvette's body is still made
of
fiberglass, albeit a much-improved variety that is
highly crack-resistant and allows the Bowling Green plant to provide the smoothest, most blemish-free
Corvette exterior finish ever.
Backbone Structure
The C5 Corvette structure, consisting
of
a strong perimeter frame combined with a center backbone,
provides an impressive
level
of
rigidity. This robust design allows Corvette's independent suspension to
be tuned precisely for driver control and freedom from impact harshness.
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