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Here's the story:
Illustrated Corvette Series No. 111 - 2000 Corvette
"Taking a Breather"
The first three years of the C5 were
unlike any previously seen in the Corvette’s long history.
The overall design of the car was so good that all there was left to do
was make minor improvements. With 345 net horsepower and 350 lb-ft of
torque delivering 0-to-60 mph in less than 5 seconds and drag strip
times in the low 13s, what was there to complain about?
Not only was the car bloody fast, it
was an unrivaled performance bargain. Excluding true supercars that are
handmade by the dozens, the only cars capable of matching or exceeding
the Corvette’s performance were the Dodge Viper and the
Porsche 911. Both cost just over $25,000 more than the Chevy. The base
price of the ‘00 Corvette Coupe was $39,475, the convertible
cost $45,900, and the “entry-level” hardtop model
was only $38,900.
The pricing of the new C5 Corvettes
was just right. Even better, the base price had only gone up $1,980
since the car’s 1997 launch. Although only 9,752 Corvettes
were sold during the abbreviated ’97 model year, sales in
’98 rocketed to 31,084. In 2000, there were 33,682 Corvettes
sold. Clearly, the word was out that the new Corvette was better than
ever, without all of the previous car’s bad manners.
Spotting a new ‘00 Corvette
was easy. Most noticeable were new 5-spoke mag-style forged aluminum
wheels, which were standard on all Vettes. The only other external
change was the elimination of the passenger-side door lock. When the
new Passive Keyless Entry system replaced the previous Active Keyless
Entry system, the second lock was deemed unnecessary.
There was a bit of confusion about
the “standard” wheels. Initially, they were made
from forged aluminum and had a flow-formed rim. A polished version of
the wheel was also offered as an $895 option. Then, in January 2000,
Chevrolet announced that the new
standard wheel would be painted silver. This would allow the supplier
to increase production of the polished version. Also announced was a
price reduction for the optional magnesium wheels—from $3,000
to $2,000.
Other minor improvements included a
revised shifter for better gear location and selection, improved hatch
seals to eliminate water leakage, revised dual-zone air-conditioning
calibrations, and more-durable seat material. Two new colors were also
added to the palette - Millennium Yellow and Dark Bowling Green
Metallic. The new hues were a $500 option, the extra cost being
attributable to a special process of applying tinted clearcoat.
Proving it was possible to have high
performance while still being friendly to the environment, the
‘00 Vette met the EPA’s Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV)
standard. And for customers who wanted that extra edge on the track,
the $350 Z51 Performance Handling Package got slightly larger
stabilized bars and recalibrated shock valving. The changes
didn’t produce a stiffer ride, but they did improve handling
by increasing roll stiffness.
What an extraordinary time for
Corvettes. The cars were faster, quicker, more economical, and handled
better than ever—traits that made the cars popular with
enthusiast and aut jmournalists alike. The car’s success even
convinced Chevrolet to launch a factory-backed Corvette racing team,
with Le Mans in its sites. Could it get much better?
Even though it looked like Chevrolet
had taken a breather, behind the scenes engineers were sorting out the
next Corvette legend - the Z06.
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