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Here's the story...
Illustrated Corvette Series No. 105 - 1998 Corvette
"Praise Comes Pouring In"
Perhaps
it just took a year for Corvette fans to get used to the new C5. Sales
more than tripled over the '97 model, making the '98 edition the
best-selling Corvette since ‘86. With total sales of 31,084
units, the C5 was finally beginning to show returns on GM’s
$250 million investment in development costs. The buyers were back, and
they were loving what they saw.
Chevrolet rolled out one major variation and several very juicy options
for the Corvette in '98. The biggest news was the return of the
roadster. Although the roadster was a $6,930 option, it was a stunning
package and was considered by many to be the best topless Corvette ever
made. Next, there was the Indy Pace Car Replica, which added another
$5,804 on top of the roadster's steep premium. Only 1,163 units were
built, making it the second-most collectible of the four Corvette Pace
Car replicas.
Although the Selective Ride and Handling option had been available
since '89, ’98 brought a new suspension option, the $500
Active Handling System. This advanced system used traction control and
anti-lock braking to maintain vehicle stability..
For the first time ever, Corvette buyers could order real magnesium
wheels. These beautifully styled 5-spoke rims were similar to the
5-spoke aluminum alloys used on the ZR-1 in '94 and '95, as well as on
the '96 Grand Sport and Collector's Edition. The new "mag" wheels were
a $3,000 option.
Engineers are constantly making mechanical improvements to the
Corvette. By deleting a brace on the rear of the alternator and
revising the accessory-drive tensioner, they were able to eliminate a
high-speed whine. A quieter electric fuel pump was installed, and clips
were added to better hold the glass to the seals during high-speed
driving, reducing interior noise. To improve tracking, the steering
caster angle of the front suspension was slightly increased. Finally,
the automatic transmission had a new second-gear-start mode to reduce
wheelspin on slippery roads.
The more people got behind the wheel of the new Corvette, the more they
loved it. Motor Trend gave the '98 Corvette its Car of the Year Award,
a telling accomplishment for a car whose predecessor had long since
fallen out of contention for such accolades. Former Corvette owners
raved over the new car. "Makes me feel like a kid again!" was a typical
comment.
And why wouldn't they rave? The new Corvette accelerated quicker, went
faster, stopped shorter, and handled better than even the stoutest 427
Corvettes. One magazine ran a '98 Corvette to a top speed of 173.9 mph,
with a 0-60 time of 4.8-seconds and a quarter-mile time of 13.2 seconds
@109.3-mph. Further sweetening the deal, there was no price increase
over the '97 model.
The base '98 Corvette went for $37,495, while the roadster commanded
$44,425. While that's still not cheap, the new Corvette had tradition,
unique styling, and did everything as well or better than sports cars
costing much more. And remember, the C5 was just getting warmed up...
many more amazing things were in the works.
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