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Here's the story:
Illustrated Corvette Series No. 69 - 1985 Corvette
"The Refining Process Begins"
The new C4 Corvette was on
the cover of just about every car magazine in the automotive business.
Although the '84 Corvette posted amazing skid-pad figures, using the
car on real roads was no fun. The two main improvements of the '85
model were a softer suspension and more power.
The press
was blown away with the '84 model's handling on the test track, but was
very critical of its real-world ride. Chevrolet improved that by
decreasing the spring rates by 26 percent in the front and 25 percent
in the rear. The springs in the optional Z51 package were reduced by 16
percent in the front and 25 percent in the rear. Despite the changes,
some still complained about the ride.
The most
exciting new feature for the '85 Corvette was the new L96 fuel-injected
engine. There hadn't been a fuelie Corvette since '65, and after years
of wheezy performance, this was a welcome change. The new L96 engine
was rated at 230 hp – up 25 hp and had 330 lb.ft. of torque
up 40 lb-ft from the '84 model. Fuel economy increased by 11 percent.
The
additional horsepower and torque really improved the Corvette's
performance. One car magazine awarded the '85 Corvette as the "Fastest
Car in America," beating out Porsche with a top speed of 150 mph. The
0-to-60 times were between 6.0 and 5.7 seconds!
The only
exterior change on the '85 Corvette was the "Tuned Port Injection"
inscription on the body molding behind the front wheelwell. Paint
options were the same as the '84 model –
10 solid
colors and three two-tone potions.
The
interior received subtle improvements. Dash graphics were easier to
read and a map strap was added to the driver's sunvisor. The optional
sport seats were now available in leather for only $1,025! The optional
clear roof panels had stronger sun tinting and only cost $595.
The Z51
suspension was priced at only $470. Included were FG3 Delco-Bilstein
shocks, heavy-duty cooling, an extra radiator fan, heavy-duty front and
rear springs, stabilizer bars, bushings, fast-ratio steering, and
16.5-inch aluminum wheels. The Z51 lowered the car by 3/4-inch.
Base
price of the '85 Corvette was now $24,403 – up $2,603 from
the previous model. A loaded '85 Corvette cost close to $28,500! Sales
were good, but off from '84 with 39,729 units sold.
Showroom
Stock racing brought the new fuelie Corvette some much- needed racing
interest. The Vettes ran so fast that Porsche bought two and took them
apart to see why they were so quick! Considering where the Corvette was
in the late '70s, this was sweet revenge for Chevrolet.
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