With the fourth-generation Corvette looking long-in-the-tooth for the Nineties, work began on a total redesign, resulting in the fifth-generation C5 Corvette debuting for the 1997 model year. Sporting a seven-year production run, the C5 was the last of the pop-up headlamp era, and thus highly desirable among Corvettes, which is no tough task, given that everyone wants a bit of America’s sweetheart sports car at some point in their life. This 1998 Chevrolet Corvette has just 23,000 original miles, making it an absolute minter. It’s said to be a nicely maintained two-owner car as well.

Exterior and Interior

The C5 saw a ground-up redesign over, and under the skin. It was available in three body styles, namely a coupe, convertible, and hardtop. This 1998 Chevrolet Corvette is of the hardtop variant, which is a targa removable top and painted in black, a lovely contrast to the Torch Red bodywork. Five-spoke silver alloys play host to tires that are reportedly like new, and the signature quad exhausts at the rear tell everyone that this Corvette is no slouch. At the front, one can’t help but be mesmerized by the pop-up headlamps which are augmented by traditional driving lamps. The interior is black and offers seating for two occupants, as Corvettes are typically affairs for two, maximum. There are leather seats, WeatherTech floor mats, dual-zone climate control, power windows, power mirrors and power door locks as part of the modern conveniences. The original Delco radio that these Corvettes came with from the factory has been replaced with a modern Pioneer head unit that offers CD, USB, and AUX options as well, and plays through the factory Bose speakers.

Engine

The C5 saw many changes under the skin, which this 1998 Chevrolet Corvette enjoys. For starters, the 5.7L (350ci) LS1 V8 gained a drive-by-wire throttle and put out 345hp to the rear wheels of this car via a 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission. Another notable factor of the C5 was the relocation of the transmission to the rear of the car, forming a transaxle and connected by a torque tube. This arrangement granted the C5 the magical 50-50% weight distribution figure. While manual transmission equipped C5s were faster, the automatic was no slouch, with a zero-to-sixty figure rated at under five seconds, and a top end close to 170mph.