In its late production years, the C4 Convertible matured from an unpolished sports car into a rapid, sophisticated American grand tourer. Benefiting from redesigned bumpers, an improved cockpit, and upgraded front suspension geometry, it tackled winding roads with far greater structural composure than early eighties roadsters. Dedicated Chevrolet Corvette maintenance is vital to keep this iconic American V8 convertible driving as intended.
The heart of this revised range is the 300 bhp 5.7-litre LT1 V8, joined in 1996 by the high-revving 330 bhp LT4 in manual Grand Sport editions. The mechanical Achilles' heel of both engines is the infamous OptiSpark distributor, mounted directly beneath the water pump where coolant or road moisture quickly induces severe misfires. Power travels to the rear wheels via the electronic 4L60-E automatic gearbox or the heavy-duty six-speed ZF manual transmission.