Last Year C5 Model brought the 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition Worthy of Praise
Many times in a line of automobiles, the last one that is produced does not have to be changed all that much as it is as close to perfection as possible and this was certainly the case with the case with the 2004 Corvette. Because this Vette was the last in the C5 Generation and because there was little more that could be done to an already outstanding C5 model, the 2004 Corvette was practically a carryover from the 2003 year with the exception of the Commemorative Edition being released.
The Commemorative Edition, which was done in part to celebrate the enormous success that Corvette had enjoyed in the American LeMans Series, gave enthusiasts something to behold and something to want as everyone waited with baited breathe in anticipation of the first C6 set to be released just one year later. Those who did buy a Commemorative Edition were not to be disappointed. The special Vette included:
- Special Paint: All 2004 Commemorative Editions were finished off in a special LeMans Blue paint and had wide red edged silver stripes going down the hood, roof, and deck lid.
- Special Badges: ‘LeMans 24 Hours’ was featured with the crossed flags for special badges appearing on the nose and the tail of the 2004 special Corvette and again on the leather interior as the seats showed the same special embroidering.
- Special interior: Special shale colored leather adorned the Commemorative Edition’s interior.
- Wheels: Polished Wheels finished off this beauty and made the whole package come alive.
In addition there was also a Commemorative option for the Z06 which along with everything else listed also included:
- Special Hood: The Commemorative Z06 featured a rare carbon fiber hood which made the overall weight of the car lighter.
- Enhanced Suspension: The limited Z06 Vette of 2004 also featured an upgraded suspension package which included upgrades in shocks and bushings.
- Wheels: Special clear coated wheels came on the Commemorative Z06 and sported, ‘Commemorative 24:00 Heures de Mans.’
When it was all said and done, the 2004 Corvette Z06 was so perfect that Car and Driver claimed it to be the fastest Vette they had ever tested. That year the special Vette did 0-60 miles per hour in just 4.2 seconds and screamed down the quarter mile strip in only 12.4 seconds at a blistering 112 miles per hour.
If there was one drawback to the Commemorative Vette it would be that only 2,000 of the Z06 versions were made and almost two times that amount where produced for the coupe and the convertible. But that just makes the special 2004 Corvette all the better and will certainly make it a rare collectable in the years to come.
Now all eyes were on the calendar year of 2005 when Chevy would come out with the newest generation of Corvette in the C6. No matter how the new generation was brought in however, Chevy certainly sent the C5 generation out in style and with a very loud bang with the production of the 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition.
