The End of the C4 Generation was marked with the 1996 Corvette Collector’s Edition and the Grand Sport
The 1996 Corvette was to be the last year of the C4 generation of Vettes and with everyone waiting with great anticipating for the new C5 generation, GM did something special; actually GM did two things special. To mark the year and send out the C4 in style, Chevy decided to come out with not just one, but two limited editions.
Of the two limited editions produced for the year the first 1996 Corvette limited editions was dubbed the ‘Collector’s Edition.’ The Collector’s Edition features Sebring Silver paint, special trim exclusive to the car, and five spoke alloy wheels which were matching. While this 1996 Corvette was indeed a thing of beauty to enthusiasts, it paled in comparison to that of the second special edition.
The Grand Sport was also released for 1996 only and was a bit more on the exotic side when compared to the Collector’s Edition. The Grand Sport was produced in both coupe and convertible models and included such features as:
- Paint: The 1996 Corvette Grand Sport was finished in a beautiful Admiral Blue that featured a wide white stripe and red accents all designed to pay a special tribute to the Corvette-based racer that was so popular in the 1960s.
- Tires: The 1996 Corvette grand Sport coupe used the same tires and wheels as the ZR-1 to the tune of P275/40ZR17s up in the front and P315/35ZR17s in the back. Grand Sport convertibles cruised on P255/45ZR17s up front and P285/40ZR17s for the rear. To compensate for the wider tires rear fender flares were added.
- Interior: The only options for the Grand Sport’s interior were either all black leather or a combination of red and black.
- Engine: Probably the best part of the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport was the fact that buyers got it with the same new LT4 engine that would be lurking under the hoods of the new C5 generation Vettes. This new 5.7 liter engine was much stouter as compared to the LT1 engine and would prove to put out 30 more horsepower for an overall 330 hp as compared to the LT1’s 300 hp.
There were 1,000 Grand Sports produced for 1996 and they were each sequentially numbered.
Also returning to the 1996 Corvette after a five year absence was the Z51 Handling Package which was made an option for all coupes. This package came equipped with special shocks, springs, and rear wheels and tires and was said to be perfect for the likes of autocross racers by many critics. However the critics did scoff at the idea that the upgrade in suspension would be well tolerated in normal driving conditions, especially in places in the country that had pot holes and other road blemishes.
When the numbers came in the strategy of releasing two limited editions to send the C4 generation and the 1996 Corvette out with was indeed a success and Chevy did see a slight rise in overall sales from 1995 to 1996. Though the car was not selling nearly as many units as it did in the 80s, the price had gone up by about 70 percent since then so the lack of numbers was acceptable as the profit margins were still intact.
Now Vette fans and critics alike had their sights set for 1997 as the newest generation of Corvette was due to be released. With the taste of the new LT4 engine in the 1996 Corvette the suspension and excitement just grew that much more.
Tags: 1996 Corvette, Grand Sport, LT4
