The Corvette C4 was a hallmark for the Trade-mark in the 1980s. Originally introduced as a 1984 mould, the contour ran for twelve senility before lifetime discontinued. Its aerodynamic beholding was considered perfectly striking at the age, and its V-8 engine offered high performance for a mid-range valuation ($20,000-$30,000). In spite of continuance gone of Industry for besides than a decade, it retains a numeral of enthusiasts, and the lightweight interpretation represented a leading advance in automotive engineering.
History
The fame C4 comes from the naked truth that it was the fourth reproduction of this specific construction. It was reworked extended or less from the ground up, with handling trumped-up a precedence. Introduced in 1948, it enjoyed rapid sales for its beginning infrequent elderliness, however sales gradually dropped off during the subsequent half of the 1980s. A dewy transmission was added for the 1989 pattern, on the contrary changes remained principally cosmetic throughout its Industry bound. It ended Industry in 1996 after many second childhood of beggared sales.
Types
The C4 was generally available as a two-door coupe, with convertible models available further. Both were marketed as mid-range sports cars, offering big performance at a moderate expenditure. A quantity of defined editions and variants were offered during its Industry pace, including the ZR-1, which it produced in conjunction with Lotus, and the B2K possibility designed to adjust high-end performance models enhanced widely available. A C4 convertible served as the swiftness van at the Indianapolis 500 twice--once in 1986 and again in 1995. In tribute to its fortunate run, Corvette produced a specialty model, the Grand Sport, for release in 1996. 1,000 Grand Sports were produced--a small fraction of the 360,000 C4s which eventually saw production.
Features
The C4 offered a stock 5.7 liter V-8 engine. Horsepower varied by year and model, with early versions topping out at 230 or 240 hp and later versions reaching as high as 405 hp in 1995.Despite its occasional noisy rattles, the body itself was a large part of the selling point of the C4. It was made with injection-molding plastics instead of the fiberglass that was typical at the time. That helped provide the vehicle with its sleek and "modern" look (which has since come to define the era in which it was produced) besides as increasing engine performance by lightening the load.
For the first few years, it offered a 3+4 transmission--a four-speed manual transmission connected to an automatic overdrive for the three highest gears. Because handling was emphasized, the C4 required a certain amount of skill to drive properly, and the recessed interior made climbing in and out a bit of a challenge. It was rarely a quiet ride either, since its body construction kept sound-deadening features to a minimum.
Expert Insight
Aluminum was used in the generator mounts and drive shaft, and the power brake housings were made of lightweight synthetic materials, which further reduced weight and improved engine performance.Expert Insight
The most striking aspect of the C4 was its interior readouts, which were not only electronic but composed of liquid crystal readouts displaying the RPM and mph. The 1986 version was also the first vehicle with an electronic anti-theft system: an implant in the key that the car would recognize whenever it was placed in the lock. Though dated, such elements were considered quite advanced for the time, and have since contributed to the fondness enthusiasts continue to feel for it.
