C4 Corvette Is Likely the Best Corvette You Can Buy Right Now

There’s a lot of chatter about which Corvette is the best. We can pinpoint a few items that put the C4 in the lead.

Discussions at Corvette Forum are far and wide, and as you’d expect, it mostly revolves around cars. When the discussion came up about the best generation of Corvette, almost unanimously, we landed on the C4. There’s some really amazing aspects about each Corvette, but for us, the combination of the following points makes the C4 Corvette the best. In our eyes, at least.

1. First appearance of the ZR1.

Corvettes have been fast before, with big block engines and huge displacement, but none had the all around capacity of the ZR1. Working with Mercury Marine to assemble the engines, and Lotus for design, LT5 DOHC V8 ultimately helped the ZR1 set incredible production car speed records.

2. Putting European sports cars on notice since 1983 (ish).

Although early C4’s were quick, they weren’t really a match for the emerging Exotics from Europe. That all changed with the ZR1 as mentioned above. Additionally, special editions like the Grand Sport changed the Corvette’s image from boulevard cruiser to serious performance machine.

3. It may sound silly, but many enthusiasts have already slept in a Corvette.

That’s right. Those on the younger end of the enthusiast scale likely had one of these when they were younger. It didn’t matter that it was a bed, and not an actual car, because it was just plain cool.

4. They are the most affordable Corvette platform available.

Solid examples can be found for well under $15,000. If you’re comfortable with spinning a few wrenches, they can practically be picked up for pennies. There’s even a case of one guy simply finding one in a field. Obviously the special editions are fetching higher prices, but for most of the standard production run, you can have a ‘vette in your drive for less than a used economy car.

5. For many, the C4 was their first Corvette.

Veterans of Corvette ownership can hark back to their first C2, or their first C3, but as demographics are shifting, the C4 is doing a fine job at taking over. As mentioned above, the price point has led many to make that decision to jump into a Corvette, and see what it is all about.

6. It perfectly represents the times.

Pre-facelift Corvettes were a signal of a shift in American culture, with computer technology taking over, sci-fi styling and synth music. In the most appropriate way, the Corvette’s fighter jet interior and electronic instruments signaled a step away from the world of old.

7. The C4 had a pop-culture presence unlike any other.

Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” was released just before the C4 hit the showroom floors, but the height of that song’s popularity was perfectly in line with the new C4. And he wasn’t the only musician who liked the Corvette. The king of cool, Sammy Davis Jr., had one. And who could forget the movies and TV shows which featured C4 Corvettes? On screen appearances happened in: A View to A Kill, The Big Lebowski, Miami Vice, Karate Kid, RoboCop, The A-Team, Cannonball Run II, No Man’s Land, Against All Odds, Rookie Of The Year… You get the point.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

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