Launched in 1983 as a 1984 model, the fourth generation Corvette also known as the C4 was simply a revolutionary car. The C4 was a completely redesigned Corvette — making it the first time the Corvette was being redesigned since 1967 — and the task was handled by Chevrolet designer Jerry Palmer, under the supervision of the then chief Corvette engineer Dave McLellan. As usual, the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky served as the production factory.
However, to end the production of the C4, Chevrolet released a specially made version of the car in 1996 called the Grand Sport (GS). Notably, it was so named in honor of the original 1963 Grand Sport model. Described as one of the coolest cars of its era, the Grand Sport made the list of CNN’s Top Ten Most Valuable Corvettes. For your pleasure, we’ve collated these details about the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport, a car that is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and visually appealing Corvettes ever produced.
10 Powertrain
The 1996 Corvette Grand Sport was armed to the teeth. By this, we mean it was powered by the LT4, a specially built high-performance version of the then-new-generation LT1. The LT4 featured larger fuel injectors, performance crankshaft, and lighter intake valves with liquid-sodium-filled exhaust valves, among other enhancements.
With ease, the LT4 produces 330 horses and 340 lb-ft of torque, and it was mated to a ZF 6-speed manual transmission.
9 Performance
Performance is the hallmark of an ideal sports car, and the Grand Sport churns out awesome performances to back up its sporty character. In a Motor Trend test, the Grand Sport raced from rest to 60 mph in as fast as 4.9 seconds, 100 mph in 12.1 seconds, and a quarter-mile in 13.3 mph.
All that was done at an average speed of 107 mph and a top speed of 168 mph. For the braking test, at 60 mph, the car came to a complete halt in 36 meters.
8 Body Style
An upgraded C4, the C4 Grand Sport was available in two body styles — 2-door Coupe and 2-door Convertible versions. Notably, the coupe version had its rear wheels fitted under molded fender flares, while the convertible had none. Also, the Grand Sport adopted 1994 to 1995 ZR-1’s spoke wheels, but with greater offset.
Furthermore, as an optional feature, the C4 Grand Sport received unique gloss black brake calipers with a “Corvette” inscription.
7 Wheels & Tires
A bit of variation exists in the wheel sizes for the coupe and convertible Grand Sports. While the wheel is generally the 5-bolt type made of cast iron, for the coupe, the front wheel size is 17 x 9.5 mm, while for the convertible, the front wheel size is 17 x 8.5 mm.
Furthermore, the rear wheel size is 17 x 11 mm for the coupe and 17 x 9.5 mm for the convertible. The car adopts Goodyear Eagle GS-C tires of different proportions for the coupe and convertible.
6 Dimension
The 1996 Corvette Grand Sport has a wheelbase of 96.2 inches, a length of 178.5 inches, a width of 70.7 inches, and a height of 46.3 inches. The track’s dimension when measured from the front is 57.7 inches and at the rear 59.1 inches.
Furthermore, the C4 Grand Sport has quite a low ground clearance, as low as 4.2 inches, being the minimum allowed on the sports car. Also, its curb weight is 3350 lbs while weight distribution is 52.1% front and 47.9% rear.
5 Interior
For a special car that it was, Chevrolet sure did well to give the C4 Grand Sport a befitting interior. The color choices on the car’s interior were restricted to black or a special Torch Red and Black combo. The car has dual sports seats with chrome badging and “Grand Sport” embroidery on the headrests.
Also, the cabin has a Delco-Bose stereo with CD and cassette player, while it also features an electronic air conditioning system.
4 Color Choices
There was no color choice on the C4 Grand Sport. The specially made 1996 C4 model was available only in Admiral Blue, which is then parted down the middle in the Arctic White strip. It features a unique seat trim for a distinctive yet alluring demeanor, while two red ‘hash marks’ are found on the front driver’s side of the wheel arch.
Also, the 5-spoke black wheels add color to the awesomely designed exterior section.
3 Unique VIN
The 1996 Grand Sport equipped C4s could be hard to differentiate from the standard C4 without the colors. Hence, for clarity, Chevrolet gave each of the Grand Sports a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This unique VIN system however wasn’t started with the Grand Sport, as the sequence had been earlier adopted in the 1990 to 1995 ZR-1.
Notably, the Grand Sport’s unique VIN series ranged from 1G1YY2251T5600001 to 1G1YY2251T5601000.
2 Production Number
In total, 1000 units of C4 Grand Sports were produced. Of these, 810 were coupes, while of the coupes, 593 had a black interior, while 217 were given a red and black interior. Also, 190 units of the C4 Grand Sport convertibles were produced, with 137 of those given black interior and 53 units given red and black interior.
All the 1000 units of the Grand Sports can still be further sub-categorized base on suspension type, ranging from the base FE1 to the F45 and Z51 suspensions.
1 Price
At $45,060, the base Corvette Convertible was the more expensive C4 trim in comparison to the base Sport Coupe which starts at $37,225. However, the Grand Sport Package adds an extra $3,250 to get the coupe version and $2,880 for the convertible.
Both the power driver and passenger seats cost $305 each, while the sport seats cost $625. However, all these features came standard with the C4 Grand Sport package.