1995 Chevrolet Corvette C4

1995 was the last year for the ZR-1 performance package. Since 1990, the Corvette had been transformed by the addition of the ZR1 Special Performance Package. Despite its exceptional performance and perennial rave reviews by the motoring press, sales had been disappointing. After selling just 448 units for the third year in a row, down from a peak first year of over 3,000, Chevrolet decided to cease production of the ZR1 after 1995.

The ZR1 was given special rear bodywork to accommodate the Goodyear Z-rated P315/35ZR17 tires, the largest ever seen on the Corvette. Its LT5 engine was jointly designed by Lotus and Chevrolet and delivered 405 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque in its final 1995 configuration. A production model set seven world speed records, the most notable being a 24-hour endurance run that averaged 175.8 mph and recorded more than 4,200 miles. The ZR1 package included power driver and passenger sport seats, electronic Selective Ride and Handling, electronic air conditioning, Low Tire Pressure Warning System, Deco-Bose stereo with CD player, and a specially laminated 'solar' windshield. This, the pinnacle of the 4th generation Corvette, had an MSRP of nearly $70,000. The standard Corvette with a hatchback had a base price of $36,785 (USD), the convertible coupe listed at $43,665 (USD), and the ZR1 Coupe was priced at $68,000 (USD).

During this year, it was once again the Official Indianapolis 500 Pace car; an honor it was last bestowed in 1987, the same year the Convertible option was re-introduced, after being absent since 1975.

There were minor styling enhancements; the most noticeable change was the revised grill panel design.

The production total for the 1995 model year was 20,742 which 15,771 were coupes, including 448 ZR1s and 4971 were convertibles.

Mechanical Specification
The 1995 Chevrolet Corvette rested on a 96.2-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 178.5 inches, was 70.7 inches wide (the ZR1 was 73.1 inches wide) and stood 46.3 inches tall. The convertibles had a height of 47.3 inches. Steering was via a rack and pion power assisted system, brakes were anti-lock discs at all four corners, and the body was fiberglass covering the ladder frame reinforced with cross-members. The 90-degree, overhead valve eight-cylinder engine had a cast iron block and head, 10.5:1 compression, hydraulic lifters, sequential fuel injection, five main bearings, and delivered 300 horsepower at 500 RPM and 340 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM. The engine powering the ZR1 displaced 350 cubic inches (5.7 liters) and had 11.0:1 compression, tuned-port fuel injection, a cast aluminum block and head, and produced 405 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 385 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 RPM. The transmission was a four-speed automatic with overdrive.

The Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet introduced the Corvette as a show car in 1953 for its Motorama, held in January at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Beneath the elegant and sporty body was a lackluster 235 cubic-inch Blue Flame inline six-cylinder engine delivering 150 horsepower. By 1955, a 265 cubic-inch V8 engine was optional, giving the Corvette the performance to back up its stylish looks.

During the Corvette's extensive and ongoing existence, it received eight major styling updates, the most recent (the Eighth Generation C8 introduced in 2020) transformed the Corvette into a rear mid-engine supercar. For the first three decades, through 1982, the Corvette used body-on-frame construction. The C4 generation used unit-body architectures, called the Y-body platform.

Fourth Generation C4
The fourth generation (Y-body) Corvette was introduced in 1984 and was the first complete redesign of the Corvette since 1963. Only 83 examples of the Corvette were built during the 1983 model year, and they were all prototypes. Quality issues and part delays prompted the Corvette's late arrival. Production lasted through 1996 (the final example was built on June 20th, 1996) with a total of 358,180 units built during that time.

The C4 Corvette witnessed the return of the convertible body style in 1986 and was named as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500. The high-performance ZR-1 was offered from 1990 to 1995, proving its performance capabilities in March 1990 by setting a new record for the highest 24 hour-5,000 mile land-speed by going over a speed of 175 mph

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2019