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I think it looks gorgeous! The C4 has aged very well, especially now that just about every car has become bulbous and over styled, the simple sleek lines of the C4 look amazing.
@@ranekeisenkralle8265 sorry but till i dove one i thought the same but after its the worse car ever built it drives worse than a renault 4L or a citroen 2CV , sorry i'm wrong those cars i refer drive perfect if compared with a contauch , it don't seem possible that the same brand a decade earlier built the Miura , in all upgrades they did to the contauch maybe the only car in history that one neefs a 5 year degree in a university to drive it and the last two years to learn how to drive it in reverse , from the same years the renault alpine is a real sport car compared with the poorly built contauch , in Portugal we say pretty are the puppies if contauch isn't a pupie or a sport car , what is that , were they snorting cocaine for several several days before saying " this goes here , that goes there , oh ... ... !where we put the steering wheel ?and the driver ?oh,....! we forget the back window!theres a tiny place there, ...! we almost forgot , but it looks nice! , nice is what your nose look like , Ah, Ah! yours its not better, let snif one more kg , okay at least we did it"and so was born in the 70's in the white mist the wonderfull contauch,that was suposed to be a car and a evolution of the old at the time Miura
Why didn't you like the looks before? I don't get what people dislike about it. I own a '92 and I've always thought that it was gorgeous. I do like the '92-'96 a lot more than the '84-'91 though.
@@SpecialAgentBuzz my favorite it´s a split bumper 71 or 2 ,but sold it after buying a firebird second generation ,it was the fastest car in the world till mercedes tune one of the cars they were selling to left the pontiac/chevrolet behind
@@jean-marcandjoshua-petsjournal the most beautifull corvette ever is the C4 ( had c3 , forgot the first model),for a reason they were sold from 68 to 85, this came after being sold at the same time for a year, it´s totally diferent from all other cars not this one
AGREED!! The 92-96 is my favorite years of corvette and the 96 grand sport is my all time favorite car!! Then throw in the callaway supernatural!!! Life doesn't get much better than that!!!
not just pop ups mind you but roll over pop ups (I purpously roll mine over when entering meets just for looks) - none cooler (when in good working order lol)
I actually really, really like the looks of the C4 Corvette. Its design is simple: straight lines with subtle curves. I much prefer the coupé though. And I have zero idea about how good (or how bad) they drive, but I think they look cool.
I work at a used car lot and we've sold a few of them they handle fairly well as good as anything I've ever driven you will be let down though on the power side if you've driven anything modern with some power. I mean it's not Mazda Miata slow more like fox body mustang slow. I had to keep telling myself that it's a 25-year-old car. We had an 85 automatic that I wasn't too impressed with that ironically was snow white with red interior he had the digital dash and an automatic transmission and the car was fun to throw around but it was not fast. The next one we sold was a 1995 maroon coupe with a manual transmission and it was a lot faster and I like the dash better it wasn't all blocky and square with cheesy 80s digital gauges. But I have a supercharged 2017 mustang GT and so even the 95 Corvette felt slow after getting out of my mustang. Like I said fox body mustang or LT1 powered f body fast. If I had to compare it to a car that somebody would know about somewhere else in the world I would say even though it drives completely different maybe N/A 911 of the same era fast.
1990-1995 C4 "King of the Hill" Corvettes with their Lotus designed and Mercury Machine manufactured DOHC V8s are STILL the deal of the century! You can find one in need of some TLC with under 100,000 miles for $15,000-$20,000. $35-$40K gets you a PERFECT one. They are still punchy cars today 375-405 hp, 7000 rpm redline. With stock cams the power peak is only 5800 rpm but the heads are amazing and with properly opening secondaries and a set of aggressive yet streetable cams degreed properly--600-650 hp NA is not out of the question. The people who are into these C4 ZR1s are INTO THEM. They really are underappreciated and unsung heros. They make fantastic and fun performance cars and that DOHC V8 is bulletproof. Also, in the early 80s NOTHING was hanging with a C4 Corvette in the curves. .90g on the skidpad was UNHEARD of in 1984 and they used to clean up SCCA Showroom Stock. The 84s with Z51 had the stiffest suspension and fattest swaybars. They toned it down and softened it as the C4 matured. Great cars for the money.
You can achieve ~510 HP on the stock cams and stock displacement through simple breathing improvements and a flywheel change. Port matching, free-flowing exhaust, and an aluminum flywheel and you have yourself one hell of a car.
@@vomErsten right, they are a little choked from the factory. Tons of potential in the stock head castings and being able to dial LSA with the dohc heads
I totally agree. 8 also seem to remember that it came with 2 different keys. 1 full power key for the owner and 1 low power key for workshop/valet/ young son use. I think i still have a UK CAR-magazine somewhere in which they did a test drive of a yellow ZR1.
Seriously Jay? I love your reviews and appreciate you giving this car a second chance. That takes humility and perspective. Kudos. However. Growing up in Canada and owning (and constantly fixing) UK cars, this corvette was literally shock and awe when it came out. Maybe you forgot what your choices were for roughly the same $ as a TR8 in the UK back then? Serious German cars like the 928 were only for the very rich. The corvette - sorry you guys didn’t have access- was easy to repair locally and shockingly, shockingly fast (my uncle had a 928 and an XJS and they never felt like that corvette) Nobody. Nobody cared about storage. You threw your bag in and got ready to go fast - all day. It never broke down. Ever. This car cost LESS that $30,000 - think about choosing between this and a Triumph TR8 NOT a rich man’s Porsche. You could have 3 corvettes for the price of 1 928? Chev was targeting accessibility and my friends could buy them and to your point, this car was a LOT of fun.
The reality is, Europeans envy the Americans and their cars...in the 80s a blue collar Worker could afford this car, while in Europe, at the time, a blue collar worker could afford an Opel corsa gsi, a Renault 5 gt turbo or a Peugeot 205 gti... Nothing more than crappy econoboxes with some sporty stickers...Here, only the elites have powerful cars.
@@ArbitraryFilmings ,I didn't say an ordinary person could easily buy a vette. I said it was possible. If one worked hard, and make sacrifices to save money, a Corvette was a dream that could come true. In Europe, it was just impossible for an ordinary person to buy a 300hp sports car. And that still stand true today. A basic c8 corvette 1lt with 490 Hp costs 60.000 dollars. What mid engine sportscar with 490 HP can you buy in Europe for 60k?
@@v8berenguer372 The difference is that up is not the primary measure used by Europeans, or even Australians like me. Despite having owned 1 American car meant years ago, I have no desire to own one. The typically low quality, poor depth of engineering and overall cubic inches over dynamic feel approach just has no appeal. Except maybe for a Cadillac CTS-V. But since it isn't sold here in Australia because of no RHD and the high cost if it ws s just makes it irrelevant.
I absolutely LOVE the looks of the C4. Especially the convertible! This is a design that doesn't need a bunch of creases, gouges, and stick-on plastic bits to look good. It's just a clean, confident design. Awesome car!
There is no better a sports car value anywhere than the C4. It was benchmarked against the Porsche 928, which was out of reach for most people. You can buy parts for your Corvette at your local chain auto parts store.
James, had the C4 been available in GB and Europe on the same terms as it was here in the States, I'm sure you would have had a different perspective going in. Here, it was affordable, with excellent availability of parts and service at family car prices, and offered impressive fuel economy in normal driving (~23 MPG city / ~31 highway, calculated using your Imperial Gallons). It was also, in fact, a very reliable and durable car. More to the point, it offered world-beating performance -- and not just in a straight line. The C4 had Porsche-level brakes, all-aluminum double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspensions, a Lotus-type backbone chassis (sadly hampered by a very late directive making it a Targa instead of a T-top, but things can done to address that), world-class handling, bleeding-edge wheel and tire technology providing astonishing grip, and plenty of truly useable grunt. In some ways, those unique, super-light, transverse composite springs worked brilliantly. Most notably, un-sprung weight was dramatically reduced, CG was lowered, and 'transient behavior' was outstanding. But a lack of lateral compliance, and possibly a non-linear spring rate, made things a bit choppy and uncouth at times. Changing the car's ride height was another challenge, but converting a C4 to coil-overs is not difficult (and addresses both issues), albeit at the expense of increased un-sprung weight. When Chevrolet introduced the car in 1983 (as a 1984 model), Car&Driver magazine inquired about the possibility of comparison testing. The Corvette representative said, 'bring whatever you want, our car is that good'. And he was right. There was not a single car in series production at the time -- no Ferrari, no Lamborghini, no Porsche, no Lotus, nothing -- that could equal its overall performance, or match its lap times. Porsche 928S came closest. The Porsche had a clear advantage in build quality and sophistication (or needless complication, depending on your philosophical bent) but it cost literally twice as much money, so it damn well better have had something more to offer. On a road course or a twisty mountain road, the C4 was simply quicker. Corvette has always taken a relentlessly pragmatic approach to performance. The C4 had the goods where it counted functionally, while foregoing costly extravagance to keep the price affordable. Unfortunately, it stayed in production twice as long as it should have.
Don't listen to him. Only motoring journalists who drove Porsches and Lotus' were the ones who pretended to hate it. 90% of petrol heads would and would've bitten your hand off for one of these. Trouble was one thing.. if you could have a small 4x4 Escort or Sierra Cosworth (0-60 in 5.4s) that could do 30mpg mixed, 35 on the highway with our 7-9$ a Gallon fuel prices you went for the Cossie . But make no mistake we love the look and sound of these. I don't know who he's talking to, to think 'Europeans don't like American cars'
if production length of the C4 had been halved like you say they should have, we wouldn't have the LT1/LT4 which made it a way better car than the 80s C4s. That and the beautiful facelift
He's crazy when it comes to the looks. They're gorgeous cars; especially between 1992 and 1996. I own a '92. Also the transmission issue that he mentioned can probably be fixed just by adjusting the Transmission Throttle Valve Cable.
I am split on the looks of the 2 bodies of tye C4. I like the front and "gills" on the 84-90, but I like the rear of 91-96. The 1990 ZR1 has the magical combination pf both body styles
I own a '87 coupé for 30 years now and I'm still in love with the looks (exterior) and sounds of this car, yes it rattles on bad roads (not a big issue in the Netherlands, altough it can be in some other country's) and no, the European built quality wasn't an option, but man, it gives you miles to smile on every trip you'll take it, I took it throughout Europe many times and I can only say it's a great GT to drive and with 6 miles to a liter (1Ltr./10km.) not too bad, however don't expect the reliability of a toyota.
yes it´s good that remark ,i remenber buying in U.S. a toyota celica supra because i had not seen one in Europe ,the same hapened the first time i saw a kind of inflated 240Z ,maybe called 300Z that it was huge compared with one i had from 72 that was the normal size of a sport car in Europe and this nissan was costumized , but i purchase the two in the U.S. at the time i was making good money with a friend from the netherlands that we imported cars from the U.S. to sell in Europe but when we started we thought that we might be without money and several good U.S. cars without selling one but the first time we wwere still in our 20´s and i told a girl that she would tell some interested guy´s from diferent countries in Europe , that we would have some models to sell this to see if anyone was interested ,i send to her by telex a list of the cars we shipped to Europe, at night i phoned her (the phone calls were really bad in sound and one paid a lot for 5 minuts of talk) but worried i phoned from the bar in a hotel because after work me and my friend from the netherlands would go out in L.A. at night with the guy who help us buy the cars that he told us he knew the city and where to go , i asked the girl by phone if she talked to anyone interested in a car she for my surprise told me that all cars are sold ,bring more, i felt like i should if going out at night with a feeling of weightless and happy when i told my friend that was also my partner in business and he started jumping like crazy we only had drinked a couple of dimple whiskey that cost us a fortune there, it used to say that we party till the night after and spent a fortune with the places i went but even today i don´t remenber where i had been in two days not me not my friend and not the guy from L.A. that after many deals we become friends , the only car that i couldn´t find at the time was a galaxie 500 coupé but a special version that i don´t remenber the name but i found more than one coupé 500 but not the model i´ve seen in magazines, but once i was changing chanels on tv and there it was a galaxie 500 like the one i never found but it was maybe 5 years ago, we also didn´t find a cadillac someone wanted to buy , when younger i liked a cadilac coupé with huge fins ,from 58 or 59 the car in the early 60´s kept the design but the fins were smaller but i wanted a big fins cadilac and a two doors if possible and manual transmition, the guy from L.A. told me that was impossible there aren´t cars like you asked with manual ,cadilac uses automatic since ever, but in 74 he already had a car just like i imagined but in Portugal when going to my mothers house the car couldn´t fit the street and at the begining of the street there was a big snack-bar and all the people inside went to see the cadilac, no one had seen one in all their lifes and i parked along the sidewalk and the people in the bar would see if anyone toutched the car, i didn´t ask but they ofered to take care of the car, those were the best years, young and lot´s of money ,some say a bad recipe and later i understand why, but some cars from toyota, datsun and mazda only found them in the U.S. as an example the huge datsun GT or nissan that i had never seen one till a day on the streets of L.a. i watched a car parked that i didn´t knew and when going to see it , it was a Datsun by Nissan as it said in the back, regards
I have a 1995 z07 corvette with the 6 speed manual and I can tell you that you really need to drive this car with a manual transmission to understand what this car is capable of. With an automatic transmission you have no way of controlling weigh transfers on braking and acceleration as you can with a manual transmission as well as keeping the revs constant as you go through the turns
I watched Hal Needham movies all my childhood, so American cars (and Lamborghini Countach) are close to my heart to this day. A red C4 was driven by Dean Martin and Sammy Davis jr. in Cannonball Run II. I like the C4 coupés the best, the Sawblade Wheels look absolutely fantastic.
i did saw that movie ,it´s a parody mainly the japanese car trown from a plane with what is suposed to be computers inside or the arab guy with a rolls royce and his slave a famous T.V Pivot that he paid and drove the rolls while the arab guy goes in the back, Dean Martin with Samy Davis jr. as priests, even james bond is there (Roger Moore), making the relation as in his real life with his Mother of being a Secret Agent, this in the movie
An entire racing series (Corvette Challenge) was created for these cars because they beat the ever loving shit out of Porsche and Lotus on the racetrack. The SCCA went as far as banning the Corvette because it hadn’t lost a single race in 3 years. The C4 is much better than most “auto enthusiasts” realize.
in a straight road , if in a circuit the Lotus and the Porshe with very litle engines ,would leave it by far without any possibilitie of handling it on turns and other type of maneuvers and i have them 3 but the Europa is a bit dificult to me because i grew up for the sides when 49 and bought it cheap or i wouldn´t have it. I buy cars that no one wants them and after some decades they sell for a good amount of money, but i´ll never sell my porshe 928S (70´s)or my Lotus europa (70´s) or my C4(80´s)
Come, on context please. You mean the C4 won three years of these incredibly short lived, niche events that were the Showroom Stock GT/Super sports car class. There was a bunch of different classes, C4 was in GT then redubbed 'super' for 1986. In nobody's mind was/is the C4 a 'GT' car. There were few modifications allowed, no bigger fuel tanks for the races, you could alter suspension however for heavier duty units and other details that played into the hands of the C4. Let's be clear, this wasn't a class where the C4 beat rows and rows of world class, well funded and organised comparable entries packing the best versions of sports car competitors. No. The only realistic rival it actually faced in the category was the 944 Turbo with a 2.5 litre four cylinder turbo. Unsurprisingly this being one of the most crappy stock Porsches ever built, the C4 dominated. Select other contenders allowed to enter the class were the Mercedes 190E. This is a four door saloon, the biggest available petrol engine was just 2.5 litres. The Ferrari 328 which nobody would use since they were too expensive. The Lotus Esprit Turbo - also expensive, small 2.2 litre turbo, relatively unknown and rare for parts etc in the USA. The BMW 635Csi, this is an actual LARGE GT car not even remotely the same type as a C4, with a much smaller engine of 3.5 litres. Crippled by U.S emissions regulations, down over 70 horsepower. There is a theme here. The 911 Carrera, but not the 930 Turbo since it was not on sale in the U.S at the time. The Turbo would probably have demolished the Corvette. However when reintroduced later to the U.S market emissions regulations significantly restricted performance compared to EU models, over 40 horsepower down. The Porsche 928. This was the only rival with a realistically sized comparable power unit. Problem being this was also crippled by emissions, losing over 70 horsepower up until 1986, and still down in models afterwards. Not to mention it is also a big heavy luxury GT car with a cost comparable to the Ferrari. Yes, somehow the organisers felt these bizarre cars were comparable to a purpose built low slung two door sports car like the C4 with major domestic manufacturer support and homegrown familiarity. So after looking at this in context by 1987 the only entrants were the C4 and the little 944 Turbo. As you can see, this was a well balanced, competitive and smartly run significant series. Erm. Nah. If you had just had the C4 face properly prepped European rivals in comparable classes it would have been destroyed quite frankly.
You say it has bad gas mileage, outdated interior, no boot, etc. and with the same words we could describe cars from a certain Italian brand from the 90s...
I've a 91 C4. It looks fantastic, goes and corners hard. I think the ride/handling compromise is spot on. Don't find it rough riding at all at low speeds and the seats are very comfy. It's a proper sports car, a real conversation starter and I love it. I love to look at it and I love driving it. Flooring it never fails to put on a smile on my face. I'll be keeping it for as long as it's sane to maintain.
Look on the positive side, the convertible top is not likely to leak, unlike every English convertible ever built which leaked almost immediately and forever
This video captures why i keep watching these vids. Jay gets it. Almost every car that's made to be satisfying to own has something to offer. It might not be what you're looking for, and it might be horribly compromised... but it's worth acknowledging their strengths. The trick is figuring out what speaks to you. In that vein, I have an econobox and an rx-8. The econobox cost me 10x what the 8 did.
Jay, thank you for your review on the C4. Been quietly hoping that one day you'll get your hands on one. Now it finally happened. Speaking of getting your hands on one - if you're ever in Germany, you're very welcome to drive and review my pre-facelifted and completely stock 1989 C4 Coupe with a ZF 6-speed, Z51 performance package and factory, electronically adjustable Bilsteins. An automatic is very fine in a Corvette - but the C4 is only half the car without a manual gear change. It comes alive with a manual. It's a fine cruiser, behaves very well on holidays and roadtrips, but it's also a damn good sports car from the 80s. I think it's funny how people (...on the internet) often like to say the C4 is rubbish, meanwhile this car has dominated stock- and stock-ish racing categories in the US in the late 80s and early 90s, to a point where it even got banned by SCCA and had their own championship created. And here I am, enjoying that 30 years later on b-roads while heel and toeing and enjoying a little bit of power-induced oversteer. C4's are underrated and a great value in today's bloated sports car market.
You're right, here's some of the story - The Vette utterly dominated the podium in the Playboy and then Escort Endurance Championship from 1985-87, relegating the Porsche 944 Turbo to a cameo role in the series. “The Corvette beat Porsche 29-0 from 1985 to 1987,” says John Powell, who ran a racing school at Canada’s Mosport track in Ontario, Canada, and campaigned Vettes in that series. Corvette fans were happy, but the Vette’s dominance threatened race participation by other brands, as well as fan attendance. And so, after the 1987 series, the SCCA booted the Corvettes.
Imagine letting someone drive and review your car, you're sat right next to them and first thing they do is start talking about over exaggerated stereotypes, and being negative the whole time.
I always thought the C4 was a really good handling car. I got to drive my friends a few times. I still spot one here and there but they are getting to be a bit of a rare sight here is the USA as well.
I literally had the same experience that you did, I thought these were garbage, then I went and test drove one and then fell in love and bought one. It makes me smile and is fun to drive even in automatic!
you are in the minority. I have one and I can't even give it away. 48,000 mile convertible 4 speed good to vg condition no accidents. offered to 3 nephews didn't want it. Carmax didn't want it - said they could offer $1250. Have seen people paint them with truck bed liner they have so little value. Truthfully they are slow as an old dog. You have to ream them to keep up with a yellow school bus today and that is not hyperbole. so honestly, c4s are kind of a joke.
I think people are coming around because of how of the era it looks. Kids born in the 2000’s love the loll because pop culture has idolized the 80’s for the last decade or so and there’s nothing more 80’s than a cheese wedge corvette lol
When the car came out it was actually pretty controversial because it looked so different from the beloved stingray. It didn't look like a "corvette." Funny though as now the C4 is the shape that is generally associated with it
I have owned a '93 ruby red convertible for about a year and have received the best compliments from a 65 year old woman and a 13 year old boys. They absolutely love the pop up headlights.
I own an '89 coupe with the last of the L98 Tuned Port Injection engines and the first year of the ZF 6 speed. It was also the first year of the Bilstein Selective Ride Control system adapted from the Porsche 959. One can soften or firm up the ride to taste. It's a first gen sort of thing but it can take out the "pogo stick" feel on the car.
Actually James the C4 started out with a whole 2 0 5 hp Crossfire 5.7L, then in 1985 went to the L98 5.7L w/ 215 and grew to 245 hp by 1991. Then in 1992 the LT1 made 300 hp. The manual ones didn't make more power unless you opted for a 1996 Collectors Edition w/6 spd or GS, the LT4. Regular LT1's with a manual still made 300 hp like the autotragics.
@@neilturner6749 well he was probably talking about the last version of the C4 (1992-1996) he was driving, the Mk II if you will. Also just to add that Crossfire injection, which was dual TBI's, first debuted in the 82' Corvette and made 195 hp.
@@kaldarleifar I stand corrected. I'll keep an eye out for that red intake plenum on non-GS & Collector Edition (w/6 spd) C4's. My late Dad bought a brand new 96' Collector's Edition but sadly it had an autotragic. I also wished he would've opted for the red interior but that was too loud for my late Dad's personality 😅
Of all the justifiable criticisms I don't think its looks deserves to be one of them. Side on it has nice lines and on the whole is quite a decent looking machine. Not sure where you are going with that one James.
To wit, the C4 is the LAST generation of Corvette to have styling that is properly resolved at the rear end. The C5, C6, and C7 all took the approach of just slicing it off at an angle and cutting holes for the lights, crudely satisfying aero demands at the expense of the styling. C8 does largely the same thing, but with some terrible shapes thrown in to exacerbate it.
I own a 1990 ZR-1, I bought her in 2018. I was looking for a vetted but never considered a C4. Found my baby in Myrtle Beach SC , she had been sitting for many years. She had 74k miles , did what I needed to do to bring her out of her slumber. I have driven her 7k miles since May 2020. She is a rocket , and is a blast to drive. Glad I bought a C4 , she is loved now and back in her element👍👍🏁🏁 Enjoyed your video , great correct information.
I own a 1996 Corvette C4 with the LT-4 engine and 6 speed. I normally don't drive it that vigorously but one day I did. And "Holy Cow" this thing is a monster. I love the handling. I also own a 2003 Corvette convertible and it feels big and cumbersome in comparison. With almost no road feel. Every time I drive my 96' , I wonder if General Motors realizes what a great car they made. The '96 is the targa top(I keep stowed in back) and is in Torch Red, just a beautiful car. Although driving down a nearby street it seems like I'm driving on 4 flat tires. I figure that's part of the sporty handling package. I bought mine new in March 1996. Only 41,000 plus miles.
I never understood the obsession many Europeans have about the lower power/displacement ratio of the classic American V8. The pushrod design has the advantage of the push-rod engine being more reliable and producing a lot of low-end torque. They never seem to acknowledge this. I mean who cares if it is bigger if, at the end of the day, it still puts out good numbers and is still damn fast?
It's about efficiency in terms of size and weight and also the general level of technology - Europeans just see basic tech as old fashioned and when pushrods began to be phased out in the '50s in Europe it always seemed odd that someone would still be using that tech many decades later even on a high performance car. As for the Corvette C4, the designers wanted it to have a more modern engine but it wasn't possible for budget reasons. They then equipped it with one when the ZR-1 came out but it was no longer an affordable car.
@@JohnSmith-wx9wj Can be, but usually not and also in the '80s you normally had either turbo or multivalve. But performance per gallon will always be better with say, a 2.5 liter vs a 5.7 liter. There are reasons for both arguments. I'm merely saying why Europeans see it weird to have such basic tech on performance car. In Europe high tech is also prestigious just because - it's gives a message that expense was not spared and the customer gets their money's worth.
I must say as the owner of many euro cars in addition to a mint 1986 Corvette, a coupe C4 is an absolutely spectacular car and handles like an absolute dream. It's very creaky and old school, but very much has its benefits. I have to say the convertible is a joke in comparison. Even removing the targa top turns it into a wet noodle as it was never designed to have a targa roof or a convertible top. These are highly underrated but must be approached with an open mind.
It actually was designed from the beginning [C4 onward] to be a targa or convertible, though perhaps the perceived results weren't great. I wonder how well the rigidity actually compares to its contemporary rivals.
@@jamesengland7461 It was not. The original concept was a t top, no convertible. GM executives decided at the last minute to change it to a full open targa and thus the flex present in the convertibles and when the roof panel is not installed.
I have always loved the look of the C4. Always remember the one that Face in the A-Team had a white one with a red stripe. Much better looking than the later 90s C5. The full electronic dash was amazing back in the 80s. I still prefer the style of the C3 even if the look didn't come with any punch. Loved that review James. Thanks
I used to feel the same way until I drove one. It was a 1992 six speed in 1999. I just had to buy it, loved it. I missed it so bought another 1992 C4 in 2010 and had just as much fun as before.
I have a 1987 C4 convertible that I bought new off the show room floor. On either the Tail of the Dragon in the Georgia mountains or on the interstate it handles fantastically. Always fun to drive.
As driven by Face in the A-team although he had the full coleco vision dashboard. The C4 is pure Americana, it looks naff in the UK, as the weather too dreary. But bowling about in the USA say in Florida or even Texas it suddenly fits in.
@@johnennis4586 I can run E10 I just get less mpg out of it which defeats the point of having better emissions if the car has to use more fuel to adjust for the ethanol. It's a con, it always was. We pay more for fuel then we ever have and yet we get less mpg out of the fuel we buy. If they actually gave a shit about the environment they would invest in the infrastructure and improve local public transport. Considering they just axed the Leeds HS2 route their intentions are obvious to anyone with a brain cell. The problem is most of the people that live in this country don't have a brain cell so expect things to get much worse.
James, I'm further surprised at your utter disdain for the looks of this. It's a very clean design, rather understated, and more bland than offensive. Rather like 944 and 928.... Yet it actually looks good in white, which very few cars achieve.
C4 was never ugly. It was almost exotic when it came out with that clamshell front and those massive 8.5j width wheels. What did the UK have that compared to this looks wise? Plus this looked way better than the Ferrari mondial at the time.
Haha, I love my wide arched C3 and use the auto gearbox like a manual, they are different and good fun 🤩 glad you enjoyed it, they are very misunderstood, welcome to drive mine, Henry Cole was here and he wants to buy it!!! 👍
This review is reminiscent of Jeremy Clarkson's Top Speed review of the C6 ZR-1... chauvinistic Brit with a condescending attitude toward American cars, seduced by the devil siren of copious torque. I recently picked up a'96 C4 convertible w/ LT4, 6 speed transmission, polo green over tan interior. In terms of the aesthetics, your distaste must be cultural. I've always considered the C4 body shape to be lean, fluid and elegant. At home in Texas, my 'Vette get tons of thumbs up and admiring looks. GM rated the LT4 at 330 hp, but numerous dyno tests indicate it actually makes 350 +/- 10hp. The discrepancy is attributed to the '97 LS1 engine that also makes 350 hp and GM management was never going to admit that the new engine didn't make substantially more than the engine it replaced, so GM down-rated the LT4. The power is sneaky. I've been a motorcyclist for more than 40 years with a preference for large sport-touring bikes, so I'm no stranger to serious acceleration, but with the LT4 engine going from 3K to redline, you'd better be pointed in the right direction. Power is very linear but it comes on VERY quickly. I find the C4 to be sort of a four-wheeled motorcycle and I can drive it like a motorcycle, picking holes in traffic and using the accelerator to fill those holes. I agree that the NVH of the C4 are appalling, but I have other GT cars that are great at long distance motoring... the 'Vette is an unabashed toy. One of the dirty little secrets of C4 'Vettes is the hood. It's a clamshell that pivots forward, like a Jaguar XK-E. When that hood is up the engine, front suspension, and very fat tires are on full display... sheer gearhead porn!
I love cars that I saw as a kid and considered special back then. I‘d love to be given a 300SL gullwing - but only so that I could sell it and retire. But the SL I would buy is a R107 from the early 80s. Because that was around, when I first was taught by my dad, that Mercs are the cars to own. And the ONE Corvette, I always thought most interesting and also actually quite beautiful, is the C4. Because this was the Corvette, little Thorsten never saw in real life in Germany but lusted after, when on Monday evening he watched the latest episode of „The A-Team“ with Templeton „Faceman“ Peck throwing his C4 around the corners. And because a few years later, when I played „Test Drive“ on my Commodore C64, I never picked the Porsche Turbo, Countach or Testarossa, but ALWAYS the C4, because its digital speedometer was readable in the low resolution game of the 80s, while the analog speedometer of all other cars could not be read. And who wants to play a racing game, without knowing how fast you go? I prefered taking the slower car KNOWING that I was going 120 MPH instead of taking the faster and assuming I was going 135 MPH. The C4….. how could a kid of the 80s not love it….
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Jay. I for one like the somewhat angular look of the C4 - much like the Lamborghini Countach. Mostly because modern cars all look kinda same-y to me. Barely anything distinctive about them anymore. Would i try to drive either of the two myself if given the opportunity? The C4 probably. The Countach is out because I can't physically fit inside - because I am too tall for it.
the C4 saved the Vette from its hard times in the early 80s. When Chevrolet made the C4, it gave the corvette a fresh design, and that power boost it desperately needed.
Dave McLellan took over from Zora Duntov as Chief Corvette engineer. Dave made things happen and used to be with early Camaro development Dave is a friend, retired years ago.
The Lt5 that the Zr1 had shared absolutely nothing with the 5.7 small block V8 save for its bore spacing. They are completely and utterly divorced from one another with absolutely nothing in common.
C8 is a mistake. GM should have done what Porsche had: retain aspects of your car that make it what it is AND find another way around to mitigate the negatives of those aspects. For Porsche it was the engine in the rear, for Corvette IMO it was the signature side profile (due the engine sitting in the front) and rather practical rear end. Oh and as a bonus, C8 is bland af.
I'm lucky enough to own a 1996 C4 coupe with a manual (and thus the LT4 engine). I bought it after I moved from the UK to the US, primarily because I love the look and I could never reasonably own something like this in the UK. In the summer it's my daily and in mostly city driving it does about 13 mpg-us, and granted I have a heavy foot once the oil warms up. It's a deeply flawed car in many ways but I love it, it's full of character and has a shocking amount of performance when you push it, especially relative to what it costs. I've had to put some money into it to make it reliable enough to drive every day but from a comfort and usability standpoint it really reminds me of a budget GT car. If you ever get a chance to drive a manual coupe with the LT1, LT4, or LT5 engine I highly recommend it, and of course if you're ever in the states you're very welcome to come drive mine on or off camera. I actually don't like removing the targa on mine because the structural rigidity is awful with it off. Fitted, though, it's a surprisingly capable car, and it wasn't until I tried (and succeeded in) keeping up with a group of cars including a C5 Z06 and a gen 5 Viper ACR on back roads at maybe 7/10ths pace that I realised just how fast the car is. I'd be interested to know how much quicker mine is vs an automatic LT1, I suspect the difference is substantial. At 9:28 you point out the wind deflectors as one of the quirks of the car. The wind deflectors were fitted from the factory on the later convertibles but I'm not sure what year they were added and they were never available on the coupe. The wing mirrors whistle loudly above 90ish in mine so I can see why they were added.
Yeah, the C4 was so bad when I took mine to the strip in the early 90's every car was a second slower except the modified 318 Dodge Truck. It handled so badly Porsche cried and got them banned from Show Room Stock racing and they had their own series (the Corvette Challenge).
I've only experienced it in Forza but I'm a fan of the C4, along with the C6 and C8 it's among my favourite Corvettes. In FH4 it had this lovely habit of popping the exhaust super loudly on shifting.
I love how you’re totally destroying the car in the beginning of the video while the owner is quietly sitting next to you 🤣 Personally, I love the C4. It’s an 80s/90s poster car that’s actually still attainable for “normal” people, unlike the other poster cars (Countach, Testarossa, etc).
Not so sure brits should be criticizing anyone else's cars. Many of the worst built least reliable cars ever built came out of the UK. Corvettes may not be the most refined sports car but they are a performance bargain and are more durable and reliable than most cars 2, 3 0r 4 times the price. The C4 in particular may be one of the best bang for your buck sports cars out there.
Damn good review! You drove a version which I'd imagine would give you every possible chance to hate and yet provided solid non-topgear feedback with topgear content.
I have a 96 LT-4 Coupe that you would get a kick out of. They really are a great performance car when equipped with the ZF6 trans. Since they are already great handling cars that posses a very wide and flat power band, the 6 Speed REALLY wakes them up. My LT-4, bone stock (With 9,000 original miles) also made a bit over 320 HP at the wheel. They were criminally underrated from the factory as to not overshadow the new LS-1 motor. I would say that the Vert Auto, while the best cruiser variant, is also the worst performance variant. As far a looks, I find it sorta ironic that the 80's, a decade known for it's opulence, designed the most subdued Corvette. I think they are absolutely timeless myself and they seem to have aged very well. Anyway, loved the jacket, now we just need to get you a pair of Jorts and some New Balances. Lol
As a C4 owner, the beginning of this video was like nails on a chalkboard to me. I was thinking how could he not love it??? I’m glad it won you over a little bit in the end. They’re really iconic and historically significant cars. They get so many looks and thumbs up.
Our '90 6-speed convertible is sublime. Can't park it and walk away without looking back once or twice. My only gripe is not having a boot lid. The C5 convertible got a trunk, I'm so jealous.
Congratulations. You are UA-camr #3,586 to review the Corvette C4 in recent time, and now the prices for these will go up like the National Debt. Way to get out ahead of this trend!
Yep, I've been worrying about too many people becoming aware of these cars and the prices getting pushed up. I live in the Caribbean and would love to import one, so naturally I'm hoping the prices can stay low. Import duties here are murder. On the bright side, it seems that the C4 still gets a ton of hate (based on the comments here & elsewhere), so the prices may not inflate too much...which is fine by me.
@@Stinger430 In truth, i'm not as worried about this car, nor the Saab 900, which also seems to be getting a lot of You Tuber love. Both are as hard to find as an honest politician. At this point, you're more likely to find a C5 or C6 for reasonable money. But the C4 had a more advanced suspension, seems like.
Well, there you are buckaroo, you wanted to hate the C4s but she won you over. IMHO the C4 was the last real corvette. I have owned 4 C4s and 1 C5 and have driven over 400,00 miles in my vetts and NEVER was left on the side of the road waiting for a tow. Unlike the Jag. Brits have to buy two if they want to drive a Jag so they will still have one to drive when the other one is being repaired. For a nation that drinks warm beer (Lucas electronics also makes refrigerators) it takes some stones to bad mouth our beloved C4. Of course I am teasing. I bought a new MGB in 1980, the last production year, and loved every minute I drove it. Near the end of its life you could pull up the parking brake and it would engage the starter. Really, its true. Yes, I do know who now owns Jaguar. Just proves, we are all in this Sh#&t together.
When I got my first C4, it was in 1985, and it was a 84, the first year. Amazing car. Durable. Reasonable. Great on gas. A go cart you can drive everyday. Whoever underestimates a Corvette will find out it's got a mean left hook, and it's bulletproof!
I have a 96 collector edition lt4 and a 92 zr-1. Great fucking cars. Yes, a manual zf6 C4 will be a better drive. I had two automatic C4's before my current ones. No comparison. The automatics in the C4 and C5 are the same. The 700r4/4l60/4l60e is a shit trans. Surprisingly, Jay got his C4 facts correct.
Corvette Chief Engineer (1975-1992) Dave McLellan's vision, which became the C4, especially the 1990-1995 ZR-1 with the Lotus designed, MerCruiser built LT5 Monster mill, shocked the world. I know ... because I was so shocked, I bought a '91 ZR-1 and still have it! I had several Vettes prior but nothing even approaching the performance and style of the C4 "Beast"! ❤🔥 ^v^
great video with one comment. The LT5 was initially intended to be developed on the LT block but was actually completely redesigned by Geoff Jeal at Lotus due to bore spacing and deck height issues.
I've wanted a 92-96 C4 for a few years now (the LT is just that much better than the 85-91 L98). I think they look pretty great and although prices have climbed a bit they're still very cheap for what they are. I'm a sucker for something that's unloved but better than it's reputation, and most people seem to despise the C4.
The LT1/LT4 IS better if you are leaving the motor completely stock in that it had 300 hp--all the 96 used LT4 with a rated 330 (more like 350 in reality) If you are modifying it however, it is MUCH easier and more reliable to deal with the Gen 1 L98. No coolant dribbling on the Optispark and rendering it useless, ACTUAL intake manifolds availablr and just much more supported than the forgotten Gen 2. Or just swap an LS in and have unlimited power, reliability and support for decades to come. Once you get past the high initial cost (relative to the price of the cheap C4) of the swap--you will see it is better in EVERY conceivable way than a Gen 1 or Gen 2 SBC (unless you are swapping an SB2 or SB2.2 but that is a whole different can of worms)
At one point in 1993 GM straight up cancelled the C5. The C4 damn near became the Final Corvette in 1996: the C5 was engineered between 1995 & 1997 on an emergency memo and $250 million budget. So please don’t be too hard on the interior..….
Thanks to CarVertical for sponsoring today's video. Get 10% off their comprehensive car checks with this link:
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I think it looks gorgeous! The C4 has aged very well, especially now that just about every car has become bulbous and over styled, the simple sleek lines of the C4 look amazing.
agreed. I also like the Lamborghini Countach for that reason.
@@ranekeisenkralle8265 the original Countach
@@richarddobreny6664 Of course! I wasn't evne aware they made a newer one.
@@ranekeisenkralle8265 sorry but till i dove one i thought the same but after its the worse car ever built it drives worse than a renault 4L or a citroen 2CV , sorry i'm wrong those cars i refer drive perfect if compared with a contauch , it don't seem possible that the same brand a decade earlier built the Miura , in all upgrades they did to the contauch maybe the only car in history that one neefs a 5 year degree in a university to drive it and the last two years to learn how to drive it in reverse , from the same years the renault alpine is a real sport car compared with the poorly built contauch , in Portugal we say pretty are the puppies if contauch isn't a pupie or a sport car , what is that , were they snorting cocaine for several several days before saying " this goes here , that goes there , oh ... ... !where we put the steering wheel ?and the driver ?oh,....! we forget the back window!theres a tiny place there, ...! we almost forgot , but it looks nice! , nice is what your nose look like , Ah, Ah! yours its not better, let snif one more kg , okay at least we did it"and so was born in the 70's in the white mist the wonderfull contauch,that was suposed to be a car and a evolution of the old at the time Miura
@@ranekeisenkralle8265 they all look like...!
Absolutely despised the C4 and how it looked. Now, wow… it’s aged so well. The perfect retro look.
Why didn't you like the looks before? I don't get what people dislike about it. I own a '92 and I've always thought that it was gorgeous. I do like the '92-'96 a lot more than the '84-'91 though.
My personal favourite version was the 3rd gen stingray
The C4 is definitely different
@@SpecialAgentBuzz my favorite it´s a split bumper 71 or 2 ,but sold it after buying a firebird second generation ,it was the fastest car in the world till mercedes tune one of the cars they were selling to left the pontiac/chevrolet behind
@@jean-marcandjoshua-petsjournal the most beautifull corvette ever is the C4 ( had c3 , forgot the first model),for a reason they were sold from 68 to 85, this came after being sold at the same time for a year, it´s totally diferent from all other cars not this one
Owner of the car just sitting there listening to you bash their baby. 😂
@@T0RP newsflash: you can still like a car despite being able to point out its faults.
Sounds to me like it’s the car you hate to love?!
I think the C4 is one of the best looking Vettes ever made. It’s aged so well!
Wow, even the British are starting to realize how underrated the C4 is!
c4 is actually the best corvette its a v8 gokart unrefined like a 348 its perfect.
The C4 is the best looking Corvette ever! IMHO
80's/early 90's coolness, the best era
Silver Bullet - Collector Ed 96. Even better with one yr only screaming fast engine LT4. Cheers!
No it’s not it’s ugly
AGREED!! The 92-96 is my favorite years of corvette and the 96 grand sport is my all time favorite car!! Then throw in the callaway supernatural!!! Life doesn't get much better than that!!!
Especially the zr1 with the 315s
Looks are subjective, but I love the exterior looks of the C4, particularly the early coupes with the concave rear end and circular tail lights.
84-89 have the best exterior, agreed.
Yes, that and the C6 have the most (mako) shark-eye tail lights!
I fear that you are incorrect about your assesment of the aesthetics of said corvette. The rule is that any car with pop-up headlamps is a looker.
*Nissan Pulsar NX has entered the chat
They are real cool when one breaks and sticks up. This happens all the time.
*Reliant SS1 has entered the chat…
@@petermuller161 And when they do it is a 10 minute repair where you simply upgrade to brass units from the stock nylon gears.
not just pop ups mind you but roll over pop ups (I purpously roll mine over when entering meets just for looks) - none cooler (when in good working order lol)
I actually really, really like the looks of the C4 Corvette. Its design is simple: straight lines with subtle curves.
I much prefer the coupé though.
And I have zero idea about how good (or how bad) they drive, but I think they look cool.
Agreed.
They drive fucking great. Especially a well maintained 90-96 zf6 lt5/lt1/lt4 car
@@brandonherrera2891 Yeah, the LT5 was absolute overkill lmao. I knew a guy who owned a 420 hp model, still looks stunning.
@@Corvolet5 Must be a Dunn Heads car.
I work at a used car lot and we've sold a few of them they handle fairly well as good as anything I've ever driven you will be let down though on the power side if you've driven anything modern with some power. I mean it's not Mazda Miata slow more like fox body mustang slow. I had to keep telling myself that it's a 25-year-old car. We had an 85 automatic that I wasn't too impressed with that ironically was snow white with red interior he had the digital dash and an automatic transmission and the car was fun to throw around but it was not fast. The next one we sold was a 1995 maroon coupe with a manual transmission and it was a lot faster and I like the dash better it wasn't all blocky and square with cheesy 80s digital gauges. But I have a supercharged 2017 mustang GT and so even the 95 Corvette felt slow after getting out of my mustang. Like I said fox body mustang or LT1 powered f body fast. If I had to compare it to a car that somebody would know about somewhere else in the world I would say even though it drives completely different maybe N/A 911 of the same era fast.
1990-1995 C4 "King of the Hill" Corvettes with their Lotus designed and Mercury Machine manufactured DOHC V8s are STILL the deal of the century! You can find one in need of some TLC with under 100,000 miles for $15,000-$20,000. $35-$40K gets you a PERFECT one. They are still punchy cars today 375-405 hp, 7000 rpm redline. With stock cams the power peak is only 5800 rpm but the heads are amazing and with properly opening secondaries and a set of aggressive yet streetable cams degreed properly--600-650 hp NA is not out of the question. The people who are into these C4 ZR1s are INTO THEM. They really are underappreciated and unsung heros. They make fantastic and fun performance cars and that DOHC V8 is bulletproof.
Also, in the early 80s NOTHING was hanging with a C4 Corvette in the curves. .90g on the skidpad was UNHEARD of in 1984 and they used to clean up SCCA Showroom Stock. The 84s with Z51 had the stiffest suspension and fattest swaybars. They toned it down and softened it as the C4 matured. Great cars for the money.
Nailed it
World- beater!
You can achieve ~510 HP on the stock cams and stock displacement through simple breathing improvements and a flywheel change. Port matching, free-flowing exhaust, and an aluminum flywheel and you have yourself one hell of a car.
@@vomErsten right, they are a little choked from the factory. Tons of potential in the stock head castings and being able to dial LSA with the dohc heads
I totally agree. 8 also seem to remember that it came with 2 different keys. 1 full power key for the owner and 1 low power key for workshop/valet/ young son use.
I think i still have a UK CAR-magazine somewhere in which they did a test drive of a yellow ZR1.
Seriously Jay? I love your reviews and appreciate you giving this car a second chance. That takes humility and perspective. Kudos. However.
Growing up in Canada and owning (and constantly fixing) UK cars, this corvette was literally shock and awe when it came out.
Maybe you forgot what your choices were for roughly the same $ as a TR8 in the UK back then? Serious German cars like the 928 were only for the very rich.
The corvette - sorry you guys didn’t have access- was easy to repair locally and shockingly, shockingly fast (my uncle had a 928 and an XJS and they never felt like that corvette)
Nobody. Nobody cared about storage. You threw your bag in and got ready to go fast - all day. It never broke down. Ever.
This car cost LESS that $30,000 - think about choosing between this and a Triumph TR8 NOT a rich man’s Porsche. You could have 3 corvettes for the price of 1 928?
Chev was targeting accessibility and my friends could buy them and to your point, this car was a LOT of fun.
The reality is, Europeans envy the Americans and their cars...in the 80s a blue collar Worker could afford this car, while in Europe, at the time, a blue collar worker could afford an Opel corsa gsi, a Renault 5 gt turbo or a Peugeot 205 gti... Nothing more than crappy econoboxes with some sporty stickers...Here, only the elites have powerful cars.
@@ArbitraryFilmings ,I didn't say an ordinary person could easily buy a vette. I said it was possible. If one worked hard, and make sacrifices to save money, a Corvette was a dream that could come true. In Europe, it was just impossible for an ordinary person to buy a 300hp sports car. And that still stand true today. A basic c8 corvette 1lt with 490 Hp costs 60.000 dollars. What mid engine sportscar with 490 HP can you buy in Europe for 60k?
@@v8berenguer372 NOTHING
@@v8berenguer372 The difference is that up is not the primary measure used by Europeans, or even Australians like me. Despite having owned 1 American car meant years ago, I have no desire to own one. The typically low quality, poor depth of engineering and overall cubic inches over dynamic feel approach just has no appeal. Except maybe for a Cadillac CTS-V. But since it isn't sold here in Australia because of no RHD and the high cost if it ws s just makes it irrelevant.
....hp not up
I absolutely LOVE the looks of the C4. Especially the convertible! This is a design that doesn't need a bunch of creases, gouges, and stick-on plastic bits to look good. It's just a clean, confident design. Awesome car!
The C4 is bar non my favorite gen Corvette from a style standpoint. I agree exactly with your assessment on the design.
Verts with the rare hardtop look pretty ace.
There is no better a sports car value anywhere than the C4. It was benchmarked against the Porsche 928, which was out of reach for most people. You can buy parts for your Corvette at your local chain auto parts store.
James, had the C4 been available in GB and Europe on the same terms as it was here in the States, I'm sure you would have had a different perspective going in. Here, it was affordable, with excellent availability of parts and service at family car prices, and offered impressive fuel economy in normal driving (~23 MPG city / ~31 highway, calculated using your Imperial Gallons). It was also, in fact, a very reliable and durable car.
More to the point, it offered world-beating performance -- and not just in a straight line. The C4 had Porsche-level brakes, all-aluminum double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspensions, a Lotus-type backbone chassis (sadly hampered by a very late directive making it a Targa instead of a T-top, but things can done to address that), world-class handling, bleeding-edge wheel and tire technology providing astonishing grip, and plenty of truly useable grunt.
In some ways, those unique, super-light, transverse composite springs worked brilliantly. Most notably, un-sprung weight was dramatically reduced, CG was lowered, and 'transient behavior' was outstanding. But a lack of lateral compliance, and possibly a non-linear spring rate, made things a bit choppy and uncouth at times. Changing the car's ride height was another challenge, but converting a C4 to coil-overs is not difficult (and addresses both issues), albeit at the expense of increased un-sprung weight.
When Chevrolet introduced the car in 1983 (as a 1984 model), Car&Driver magazine inquired about the possibility of comparison testing. The Corvette representative said, 'bring whatever you want, our car is that good'. And he was right. There was not a single car in series production at the time -- no Ferrari, no Lamborghini, no Porsche, no Lotus, nothing -- that could equal its overall performance, or match its lap times.
Porsche 928S came closest. The Porsche had a clear advantage in build quality and sophistication (or needless complication, depending on your philosophical bent) but it cost literally twice as much money, so it damn well better have had something more to offer. On a road course or a twisty mountain road, the C4 was simply quicker.
Corvette has always taken a relentlessly pragmatic approach to performance. The C4 had the goods where it counted functionally, while foregoing costly extravagance to keep the price affordable. Unfortunately, it stayed in production twice as long as it should have.
Don't listen to him. Only motoring journalists who drove Porsches and Lotus' were the ones who pretended to hate it. 90% of petrol heads would and would've bitten your hand off for one of these. Trouble was one thing.. if you could have a small 4x4 Escort or Sierra Cosworth (0-60 in 5.4s) that could do 30mpg mixed, 35 on the highway with our 7-9$ a Gallon fuel prices you went for the Cossie . But make no mistake we love the look and sound of these.
I don't know who he's talking to, to think 'Europeans don't like American cars'
@@realMaverickBuckley Is a Cossie going to go 150k+ before a complete engine rebuild? Methinks not.
if production length of the C4 had been halved like you say they should have, we wouldn't have the LT1/LT4 which made it a way better car than the 80s C4s. That and the beautiful facelift
The c4 is a work of art
He's crazy when it comes to the looks. They're gorgeous cars; especially between 1992 and 1996. I own a '92. Also the transmission issue that he mentioned can probably be fixed just by adjusting the Transmission Throttle Valve Cable.
I agree. A stunning looking car. The wheels are gorgeous 😍
I am split on the looks of the 2 bodies of tye C4. I like the front and "gills" on the 84-90, but I like the rear of 91-96. The 1990 ZR1 has the magical combination pf both body styles
I own a '87 coupé for 30 years now and I'm still in love with the looks (exterior) and sounds of this car, yes it rattles on bad roads (not a big issue in the Netherlands, altough it can be in some other country's) and no, the European built quality wasn't an option, but man, it gives you miles to smile on every trip you'll take it, I took it throughout Europe many times and I can only say it's a great GT to drive and with 6 miles to a liter (1Ltr./10km.) not too bad, however don't expect the reliability of a toyota.
yes it´s good that remark ,i remenber buying in U.S. a toyota celica supra because i had not seen one in Europe ,the same hapened the first time i saw a kind of inflated 240Z ,maybe called 300Z that it was huge compared with one i had from 72 that was the normal size of a sport car in Europe and this nissan was costumized , but i purchase the two in the U.S. at the time i was making good money with a friend from the netherlands that we imported cars from the U.S. to sell in Europe but when we started we thought that we might be without money and several good U.S. cars without selling one but the first time we wwere still in our 20´s and i told a girl that she would tell some interested guy´s from diferent countries in Europe , that we would have some models to sell this to see if anyone was interested ,i send to her by telex a list of the cars we shipped to Europe, at night i phoned her (the phone calls were really bad in sound and one paid a lot for 5 minuts of talk) but worried i phoned from the bar in a hotel because after work me and my friend from the netherlands would go out in L.A. at night with the guy who help us buy the cars that he told us he knew the city and where to go , i asked the girl by phone if she talked to anyone interested in a car she for my surprise told me that all cars are sold ,bring more, i felt like i should if going out at night with a feeling of weightless and happy when i told my friend that was also my partner in business and he started jumping like crazy we only had drinked a couple of dimple whiskey that cost us a fortune there, it used to say that we party till the night after and spent a fortune with the places i went but even today i don´t remenber where i had been in two days not me not my friend and not the guy from L.A. that after many deals we become friends , the only car that i couldn´t find at the time was a galaxie 500 coupé but a special version that i don´t remenber the name but i found more than one coupé 500 but not the model i´ve seen in magazines, but once i was changing chanels on tv and there it was a galaxie 500 like the one i never found but it was maybe 5 years ago, we also didn´t find a cadillac someone wanted to buy , when younger i liked a cadilac coupé with huge fins ,from 58 or 59 the car in the early 60´s kept the design but the fins were smaller but i wanted a big fins cadilac and a two doors if possible and manual transmition, the guy from L.A. told me that was impossible there aren´t cars like you asked with manual ,cadilac uses automatic since ever, but in 74 he already had a car just like i imagined but in Portugal when going to my mothers house the car couldn´t fit the street and at the begining of the street there was a big snack-bar and all the people inside went to see the cadilac, no one had seen one in all their lifes and i parked along the sidewalk and the people in the bar would see if anyone toutched the car, i didn´t ask but they ofered to take care of the car, those were the best years, young and lot´s of money ,some say a bad recipe and later i understand why, but some cars from toyota, datsun and mazda only found them in the U.S. as an example the huge datsun GT or nissan that i had never seen one till a day on the streets of L.a. i watched a car parked that i didn´t knew and when going to see it , it was a Datsun by Nissan as it said in the back, regards
I have a 1995 z07 corvette with the 6 speed manual and I can tell you that you really need to drive this car with a manual transmission to understand what this car is capable of. With an automatic transmission you have no way of controlling weigh transfers on braking and acceleration as you can with a manual transmission as well as keeping the revs constant as you go through the turns
I watched Hal Needham movies all my childhood, so American cars (and Lamborghini Countach) are close to my heart to this day. A red C4 was driven by Dean Martin and Sammy Davis jr. in Cannonball Run II. I like the C4 coupés the best, the Sawblade Wheels look absolutely fantastic.
My thoughts exactly !!
i did saw that movie ,it´s a parody mainly the japanese car trown from a plane with what is suposed to be computers inside or the arab guy with a rolls royce and his slave a famous T.V Pivot that he paid and drove the rolls while the arab guy goes in the back, Dean Martin with Samy Davis jr. as priests, even james bond is there (Roger Moore), making the relation as in his real life with his Mother of being a Secret Agent, this in the movie
A great Corvette....definitely the best value Corvette.
Replacing the 30 year old shocks makes a big difference to the ride.
An entire racing series (Corvette Challenge) was created for these cars because they beat the ever loving shit out of Porsche and Lotus on the racetrack. The SCCA went as far as banning the Corvette because it hadn’t lost a single race in 3 years.
The C4 is much better than most “auto enthusiasts” realize.
in a straight road , if in a circuit the Lotus and the Porshe with very litle engines ,would leave it by far without any possibilitie of handling it on turns and other type of maneuvers and i have them 3 but the Europa is a bit dificult to me because i grew up for the sides when 49 and bought it cheap or i wouldn´t have it. I buy cars that no one wants them and after some decades they sell for a good amount of money, but i´ll never sell my porshe 928S (70´s)or my Lotus europa (70´s) or my C4(80´s)
@@RUfromthe40s this is strictly wrong. The C4 was stomping porches and lotus into the ground in ALL racing events. Including circuits. Look it up.
@@metalmike105 - You’re right. It’s amazing how so many folks have no idea what they’re talking about.
Doesn’t anyone get embarrassed anymore?
@@RUfromthe40s - My God, you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s not possible.
Come, on context please. You mean the C4 won three years of these incredibly short lived, niche events that were the Showroom Stock GT/Super sports car class. There was a bunch of different classes, C4 was in GT then redubbed 'super' for 1986. In nobody's mind was/is the C4 a 'GT' car. There were few modifications allowed, no bigger fuel tanks for the races, you could alter suspension however for heavier duty units and other details that played into the hands of the C4. Let's be clear, this wasn't a class where the C4 beat rows and rows of world class, well funded and organised comparable entries packing the best versions of sports car competitors. No. The only realistic rival it actually faced in the category was the 944 Turbo with a 2.5 litre four cylinder turbo. Unsurprisingly this being one of the most crappy stock Porsches ever built, the C4 dominated. Select other contenders allowed to enter the class were the Mercedes 190E. This is a four door saloon, the biggest available petrol engine was just 2.5 litres. The Ferrari 328 which nobody would use since they were too expensive. The Lotus Esprit Turbo - also expensive, small 2.2 litre turbo, relatively unknown and rare for parts etc in the USA. The BMW 635Csi, this is an actual LARGE GT car not even remotely the same type as a C4, with a much smaller engine of 3.5 litres. Crippled by U.S emissions regulations, down over 70 horsepower. There is a theme here. The 911 Carrera, but not the 930 Turbo since it was not on sale in the U.S at the time. The Turbo would probably have demolished the Corvette. However when reintroduced later to the U.S market emissions regulations significantly restricted performance compared to EU models, over 40 horsepower down. The Porsche 928. This was the only rival with a realistically sized comparable power unit. Problem being this was also crippled by emissions, losing over 70 horsepower up until 1986, and still down in models afterwards. Not to mention it is also a big heavy luxury GT car with a cost comparable to the Ferrari. Yes, somehow the organisers felt these bizarre cars were comparable to a purpose built low slung two door sports car like the C4 with major domestic manufacturer support and homegrown familiarity.
So after looking at this in context by 1987 the only entrants were the C4 and the little 944 Turbo. As you can see, this was a well balanced, competitive and smartly run significant series. Erm. Nah. If you had just had the C4 face properly prepped European rivals in comparable classes it would have been destroyed quite frankly.
Don't knock it, till you try it! Being a C4 owner I can honestly say, once you have owned one, you will always want one!
You say it has bad gas mileage, outdated interior, no boot, etc. and with the same words we could describe cars from a certain Italian brand from the 90s...
I wonder what brand could that be, what brand is it
@@NeurodivergentSuperiority lololol
bad gas mileage with no power, and interior made out of cheapest plastics
De Tomaso?
@@JayEmmOnCars That works too. I was thinking of the 348
I've a 91 C4. It looks fantastic, goes and corners hard. I think the ride/handling compromise is spot on. Don't find it rough riding at all at low speeds and the seats are very comfy. It's a proper sports car, a real conversation starter and I love it. I love to look at it and I love driving it. Flooring it never fails to put on a smile on my face. I'll be keeping it for as long as it's sane to maintain.
Look on the positive side, the convertible top is not likely to leak, unlike every English convertible ever built which leaked almost immediately and forever
This video captures why i keep watching these vids. Jay gets it. Almost every car that's made to be satisfying to own has something to offer. It might not be what you're looking for, and it might be horribly compromised... but it's worth acknowledging their strengths. The trick is figuring out what speaks to you.
In that vein, I have an econobox and an rx-8. The econobox cost me 10x what the 8 did.
Jay, thank you for your review on the C4. Been quietly hoping that one day you'll get your hands on one. Now it finally happened.
Speaking of getting your hands on one - if you're ever in Germany, you're very welcome to drive and review my pre-facelifted and completely stock 1989 C4 Coupe with a ZF 6-speed, Z51 performance package and factory, electronically adjustable Bilsteins. An automatic is very fine in a Corvette - but the C4 is only half the car without a manual gear change. It comes alive with a manual. It's a fine cruiser, behaves very well on holidays and roadtrips, but it's also a damn good sports car from the 80s.
I think it's funny how people (...on the internet) often like to say the C4 is rubbish, meanwhile this car has dominated stock- and stock-ish racing categories in the US in the late 80s and early 90s, to a point where it even got banned by SCCA and had their own championship created. And here I am, enjoying that 30 years later on b-roads while heel and toeing and enjoying a little bit of power-induced oversteer. C4's are underrated and a great value in today's bloated sports car market.
You're right, here's some of the story
- The Vette utterly dominated the podium in the Playboy and then Escort Endurance Championship from 1985-87, relegating the Porsche 944 Turbo to a cameo role in the series.
“The Corvette beat Porsche 29-0 from 1985 to 1987,” says John Powell, who ran a racing school at Canada’s Mosport track in Ontario, Canada, and campaigned Vettes in that series.
Corvette fans were happy, but the Vette’s dominance threatened race participation by other brands, as well as fan attendance. And so, after the 1987 series, the SCCA booted the Corvettes.
Imagine letting someone drive and review your car, you're sat right next to them and first thing they do is start talking about over exaggerated stereotypes, and being negative the whole time.
I always thought the C4 was a really good handling car. I got to drive my friends a few times. I still spot one here and there but they are getting to be a bit of a rare sight here is the USA as well.
I literally had the same experience that you did, I thought these were garbage, then I went and test drove one and then fell in love and bought one. It makes me smile and is fun to drive even in automatic!
I love the C4 corvette the MOST out of all the generations.
you are in the minority. I have one and I can't even give it away. 48,000 mile convertible 4 speed good to vg condition no accidents. offered to 3 nephews didn't want it. Carmax didn't want it - said they could offer $1250. Have seen people paint them with truck bed liner they have so little value. Truthfully they are slow as an old dog. You have to ream them to keep up with a yellow school bus today and that is not hyperbole. so honestly, c4s are kind of a joke.
@@bobjayp hey, what year is yours?
@@ChrisBrown-pz2gu '87 blue convertible stick blue leather original except 17" SS wheels
@bobjayp thank you, sounds really nice
I think your age determines what you think of the looks of this car. If you were a teenager when the 84 model came out you'll probably like the look.
Well me and my sister were born in the 90s and we still LOVE the way they look
I think people are coming around because of how of the era it looks. Kids born in the 2000’s love the loll because pop culture has idolized the 80’s for the last decade or so and there’s nothing more 80’s than a cheese wedge corvette lol
When the car came out it was actually pretty controversial because it looked so different from the beloved stingray. It didn't look like a "corvette." Funny though as now the C4 is the shape that is generally associated with it
I have owned a '93 ruby red convertible for about a year and have received the best compliments from a 65 year old woman and a 13 year old boys. They absolutely love the pop up headlights.
90s kid here, still love it. It wasn't over styled so it still looks like it could have been from the late 90s
I own an '89 coupe with the last of the L98 Tuned Port Injection engines and the first year of the ZF 6 speed. It was also the first year of the Bilstein Selective Ride Control system adapted from the Porsche 959. One can soften or firm up the ride to taste. It's a first gen sort of thing but it can take out the "pogo stick" feel on the car.
Actually James the C4 started out with a whole 2 0 5 hp Crossfire 5.7L, then in 1985 went to the L98 5.7L w/ 215 and grew to 245 hp by 1991. Then in 1992 the LT1 made 300 hp. The manual ones didn't make more power unless you opted for a 1996 Collectors Edition w/6 spd or GS, the LT4. Regular LT1's with a manual still made 300 hp like the autotragics.
Thanks for clearing that up, I thought James was talking bollox with the 300hp comment. I too thought they were 205 initially then 245 near the end.
@@neilturner6749 well he was probably talking about the last version of the C4 (1992-1996) he was driving, the Mk II if you will. Also just to add that Crossfire injection, which was dual TBI's, first debuted in the 82' Corvette and made 195 hp.
All manual 96 models had the 330hp LT4
@@kaldarleifar I stand corrected. I'll keep an eye out for that red intake plenum on non-GS & Collector Edition (w/6 spd) C4's.
My late Dad bought a brand new 96' Collector's Edition but sadly it had an autotragic. I also wished he would've opted for the red interior but that was too loud for my late Dad's personality 😅
@@kaldarleifar yup. In 96 if it was a manual, it got the criminally underrated "330hp" LT-4.
Of all the justifiable criticisms I don't think its looks deserves to be one of them. Side on it has nice lines and on the whole is quite a decent looking machine.
Not sure where you are going with that one James.
To wit, the C4 is the LAST generation of Corvette to have styling that is properly resolved at the rear end. The C5, C6, and C7 all took the approach of just slicing it off at an angle and cutting holes for the lights, crudely satisfying aero demands at the expense of the styling. C8 does largely the same thing, but with some terrible shapes thrown in to exacerbate it.
I own a 1990 ZR-1, I bought her in 2018. I was looking for a vetted but never considered a C4. Found my baby in Myrtle Beach SC , she had been sitting for many years. She had 74k miles , did what I needed to do to bring her out of her slumber. I have driven her 7k miles since May 2020. She is a rocket , and is a blast to drive. Glad I bought a C4 , she is loved now and back in her element👍👍🏁🏁 Enjoyed your video , great correct information.
I own a 1996 Corvette C4 with the LT-4 engine and 6 speed. I normally don't drive it that vigorously but one day I did. And "Holy Cow" this thing is a monster. I love the handling. I also own a 2003 Corvette convertible and it feels big and cumbersome in comparison. With almost no road feel. Every time I drive my 96' , I wonder if General Motors realizes what a great car they made. The '96 is the targa top(I keep stowed in back) and is in Torch Red, just a beautiful car. Although driving down a nearby street it seems like I'm driving on 4 flat tires. I figure that's part of the sporty handling package. I bought mine new in March 1996. Only 41,000 plus miles.
I never understood the obsession many Europeans have about the lower power/displacement ratio of the classic American V8. The pushrod design has the advantage of the push-rod engine being more reliable and producing a lot of low-end torque. They never seem to acknowledge this. I mean who cares if it is bigger if, at the end of the day, it still puts out good numbers and is still damn fast?
It's the false humility of them having to make do with small engines with little torque, and enormous fuel prices.
They're also physically smaller and lighter for their capacity than DOHC engines.
It's about efficiency in terms of size and weight and also the general level of technology - Europeans just see basic tech as old fashioned and when pushrods began to be phased out in the '50s in Europe it always seemed odd that someone would still be using that tech many decades later even on a high performance car. As for the Corvette C4, the designers wanted it to have a more modern engine but it wasn't possible for budget reasons. They then equipped it with one when the ZR-1 came out but it was no longer an affordable car.
@@varmastiko2908 Your small displacement DOHC turbo engines can actually be just as big and heavy as a GM small block.
@@JohnSmith-wx9wj Can be, but usually not and also in the '80s you normally had either turbo or multivalve. But performance per gallon will always be better with say, a 2.5 liter vs a 5.7 liter. There are reasons for both arguments. I'm merely saying why Europeans see it weird to have such basic tech on performance car. In Europe high tech is also prestigious just because - it's gives a message that expense was not spared and the customer gets their money's worth.
C4 walked so the C5 C6 C7 and C8 could run Great car in my humble opinion, I have an 88 and love it
I must say as the owner of many euro cars in addition to a mint 1986 Corvette, a coupe C4 is an absolutely spectacular car and handles like an absolute dream. It's very creaky and old school, but very much has its benefits. I have to say the convertible is a joke in comparison. Even removing the targa top turns it into a wet noodle as it was never designed to have a targa roof or a convertible top. These are highly underrated but must be approached with an open mind.
It actually was designed from the beginning [C4 onward] to be a targa or convertible, though perhaps the perceived results weren't great. I wonder how well the rigidity actually compares to its contemporary rivals.
@@jamesengland7461 It was not. The original concept was a t top, no convertible. GM executives decided at the last minute to change it to a full open targa and thus the flex present in the convertibles and when the roof panel is not installed.
i own a c4, and taking the targa top off makes it handle like shit
Uh, every corvette is a targa. There are a few with a hard roof but the top comes off on almost every corvette ever made.
There is no better value for money in a sports car than a c4.
C4s have turned into one of my favorites over they years. It somehow went from gawdy to timeless over the past decade.
I have always loved the look of the C4. Always remember the one that Face in the A-Team had a white one with a red stripe. Much better looking than the later 90s C5. The full electronic dash was amazing back in the 80s. I still prefer the style of the C3 even if the look didn't come with any punch. Loved that review James. Thanks
Proper American 80s nostalgia. Cheers for this.
I used to feel the same way until I drove one. It was a 1992 six speed in 1999. I just had to buy it, loved it. I missed it so bought another 1992 C4 in 2010 and had just as much fun as before.
No such thing as a 6 speed c4 Vette
ZR1?
@@questionauthority7377 The later models got rid of the Doug Nash 4+3 and went to a regular 6 speed ZF
@@questionauthority7377 my 1994 6-speed just doesn't exist then
I have a 1987 C4 convertible that I bought new off the show room floor. On either the Tail of the Dragon in the Georgia mountains or on the interstate it handles fantastically. Always fun to drive.
C4 corvettes are extremely nice
As driven by Face in the A-team although he had the full coleco vision dashboard. The C4 is pure Americana, it looks naff in the UK, as the weather too dreary. But bowling about in the USA say in Florida or even Texas it suddenly fits in.
The C4 gets a bad rap but having owned many generations of Corvettes I will say it’s got the best seats and driving position.
The cockpit feel is awesome.
Great cars. Smoked the ass off the 911s, 325s etc in SCCA. So they got banned even with the l98
I wish it was 133p a liter where I am. Where I am in the UK it's 149.9p a liter.
@@johnennis4586 That's painful.
1.54 here
@@johnennis4586 I can run E10 I just get less mpg out of it which defeats the point of having better emissions if the car has to use more fuel to adjust for the ethanol. It's a con, it always was. We pay more for fuel then we ever have and yet we get less mpg out of the fuel we buy. If they actually gave a shit about the environment they would invest in the infrastructure and improve local public transport. Considering they just axed the Leeds HS2 route their intentions are obvious to anyone with a brain cell. The problem is most of the people that live in this country don't have a brain cell so expect things to get much worse.
James, I'm further surprised at your utter disdain for the looks of this. It's a very clean design, rather understated, and more bland than offensive. Rather like 944 and 928.... Yet it actually looks good in white, which very few cars achieve.
C4 was never ugly. It was almost exotic when it came out with that clamshell front and those massive 8.5j width wheels. What did the UK have that compared to this looks wise? Plus this looked way better than the Ferrari mondial at the time.
Nothing like rubbishing someone's car while they're sitting next to you.
The C4 went 29-0 against Porsche in SCCA...with golf clubs in tow.
Haha, I love my wide arched C3 and use the auto gearbox like a manual, they are different and good fun 🤩 glad you enjoyed it, they are very misunderstood, welcome to drive mine, Henry Cole was here and he wants to buy it!!! 👍
Henry Cole is a good guy. Have you read his autobiography? Worth a read if not
It's one of my favourites. I love its styling, and like the idea of affordable, simple speed.
This review is reminiscent of Jeremy Clarkson's Top Speed review of the C6 ZR-1... chauvinistic Brit with a condescending attitude toward American cars, seduced by the devil siren of copious torque.
I recently picked up a'96 C4 convertible w/ LT4, 6 speed transmission, polo green over tan interior. In terms of the aesthetics, your distaste must be cultural. I've always considered the C4 body shape to be lean, fluid and elegant. At home in Texas, my 'Vette get tons of thumbs up and admiring looks.
GM rated the LT4 at 330 hp, but numerous dyno tests indicate it actually makes 350 +/- 10hp. The discrepancy is attributed to the '97 LS1 engine that also makes 350 hp and GM management was never going to admit that the new engine didn't make substantially more than the engine it replaced, so GM down-rated the LT4. The power is sneaky. I've been a motorcyclist for more than 40 years with a preference for large sport-touring bikes, so I'm no stranger to serious acceleration, but with the LT4 engine going from 3K to redline, you'd better be pointed in the right direction. Power is very linear but it comes on VERY quickly. I find the C4 to be sort of a four-wheeled motorcycle and I can drive it like a motorcycle, picking holes in traffic and using the accelerator to fill those holes.
I agree that the NVH of the C4 are appalling, but I have other GT cars that are great at long distance motoring... the 'Vette is an unabashed toy.
One of the dirty little secrets of C4 'Vettes is the hood. It's a clamshell that pivots forward, like a Jaguar XK-E. When that hood is up the engine, front suspension, and very fat tires are on full display... sheer gearhead porn!
There’s just something about it? In the US we call it The Heartbeat of America.
I love cars that I saw as a kid and considered special back then. I‘d love to be given a 300SL gullwing - but only so that I could sell it and retire. But the SL I would buy is a R107 from the early 80s. Because that was around, when I first was taught by my dad, that Mercs are the cars to own.
And the ONE Corvette, I always thought most interesting and also actually quite beautiful, is the C4.
Because this was the Corvette, little Thorsten never saw in real life in Germany but lusted after, when on Monday evening he watched the latest episode of „The A-Team“ with Templeton „Faceman“ Peck throwing his C4 around the corners.
And because a few years later, when I played „Test Drive“ on my Commodore C64, I never picked the Porsche Turbo, Countach or Testarossa, but ALWAYS the C4, because its digital speedometer was readable in the low resolution game of the 80s, while the analog speedometer of all other cars could not be read. And who wants to play a racing game, without knowing how fast you go? I prefered taking the slower car KNOWING that I was going 120 MPH instead of taking the faster and assuming I was going 135 MPH.
The C4….. how could a kid of the 80s not love it….
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Jay. I for one like the somewhat angular look of the C4 - much like the Lamborghini Countach. Mostly because modern cars all look kinda same-y to me. Barely anything distinctive about them anymore.
Would i try to drive either of the two myself if given the opportunity? The C4 probably. The Countach is out because I can't physically fit inside - because I am too tall for it.
The C5 is an alternative with sleek lines but curvier than the C4.
@@FrancoisTCS ....which is the "problem". It is exactly the angular look that I like.
@@FrancoisTCS By "curvier" you mean melted bar of soap, right?
pretty weird seeing a C4 in the UK. I love my 1994 it rocks
The C4 makes a great cheap track car! They scoot around a auto cross course as well.
the C4 saved the Vette from its hard times in the early 80s. When Chevrolet made the C4, it gave the corvette a fresh design, and that power boost it desperately needed.
Dave McLellan took over from Zora Duntov as Chief Corvette engineer. Dave made things happen and used to be with early Camaro development Dave is a friend, retired years ago.
Actually, the 1984 Corvette had 205 hp
I love that even people overseas know that Floridian Grandads are the biggest market for Corvettes lol!
Are you saying that you like the PT Cruiser more than this?
The Lt5 that the Zr1 had shared absolutely nothing with the 5.7 small block V8 save for its bore spacing. They are completely and utterly divorced from one another with absolutely nothing in common.
My first was a 94 white with black Z06 wheels and I loved it. Bought an '01 C5 6 speed Z51 and it's amazing.
Driving a Humvee with under inflated tyres in the states costs about the same in fuel as driving a 1 litre city car in the UK.
I got a red coupe and I love that damn thing.
These are great cars. Prices have gone up a lot in the states.
Yea partly because the pandemic, but the C4s are starting to become classics
C8 is a mistake. GM should have done what Porsche had: retain aspects of your car that make it what it is AND find another way around to mitigate the negatives of those aspects. For Porsche it was the engine in the rear, for Corvette IMO it was the signature side profile (due the engine sitting in the front) and rather practical rear end.
Oh and as a bonus, C8 is bland af.
I'm lucky enough to own a 1996 C4 coupe with a manual (and thus the LT4 engine). I bought it after I moved from the UK to the US, primarily because I love the look and I could never reasonably own something like this in the UK. In the summer it's my daily and in mostly city driving it does about 13 mpg-us, and granted I have a heavy foot once the oil warms up. It's a deeply flawed car in many ways but I love it, it's full of character and has a shocking amount of performance when you push it, especially relative to what it costs. I've had to put some money into it to make it reliable enough to drive every day but from a comfort and usability standpoint it really reminds me of a budget GT car. If you ever get a chance to drive a manual coupe with the LT1, LT4, or LT5 engine I highly recommend it, and of course if you're ever in the states you're very welcome to come drive mine on or off camera. I actually don't like removing the targa on mine because the structural rigidity is awful with it off. Fitted, though, it's a surprisingly capable car, and it wasn't until I tried (and succeeded in) keeping up with a group of cars including a C5 Z06 and a gen 5 Viper ACR on back roads at maybe 7/10ths pace that I realised just how fast the car is. I'd be interested to know how much quicker mine is vs an automatic LT1, I suspect the difference is substantial.
At 9:28 you point out the wind deflectors as one of the quirks of the car. The wind deflectors were fitted from the factory on the later convertibles but I'm not sure what year they were added and they were never available on the coupe. The wing mirrors whistle loudly above 90ish in mine so I can see why they were added.
I like the c4 .. Iv just bought one from California.. always liked them since cannon ball run 2
Yeah, the C4 was so bad when I took mine to the strip in the early 90's every car was a second slower except the modified 318 Dodge Truck. It handled so badly Porsche cried and got them banned from Show Room Stock racing and they had their own series (the Corvette Challenge).
C3 and early C4s were only limited in power by American emissions standards, with the early pre-emission C3s having over 400hp.
I've only experienced it in Forza but I'm a fan of the C4, along with the C6 and C8 it's among my favourite Corvettes. In FH4 it had this lovely habit of popping the exhaust super loudly on shifting.
I own a 1996 coupe in Canada like yours with the same engine.
It still gets alot of looks and It is always fun to drive !!
I love how you’re totally destroying the car in the beginning of the video while the owner is quietly sitting next to you 🤣
Personally, I love the C4. It’s an 80s/90s poster car that’s actually still attainable for “normal” people, unlike the other poster cars (Countach, Testarossa, etc).
Not so sure brits should be criticizing anyone else's cars. Many of the worst built least reliable cars ever built came out of the UK. Corvettes may not be the most refined sports car but they are a performance bargain and are more durable and reliable than most cars 2, 3 0r 4 times the price. The C4 in particular may be one of the best bang for your buck sports cars out there.
Damn good review! You drove a version which I'd imagine would give you every possible chance to hate and yet provided solid non-topgear feedback with topgear content.
I have a 96 LT-4 Coupe that you would get a kick out of. They really are a great performance car when equipped with the ZF6 trans. Since they are already great handling cars that posses a very wide and flat power band, the 6 Speed REALLY wakes them up.
My LT-4, bone stock (With 9,000 original miles) also made a bit over 320 HP at the wheel. They were criminally underrated from the factory as to not overshadow the new LS-1 motor.
I would say that the Vert Auto, while the best cruiser variant, is also the worst performance variant.
As far a looks, I find it sorta ironic that the 80's, a decade known for it's opulence, designed the most subdued Corvette. I think they are absolutely timeless myself and they seem to have aged very well.
Anyway, loved the jacket, now we just need to get you a pair of Jorts and some New Balances. Lol
As a C4 owner, the beginning of this video was like nails on a chalkboard to me. I was thinking how could he not love it??? I’m glad it won you over a little bit in the end. They’re really iconic and historically significant cars. They get so many looks and thumbs up.
I have a nice white 96 LT4. Folks are always asking if its for sale . Not yet. I can still work the clutch ..fall in ..crawl out.
Our '90 6-speed convertible is sublime. Can't park it and walk away without looking back once or twice. My only gripe is not having a boot lid. The C5 convertible got a trunk, I'm so jealous.
Go check how its IMSA GTO version looks. One of the most beautiful racecars ever
Bla bla bla ;The lines of the C4 are absolutely timeless ,a design classic...
Congratulations. You are UA-camr #3,586 to review the Corvette C4 in recent time, and now the prices for these will go up like the National Debt. Way to get out ahead of this trend!
But not many if any reviews from a UK perspective.
Yep, I've been worrying about too many people becoming aware of these cars and the prices getting pushed up. I live in the Caribbean and would love to import one, so naturally I'm hoping the prices can stay low. Import duties here are murder. On the bright side, it seems that the C4 still gets a ton of hate (based on the comments here & elsewhere), so the prices may not inflate too much...which is fine by me.
@@Stinger430 In truth, i'm not as worried about this car, nor the Saab 900, which also seems to be getting a lot of You Tuber love. Both are as hard to find as an honest politician. At this point, you're more likely to find a C5 or C6 for reasonable money. But the C4 had a more advanced suspension, seems like.
Stinger, wassup?! Which island, Barbados, Antigua, St.Lucia ??
( ask me how i know ... )
@@chrisfranklin2104 hahahaha....I'm pretty sure it's the logo on my hat. I'm in sunny St. Lucia.
Well, there you are buckaroo, you wanted to hate the C4s but she won you over. IMHO the C4 was the last real corvette. I have owned 4 C4s and 1 C5 and have driven over 400,00 miles in my vetts and NEVER was left on the side of the road waiting for a tow. Unlike the Jag. Brits have to buy two if they want to drive a Jag so they will still have one to drive when the other one is being repaired. For a nation that drinks warm beer (Lucas electronics also makes refrigerators) it takes some stones to bad mouth our beloved C4. Of course I am teasing. I bought a new MGB in 1980, the last production year, and loved every minute I drove it. Near the end of its life you could pull up the parking brake and it would engage the starter. Really, its true. Yes, I do know who now owns Jaguar. Just proves, we are all in this Sh#&t together.
When I got my first C4, it was in 1985, and it was a 84, the first year. Amazing car. Durable. Reasonable. Great on gas. A go cart you can drive everyday. Whoever underestimates a Corvette will find out it's got a mean left hook, and it's bulletproof!
I have a 96 collector edition lt4 and a 92 zr-1. Great fucking cars. Yes, a manual zf6 C4 will be a better drive. I had two automatic C4's before my current ones. No comparison. The automatics in the C4 and C5 are the same. The 700r4/4l60/4l60e is a shit trans. Surprisingly, Jay got his C4 facts correct.
Corvette Chief Engineer (1975-1992) Dave McLellan's vision, which became the C4, especially the 1990-1995 ZR-1 with the Lotus designed, MerCruiser built LT5 Monster mill, shocked the world. I know ... because I was so shocked, I bought a '91 ZR-1 and still have it! I had several Vettes prior but nothing even approaching the performance and style of the C4 "Beast"! ❤🔥 ^v^
The C4 is the best sports car bargain on the planet.
great video with one comment. The LT5 was initially intended to be developed on the LT block but was actually completely redesigned by Geoff Jeal at Lotus due to bore spacing and deck height issues.
I appreciate you not just jumping on the bandwagon of "ooh leaf springs from a truck!" And actually nothing that they did it in a very clever way
I've wanted a 92-96 C4 for a few years now (the LT is just that much better than the 85-91 L98). I think they look pretty great and although prices have climbed a bit they're still very cheap for what they are. I'm a sucker for something that's unloved but better than it's reputation, and most people seem to despise the C4.
The LT1/LT4 IS better if you are leaving the motor completely stock in that it had 300 hp--all the 96 used LT4 with a rated 330 (more like 350 in reality) If you are modifying it however, it is MUCH easier and more reliable to deal with the Gen 1 L98. No coolant dribbling on the Optispark and rendering it useless, ACTUAL intake manifolds availablr and just much more supported than the forgotten Gen 2. Or just swap an LS in and have unlimited power, reliability and support for decades to come. Once you get past the high initial cost (relative to the price of the cheap C4) of the swap--you will see it is better in EVERY conceivable way than a Gen 1 or Gen 2 SBC (unless you are swapping an SB2 or SB2.2 but that is a whole different can of worms)
At one point in 1993 GM straight up cancelled the C5. The C4 damn near became the Final Corvette in 1996: the C5 was engineered between 1995 & 1997 on an emergency memo and $250 million budget. So please don’t be too hard on the interior..….
Obviously have been to specsavers recently, that is a beautiful design classic.
Nice corvette jacket! I didn't know that people actually wore those while driving corvettes. Other than the wheels I think that year of c4 looks good.