Corvette

The Chevrolet Corvette (C4) was a sports car produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1984 through 1996 model years. The editors of Consumer Guide stated: "The first fully redesigned Corvette in 15 years was more sophisticated and more practical than the beloved Shark.

There weren’t a lot of changes for the 1981 Corvette from the previous year. The only engine available was a new reworking of the previous years’ 350ci V8.

The 1980 Corvette went on a diet losing 250lbs in its roof and doors, along with a new aluminum rear differential housing and intake manifold. Government mandated 85 mph speedometers were now being installed, and the optional spoilers from the previous year were now standard.

The 1979 Corvette did see some slight changes including a standard AM/FM radio, and increased horsepower in both available engines due to a new dual snorkel intake.

The new wrap-around rear window provided much more space behind the seats but was not a hatchback. All corvettes this year came with special 25th anniversary badging. A special “Anniversary Edition” included a unique Charcoal Silver/Silver Metallic two-tone paint job

Interesting to note, the steering wheel was from the Vega GT and did not sit well with Corvette enthusiasts, therefore this was the only year for such wheel. Sales were at an all-time high this year.

The 1977 Corvette did receive minor changes, but they were more about branding than styling or performance. “Sting Ray” was dropped, and a new crossed flags badge adorned the front of the hood between the headlights as well as on the fuel filler door.

Styling was essentially unchanged from the previous year. The anti-theft alarm system was now standard, and the center console was redesigned with fiber optic warning lights being standard.

The 1971 Corvette saw a decrease in power since compression had to be decreased to meet new emission standards.

The 1973 Corvette was the first to receive a significant restyle since the third-generation Corvettes were introduced in 1968, mainly due to the ever-increasing federal regulations.