The 2004 model year is the swan song for the fifth-generation
Chevrolet Corvette, and will mark the best year for the C5s. A new Corvette, or C6, is expected for model year 2005. (We're expecting an evolutionary model that builds on the C5, with advances in aerodynamics and interior refinement.) In the meantime, we have the C5.
About 3,000 Corvettes will be sold for model year 2004, some of which will be special editions designed to commemorate C5-R victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other endurance races. Le Mans Blue paint and polished wheels distinguish the 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition models. Their interiors are Shale-colored, with a matching top on the convertible.
The high-performance Z06 benefits from suspension tuning for 2004 based on extensive testing at Germany's fabled Nurburgring racetrack and General Motors Milford Proving Grounds. The goal was improved ride quality, but the revised Z06 suspension also feels "more tied down, more glued to the road," according to Chevrolet. Sporting a C5-R Le Mans stripe, the Z06 Commemorative Edition gets a lightweight carbon fiber hood.