C6 Members
2005 - Present
C6 Facts
After half a century as the definitive all-American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette prepares to celebrate two monumental milestones: its 50th anniversary in 2003 and the dawn of the sixth-generation model in 2004. Even with the debut of the highest-performance street-legal Corvette in history, the 2001 Z06, Corvette enthusiasts are anxiously awaiting these two future models.
Vague rumors of a sophisticated, high-performance machine that would build upon the Corvette legend fueled our investigation. Unfortunately, the Corvette team has been well-coached in media interrogation tactics, making it difficult to gain much information through official channels. However, our unofficial sources have delivered many intriguing puzzle pieces that reveal significant portions of the current C6 plan.
Codenamed the GMX 245, the C6 will be a substantial engineering and styling refinement, but not an all-new platform. This is reminiscent of the transition from the '63-'67 run to the curvaceous '68-'82 series. It will be an evolution of the current-generation car whose development process began in the late '80s. A well-balanced package, the '97 Corvette set a new refinement benchmark for modern sports cars and consequently garnered our Car of the Year award. The C5 Corvette excels in many ways, from its well-mannered ride dynamics, to its ultra-slick power train performance and pleasantly livable, well-laid-out interior.
As a result, much of the core C5 engineering will live on, providing the foundation for not only the C6 but also its new sister, the 2003 Cadillac Evoq roadster. Initially, the Caddy concept vehicle was built on a hastily modified Corvette chassis. But according to Wayne Cherry, GM's VP of design, the Evoq was considered a concept vehicle in the purest sense, not a production prototype. But an overwhelmingly positive public response has forced production and lead to Cadillac grabbing some of the Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory's build capacity. This complicated move ensured that the C6 would not be ready as a 2003 model, leaving the C5 to lead the anniversary celebration.
As with past Corvette anniversaries and special editions, the existing car will bear that honor, ushering in the C6 powertrain and a few leading-edge technologies. With its envelope-pushing performance and suite of leading-edge electronics technology, the C6 promises to elevate the Corvette legend even beyond the well-loved current mode
