1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Despite its long 12-year production life, the C4 Corvette really only has two truly collectable models: the ZR-1 and the amazing Grand Sport. That makes sense, since they share a lot of the same DNA, with the Grand Sport benefitting from lessons learned during five years of ZR-1 production. The Grand Sport is also far rarer than the ZR-1, with only 1000 being built, with only 810 of those being coupes, and of those, only 593 had the black leather interior. Loaded with standard equipment that includes a 330 horsepower LT4 engine, this Grand Sport coupe is serial number 516 and shows only 8433 original miles. If you want a clean, unmolested GS, this might be your best chance.

The most striking feature of the Grand Sport, is, of course, the paint job. I don't know what kind of favors John Heinricy and his crew had to promise to get it built, but cars like this in 1996 General Motors just didn't get built every day. The Admiral Blue main color was a Corvette mainstay for many years, and is a brilliant, vivid blue that seems to glow from within when it's out in the sunlight. The stripes are Arctic White, another familiar Chevy color, and together they create one memorable Corvette. Of course, the two bright red hash marks on the driver's side front fender were the final touch, a tip of the hat to Grand Sports of the past who used red tape on the fenders to identify the cars rather than numbers on the doors. At any rate, this car has been beautifully maintained and as you know, Grand Sports have been collector's items from the moment they were announced. Build quality by 1996 was excellent on Corvettes, and the fit and finish on the Grand Sports suggest that the guys in Bowling Green knew they were building something special that would be remembered for decades to come.

Beyond the paint, there's not a lot of detail work on the Grand Sport, although it did get its own chrome badges on the front fenders, just in case you missed the paint job. GS coupes also received rear fender flares which were designed to cover the ZR-1 spec A-mold wheels, which, at 11 inches wide, were the largest wheels ever fitted to a C4 Corvette. A lot of guys think that the Grand Sports started out as white cars and the blue was painted around the stripe, but the truth is that the thin secondary stripes beside the main stripe are vinyl decals, half Arctic White and half Admiral Blue, which also created the illusion of a paint ridge on the Blue side instead of the white side and giving rise to the myth of the white base color. Fortunately, even as decals, the smaller stripes are in excellent condition. Glass is all original and undamaged, and the markings you see on the hatch are the result of the polarized glass used to help control interior temperatures, as well as the lenses in our cameras.

Power comes from the mighty LT4, which was the final generation of the original small block Chevy V8. Boasting 330 horsepower and 340 pounds of torque (up 30 horsepower and 10 pounds of torque from the stock LT1), it was the most potent pushrod small block Chevy to date. The Grand Sport was dressed up in fine fashion, with a bright red intake manifold, a special throttle body and model plate with red lettering, and bright red ignition wires that were unique to this model. The engine compartment of 593 is in excellent condition, showing few signs of use and a very factory-correct appearance in every way. Every GS was loaded with options, including A/C, power steering, and traction control that GM called Automatic Slip Regulation (ASR), and which you can actually feel pressing back against your throttle foot when it's working. This very clean GS still carries all its original belts and hoses, plugs, wires, and even the decals scattered throughout the engine bay, which means that someone cared about keeping it original. This car is already a Bloomington winner, and its exceptional preservation will ensure that it continues to win at all levels.

The only transmission available in your Grand Sport was a 6-speed manual spinning a set of 3.45 gears in the rear. Although equipped with the dreaded "skip-shift" feature (which is easily defeated by giving the throttle an extra squeeze before making the 1-2 shift), the ZF gearbox is one of the most durable and slick shifting units ever devised. The Grand Sport coupe received a more aggressive suspension setup than the convertibles as well, plus those extra-large wheels I mentioned earlier. The chassis on 593 is well preserved and nicely detailed, showing only minimal usage befitting a car of its age and mileage. The floors are clean, the A-arms are still bright aluminum, and I wouldn't be surprised to discover that the brakes still have their original pads and rotors. The final piece of the Grand Sport's appearance package were those lovely aluminum A-mold wheels, painted black with a machined lip, one of the first times the now-familiar black wheels made an appearance on a production car. The coupe wears ZR-1 sized rubber, with 275/40/17 front and 315/35/17 rear tires, and on this low-mileage GS, they are still the original Goodyear GS-C performance radials. Impressive.

Two interior choices were available with the Grand Sport, black leather or red leather, and it's not surprising that most enthusiasts chose the black. With the bright colors on the body, an all-business interior made sense. 593 shows only minor wear, and certainly appropriate to its mileage. The seats are extremely comfortable, and once you're settled into the Corvette's cockpit, you're enveloped by a pure driver's environment. The seats received special Grand Sport embroidery on the headrests, which is the only giveaway inside the car that this is a limited edition model. The combination digital and analog gauge cluster is fully functional, and despite criticisms of the time, it has aged well and still looks cool when you first climb into the car. Things like automatic climate control, a powerful stereo system, power seats and windows, and just about every other feature you can imagine were standard on the Grand Sport, and they are all fully functional. You'll also find a reasonable storage area under the rear hatch, which also can carry the lift-off roof section so you'll never be without it.

Documentation on this rare Grand Sport includes the original owner's manual, warranty booklet, and the pre-delivery checklist and inspection report.

Despite its sibling being called the "Collector's Edition," the only 1996 Corvette worth owning as an investment is the Grand Sport. Rare, documented, and highly desirable both then and now, the GS represents a rare event at General Motors-the creation of a truly special car that is more than a paint and decal package. With fantastic performance, even today, and stunning good looks, these cars are some of the most attractive Corvettes ever built. Only a handful were built, and many more have been damaged, modified, or simply used, making them less than ideal candidates for future appreciation. This completely original Grand Sport, with its low mileage and excellent presentation, is the one to own. Drive it sparingly, of course, and enjoy the benefits of being a part of the most enthusiastic group of car owners in the world. This is a truly great automobile. Call today!