2000 Corvette Provides High Performance Thrills Into the New Century

For 2000, Chevrolet Corvette continues to offer sports car lovers high performance excitement as it heads into the new millennium as "The American Performance Icon."

Whether it's the hardtop, coupe or convertible, all Corvette models are designed to provide a high-level of performance, safety and convenience, making them the eminent American sports car.

"People who buy Corvette love Corvette. They love how it drives, performs on the open road and the lineage behind the nameplate," said Jim Campbell, Corvette brand manager. "With close to a half-century of engineering and designing feats behind it, Corvette begins the next decade with several changes that will enhance owners' passion for their car."

For 2000, the Z51 Performance Handling Package has been upgraded with the addition of larger front and rear stabilizer bars to help improve Corvette's handling characteristics. This suspension package is standard on the hardtop, and optional on the coupe and convertible.

2000 Corvette comes standard with new 5-spoke forged aluminum wheels, available with an optional high-polish finish. The two new exterior colors for coupe and convertible include a premium Millennium Yellow finish (an extra cost option) and Dark Bowling Green Metallic.

Inside Corvette, Torch Red is added to the selection of interior colors.

The 5.7 liter LS1 V8 engine is revised to comply with government LEV requirements in California and states requiring California emissions. This is largely due to new calibration to the powertrain control module (PCM) with emphasis on stricter emission control.

Capable of kicking out 345 horsepower, the LS1 features an aluminum engine block with a deep-skirt design, lightweight aluminum heads and a composite intake manifold. And because it features platinum-tip spark plugs, spark plug changes are only needed every 100,000 miles.*

Additional standard performance features include: heavy-duty vented four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Throttle Control, Traction Control, Goodyear Eagle extended mobility performance tires and a tire pressure monitor system.

Standing out as one of the most advanced stability-control systems of its kind, the optional Active Handling System is available on all Corvette models. This system works in conjunction with the ABS and Traction Control systems to selectively apply any of the four brakes in an effort to help the driver counteract potentially dangerous handling characteristics, such as severe oversteer or understeer.

Story by Chevrolet