Vehicle Description
When it's anniversary time, GM always manages to build some
gorgeous Corvettes. Forget the gaudy, over-dressed pace cars, if
you want a beautiful C5, this wonderfully sophisticated 2003 50th
Anniversary Corvette convertible is the smartest choice.
Chevy kept it simple for the Corvette's 50th, and while some fans
expected something more unique and special, the truth is that this
car IS unique and special. The Anniversary Red paint has a depth
and color that makes you want to touch it and it hugs the smooth
Corvette panels in a seductive way that's not flashy but rather
elegant, don't you think? Like many anniversary models, this one
was treated like it was something special from the very beginning
and seems to defy the years (has it been almost 15 years
already?!?) and miles with a brilliant shine and very few signs of
use. The owner obviously was fastidious about keeping it cleaned
and shined, as well as resisting the urge to add all those bolt-ons
that you see on lesser cars. Instead, it's simply a stunning
Corvette with just enough special details to make it worthy of the
50th Anniversary badges it wears on the front fenders.
The Anniversary cars also got a special interior called "Shale."
It's not quite gray and not quite tan, but seems to echo the hue of
the special magnesium wheels and it works quite well with the red
paint. Like the exterior, the interior has been expertly maintained
and shows only very minor signs of use. Carrying the optional sport
seats, the driver's compartment is comfortable and functional, one
of the biggest triumphs of the all-new C5 design. Other options
include the 1SB preferred equipment group, Magnetic Ride Control
(it debuted on the Anniversary cars), the heads-up display,
dual-zone climate control, and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo that
sounds fantastic. Special 50th anniversary embroidery on the seats
helps identify this car as something special, as do the matching
floor mats, but Shelby could take a lesson from the Corvette guys
about how many logos to put on their cars. Peel back the matching
convertible top, which features a class rear window with a
defroster, and it stows under the "waterfall" hard deck for a
clean, smooth look. And even with the top down, the C5 offers a
roomy trunk that makes this 2-seat convertible surprisingly
practical.
The engine is the same LS1 found in other Corvettes, but that's
hardly a bad thing. Smooth, torquey, and virtually indestructible,
it's a great companion for this Corvette. It's completely stock
under the hood, and again I tip my hat to the owner for resisting
the siren call of the myriad modifications available for these
cars. Not that a modified Corvette is bad, but when you're talking
about putting one in your own garage, stock is always the smart
investment. It's backed by a somewhat rare 6-speed manual transaxle
with 3.42 gears out back, and with a towering overdrive it just
loafs along at highway speeds. The legends of Corvettes pulling
down 27 MPG are no joke. It's quite clean underneath, too, and all
the factory equipment is intact, from the exhaust system to the
shocks. And those lovely wheels are truly special, as they're
forged aluminum anniversary pieces wearing 245/45/17 front and
275/40/18 rear Michelin radials.
If there's a C5 to hang on to for posterity, it's probably the
Anniversary model, especially a 6-speed convertible. And even if it
doesn't turn into a major investment, at least you'll have the
honor of owning the prettiest C5 ever made. Call today!
