Chevrolet Corvette
Production
Production statistics from when the first generation of Corvettes were released in 1953 until present.

Chevrolet Corvette

Section Title: Production
Table Section Text: Production statistics from when the first generation of Corvettes were released in 1953 until present.

Year	Production	Notes

C1	1953	300	First generation (C1) begins; production starts on June 30; polo white with red interior and black top is only color combination; Options were interior door handles; "clip in" side curtains were a substitute for roll-up windows.

1954	3,640	Production moves to St. Louis; exterior colors-blue, red, and black are added; top color-beige is added, longer tail pipes.

1955	700	Both inline-6 and 265 cu in (4.34 L) V8 engines produced; 3-speed manual transmission added late in the model year.

1956	3,467	New body with roll-up windows; V8-only; 3-speed manual transmission becomes standard equipment and Powerglide moved to option list.

1957	6,339	283 cu in (4.64 L) V8; Optional 4-speed manual and fuel injected engine option added.

1958	9,168	Quad-headlights and longer, face-lifted body; new interior and dash, fake louvers on hood and chrome strips on trunk lid; number of teeth in grille reduced from 13 to 9.

1959	9,670	First black interior and dash storage bin; only year with a turquoise top; louvers and chrome strips from '58 removed.

1960	10,261	Minor changes to the interior: red and blue bars on the dash logo, vertical stitching on seats.

1961	10,939	New rear styling, bumpers, and round taillights. New fine-mesh grill.

1962	14,531	327 cu in (5.36 L) V8 engine; last year with a trunk until 1998. New black grill with chrome surround, chrome rocker panel moldings.

1963	21,513	Second generation (C2) begins; new coupe body style introduced (only year for split rear window); coupe more expensive than convertible.

C2

1964	22,229	rear backlite windows of coupe changed to single pane window; hood louvers deleted.

1965	23,564	396 cu in (6.49 L) Big-Block V8 added; last year of fuel injected engine option (until 1982-std.); side-discharge exhaust introduced. Manufacturer colors change color code names.

1966	27,720	427 cu in (7.00 L) Big-Block V8 with unique bulging hood; 327 cu in (5.36 L) 300 horsepower (220 kW) small block V8 standard.

1967	22,940	five-louver fenders are unique; Big-Block hood bulge redesigned as a scoop; parking brake changed from pull-out under dash handle to lever mounted in center console; Tri-power 427 would become a sought-after Corvette.

1968	28,566	Third generation (C3) begins; New body and T-top removable roof panels, new interior, engines carried over, three-speed Turbo Hydra-matic replaces two-speed Powerglide as automatic transmission option.

C3

1969	38,762	First year of the 350 cu in (5.7 L) Small-Block; longer model year extended to December, 1969 due to delay in introduction of 1970 model; "Stingray" front fender nameplates added, new interior door panels and inserts, 17-inch black-vinyl steering wheel (replaced 18-inch wood-rim wheel).

1970	17,316	First year for the LT-1 Small-Block and 454 cu in (7.44 L) Big-Block; three-speed manual transmission dropped and four-speed manual became standard with Turbo Hydra-matic available as no-cost option with all engines except LT-1 350; posi-traction made standard equipment; introduced along with the second-generation Chevrolet Camaro on Feb.

1971	21,801	Significant power drops due to reduced compression ratios to meet GM corporate edict requiring all engines to run low-octane unleaded gasoline; power ratings based on both "gross" and "net" figures with the former based on engine hooked to dynometer while "net" ratings based on power as installed in vehicle with accessories and emission controls installed.

1972	27,004	Power ratings now advertised in SAE net figures, last year for LT-1 engine, front and rear chrome bumpers, removable rear window, and windshield wiper door.

1973	30,464	5 mph (8.0 km/h) front bumper system with urethane cover, pot-metal front grills (black with silver edges), chrome rear bumpers unchanged, new design front fender ducts, first year for radial tires (standard equipment), rubber body mounts, new hood with rear air induction and under-hood insulation, new front-end (round) emblem.

1974	37,502	5 mph (8.0 km/h) rear bumper system with urethane cover to match previous year's front bumper, new recessed taillamps and down-turned tail-pipes.

1975	38,465	First year of Catalytic converter and single-exhaust, black (painted) bumper pads front and rear, redesigned inner-bumper systems and one-piece rear bumper cover, plastic front grills (all-black), amber parking lamp lenses (replaced the clear lenses on 1973–1974) new emblems, last year of C3 convertible.

1976	46,558	First-year for steel floor-panels, cold-air induction dropped, new aluminum alloy wheels option, new one-piece rear "Corvette" nameplate (replaces letters). The L82 350 had 210 hp.

1977	49,213	Last year of 1968 flat rear glass design, Black exterior available (last year-1969), new design ""Corvette flags" front end and fender emblems.

1978	46,776	25th Anniversary, New fastback rear window, Silver Anniversary and Indy 500 Pace Car special editions; Pace-car included sport seats and spoilers-front and rear, limited option-glass t-tops; redesigned interior, dash, instruments.

1979	53,807	Sport seats (from the previous year's pace-car); front and rear spoilers optional, glass t-tops optional; New interior comfort features; highest Corvette sales year to date.

1980	40,614	Lightened materials, new hood, front end with molded spoilers, rear bumper cover with molded spoiler and new tail lamps, Federal government required 85 mph (137 km/h) speedometer; California cars powered by 305 V8 and automatic transmission for this year only, last year for L-82 350 with 230 hp.

1981	40,606	Production is switched from St. Louis to new Bowling Green plant; 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 returns in California cars, last year for manual transmission.

1982	25,407	New cross-fire fuel-injected L83 350 with 200 hp. New automatic overdrive transmission.

1983	43	This model year was cancelled, and all Corvettes produced this year were serialized as 1984 models. Featured L69 HO 305 with 200 hp.

C4

1984	51,547	Fourth generation (C4) begins: hatchback body; digital instrumentation; L83 350 continued from 1982 with 205 hp instead of a L69.

1985	39,729	More powerful and fuel efficient L98 350 introduced with 230 hp.

1986	35,109	First convertible since 1975. Third brake light, antilock brakes, and key-code anti-theft system are new.

1987	30,632	Callaway twin-turbo offered through dealers with GM warranty. The L98 350 had 240 hp.

1988	22,789	New wheel design; all white 35th Anniversary special edition coupe. The L98 350 continued with 240 hp.

1989	26,412	ZF 6-speed manual replaces Doug Nash 4+3.

1990	23,646	ZR-1 is introduced with DOHC LT5 engine. Interior redesigned to incorporate driver's-side air bag.

1991	20,639	Restyled exterior; last year for the Callaway B2K twin turbo.

1992	20,479	New LT1 engine replaces the L98; Traction control is standard.

1993	21,590	Passive keyless entry is standard; 40th Anniversary special edition in Ruby Red.

1994	23,330	New interior including passenger airbag. LT1 engine gains mass air flow metered SFI.

1995	20,742	Last year of the ZR-1; minor exterior restyling; Indy Pace Car special edition.

1996	21,536	Optional LT4 engine with 330 bhp (246 kW). Collectors Edition and Grand Sport special editions.

1997	9,752	Fifth generation (C5) begins; LS1 engine is new; the hatchback coupé is the only body style offered.

C5

1998	31,084	Convertible C5 debuts with the first trunk in a Corvette convertible since 1962; Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica offered; Active Handling System introduced as optional equipment.

1999	33,270	Less-expensive hardtop coupé is offered.

2000	33,682	Newly styled alloy wheels debut.

2001	35,627	Hardtop coupé body style becomes top-performance Z06, utilizing the new LS6 engine and suspension improvements; Second-Generation Active Handling System becomes standard equipment on all models; slight (5 bhp (3.7 kW)) increase in base model engine power.

2002	35,767	20 bhp (15 kW) increase for the Z06 to 405 bhp.

2003	35,469	50th Anniversary Edition package offered for Coupe and Convertible base models; F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension supersedes F45 Selective Ride Control Suspension as base-model option.

2004	34,064	24 Hours of Le Mans Commemorative Edition package offered for all models.

2005	37,372	Sixth generation (C6) begins; New body is first with fixed headlamps since 1962; no Z06 model and a late convertible introduction.

C6

2006	34,021	Z06 debuts; 6-speed automatic with paddle shift available on non-Z06 models.

2007	40,561	6-speed automatic paddle shift delays are reduced drastically compared to 2006.

2008	35,310	Mild freshening, LS3 introduced, All leather interior added (4LT, LZ3).

2009	16,956	ZR1 model added, new "Spyder" wheels for Z06.

2010	12,194	Grand Sport Coupe and Convertible added; replaces the Z51 performance package, launch control standard on MN6 models.

2011	13,596	Wheel choices are updated; Larger cross-drilled brake rotors (13.4" front and 12.8" rear) available on Coupe and Convertible, or included with (F55) Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

2012	11,647	Upgraded interior and new tires on the base model. Z06 acquires full-length rear spoiler and a carbon fiber hood as options.

2013	13,466	Introduction of "427 Convertible" model with a limited production run of 2,552 "427" units. 9 month production run.

2014	37,288	Seventh generation (C7) begins; All new styling, chassis and drivetrain.

C7

2015	34,240	C7 Z06 debuts.

2016	40,689

2017	32,782	The C7 Grand sport was introduced

Total	1,595,026

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