Next, MotorWeek looks at the interior of the 1997 Corvette. With the C5 wheelbase growing by 8 inches and the track growing by 3 inches, the cockpit of the new Vette offered more elbow room and leg room. New seats offered a comfortable ride and the soft-touch items around the interior gave the first C5 a more luxury-like feel.
Also new for 1997 was an analog gauge cluster, with two large gauges flanked by several smaller gauges, all of which replace the digital dash cluster of the C4.
LS1 Power
Finally, the heart of the 1997 Corvette was the all-new LS1 V8. With 345 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, this engine began its legendary life under the hood of the Chevy sports car before finding its way into the Camaro and Firebird. Also, when driven gently, the LS1-powered C5 would get up to 28 miles per gallon on the highway, so not only was it more fun to drive than the C4 – it was also more fuel efficient.
Everything addressed by MotorWeek back in 1997 still rings true today, as C5 Corvette owners buy the car for the sleek lines, the comfortable interior and the powerful LS1 engine.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
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