When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The new polished and chrome wheels are forged. The base wheels are cast.
This is generally correct, but needs a bit of clarification. For the base (non Z06/ZR1) cars, the "gumby" wheels are the only forged ones.
Gumbys were introduced in 2008 in a polished finish only, but later in the run a chrome version also was offered (and both are offered for 09). But the early 2008 chrome wheels were the same cast wheels offered in 2005-2007.
The stock 5-spoke (all 2005-2007 finishes, and the early 2008 chromes) and "split-spoke" (2008-2009) are cast.
In case it matters, the Gumby's are made in Taiwan by the same company that makes the 7-spoke chrome and 15-spoke polished in the Accessory Catalog (both of which are also forged).