- May
- General Motors' Strategy Board convenes with Corvette group executives for the Concept Approval phase of the Four-Phase process of building new cars. Conditional approval is given to pass from Phase Zero to Phase One, subject to a review in one month regarding production downtime between the 1996 model and the 1997 model. [137.264]
- May 7
- In France, Reeves Callaway formally introduces the Callaway SuperNatural Corvette. The car features 6.3-liter (384-ci) V-8, and body designed by Paul Deutschmann. [325.60]
- May 9
- Reeves Callaway takes its modified Corvette to the Le Mans race track, for the test day. [59.53]
- May
- A Callaway SuperNatural Corvette LM qualifies at Le Mans for the pole position in the GT2 class, starting 18th overall. [59.54] [325.62] [342.62]
- June
- General Motors' Strategy Board meets again with the Corvette group, continuing their arguments defending their request to proceed on schedule toward production building of the new 1997 model Corvette. It is agreed that plant conversion will begin in April 1996, with final current model production ending on June 21, 1996. [137.274]
- June 12
- At the Malcolm Konner Chevrolet car dealership in Paramus, New Jersey, the Malcolm Konner Corvette show is held. On display are the Sting Ray III, Indy 500 pace cars, racers from Sebring, Daytona, and Le Mans. Zora Arkus-Duntov and Dave McLellan attend. [571.11]
- June 18
- At the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, the 24 Heures du Mans race is held, over two days. Reeves Callaway enters the #51 Callaway SuperNatural Corvette LM in GT2 class, driven by Boris Said III, Michel Maisonneuve, and Frank Jelinski. At midnight, the car is leading in GT2 class, 8th overall. But at 2:52 AM, the car runs out of gas, due to fuel economy miscalculation. At 5:35 AM, the crew refuels the car on the course, grounds for disqualification. [59.54] [325.62] [342.62] [423] [476.138] [571.80]
- June 23
- At the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield Illinois, The 22nd annual Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA show is held, over four days. 32,000 people attend. [143] [209.53] [565.33]
- June 26
- The first C5 (1997 model) alpha test car rolls out of the assembly room. Build chief John Fehlberg has the honor of being the first C5 driver. [137.277]
- (month unknown)
- The 11th annual One Lap of America race is held. Finishing 3rd is the 1991 Corvette ZR-1, driven by Steve Ahlgrim and Scott Ahlgrim. [571.11]
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- In an auto salvage yard in England, Ed Simmons and Keith Beschi discover several abandoned 1986 Corvette test cars. They begin partially restoring one, with an original Phase One Mercury Marine LT5 engine. [172.29]
- The second CERV 4 is delivered to the Corvette group. [137.249]
- July 10
- At the four-hour endurance GT Championship race at Vallelunga, Italy, a Callaway SuperNatural Corvette LM driven by Andreas Fuchs and Enrico Bertaggia finishes first in GT-2 class and second overall, behind a Ferrari F40. [143.79]
- July 13
- The second C5 test car is completed. [137.278]
- July
- At General Motors, an official decision approves the 1997 Corvette for production at the assembly facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. [571.11]
- At the Spa-Francorchamps raceway in Belgium, the Four-Hour Endurance race is held. A Callaway SuperNatural Corvette LM driven by Boris Said and Halmut Reis finishes first in GT-2 class, and third overall. [143] [325.62]
- July 29
- The last 1994 model Corvette is produced. [143.11]
- (month unknown)
- At Willow Springs, California, the Vintage Auto Racing Association holds a vintage auto race series. Rich Mason races his Corvette SR-2, and Doug Hooper races Gene Schiavone's Grand Sport. [325.4]
- At Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Chevrolet gives a media preview of the 1995 ZR-1 Corvette. [173.72]
- George Swanson is buried in his 1984 white Corvette in the Brush Creek Cemetery in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania. [137.162]
- August 26
- The 13th annual Corvettes at Carlisle show is held, over three days. [345.41] [565.33]
- August 30
- The National Corvette Museum Annex closes. [195.6]
- (month unknown)
- At the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Utah Salt Flat Racers Association's World of Speed event is held. Ed Van Scoy in a 1985 Corvette records an average two-way speed of 155 MPH, the first car in the 150-MPH club. [834.38]
- September 2
- The National Corvette Museum opens in Bowling Green, Kentucky. 4000 Corvettes attend. Over the three-day weekend, 118,000 people visit the museum. The gift shop does US$1 million in business. [39.96] [82.82] [113.6] [133.37] [137.281] [148.100] [165.38] [255.s11.1] [565.7] [774.13]
- (month unknown)
- In Effingham, Illinois, Mid America Designs hosts an open house for a few hundred friends to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary. About 600 Corvettes and 2000 fans attend the show, nicknamed "Comstock". [178.28] [197.55] [327.34]
- October 28
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer releases the film Stargate to theaters in the USA. A model of a red Corvette, possibly 1956 model, appears. [865]
1995
- January 3
- Chevrolet announces that the Corvette has been chosen as the official pace car of the Indianapolis 500 race. Chevrolet announces to its dealers that 522 pace car replicas would be produced, with 415 available for dealer sales. [148.102]
- January
- The February issue of Motor Trend magazine compares three high-performance production cars, ranking them: 1st Toyota Supra Turbo, 2nd Porsche 911 Carrera, and 3rd Corvette ZR-1. [39.36]
- January 20
- At the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, The museum and General Motors hold a gala 85th birthday celebration for Zora Arkus-Duntov. [763.12]
- (month unknown)
- Recent Corvette auction sales:
- 1957 fuel-injected: US$51,000;
- 1961 fuel-injected: US$50,000;
- 1967 convertible 427 ci 435 hp: US$58,000.
[763.12]
- February 4
- At the Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona, Florida, the Rolex 24 of Daytona race is held, over two days. Finishing 3rd in GTS-1 class and 10th overall is the #96 Corvette, driven by John Heinricy, Andy Pilgrim, Stu Hayner, and Don Knowles. [484.148] [763.64]
- February 9
- The first alpha test C5 Corvette enters public roads for the first time. [137.310]
- March 15
- At the Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held. Placing 21st in GTS-1 class and 52nd overall is the Doug Rippie #06 Corvette ZR-1 driven by Bill Cooper, Scott Maxwell, and Chris McDougall. The car is not running at the finish due to mechanical problems. [423]
- April 10
- General Motors starts building the first C5 beta test car. [137.325]
- April 28
- The last ZR-1 Corvette, painted Torch Red, rolls off the assembly line. During its six-year lifetime, 6939 ZR-1 Corvettes were built. Chevrolet general manager Jim Perkins and former Corvette Chief Engineer Dave McLellan deliver the car to the National Corvette Museum. [60.98] [62.127] [179.16] [243.14] [255.s11.1] [395.64] [585.53] (April 27 [777.50])
- April
- At the National Corvette Museum, ZR-1 Registry organizer Jim Van Dorn hosts "The Legend Lives", to commemorate the end of ZR-1 production. [173.72]
- May 28
- In Indianapolis, Indiana, the 79th Indianapolis 500 race is held. A 1995 Corvette performs the role of Official Pace Car, driven by Jim Perkins. [61.22] [197.65] [774.112]
- June
- The July issue of Motor Trend magazine presents its Virtual Velocity article, comparing high-performance four-wheel production cars available for under US$50,000. Corvette is fastest at 167 MPH. [671.48]
- June 17
- At the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, the 24 Heures du Mans race is held.
- Finishing 2nd in GT2 class and 9th overall is the Callaway Competition #70 Callaway Corvette, driven by Enrico Bertaggia, Johnny Unser, and Frank Jelinski.
- Finishing 3rd in GT2 class and 11th overall is the Agusta Racing Team #75 Callaway Corvette, driven by Robin Donovan, Eugene O'Brien, and Rocky Agusta.
- A third GT2 class Agusta Racing Team #76 Callaway Corvette driven by Thorkild Thyrring, Almo Coppelli, and Patrick Bourdais does not complete the race.
- A GT1 class ZR-1 Corvette Team USA #30 Corvette ZR-1 driven by John Paul, Jr., Chris McDougall, and James Mero does not complete the race.
[59.54] [342.62] [423] [484.148] (first car finishes 9th overall [119.96])
- June 30
- The film Apollo 13 is released to theaters in the US and Canada. One scene shows a red 1970 Corvette and a War Bonnet Yellow 1971 Corvette. [528.21] [584]
- September 1
- The Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant and the National Corvette Museum launch the Bowling Green Delivery program. Buyers selecting the free option will be given a tour of the assembly plant, free entry into the museum, and a free tour of their new Corvette by trained workers. [327.7]
- At the National Corvette Museum, the Corvette Homecoming event is held, over four days. Attendance is 25,000. [327.10]
- September 16
- In Effingham, Illinois, Mid America Designs hosts FunFest, over two days. About 1200 Corvettes and 7000 fans attend. [327.34]
- October
- The November issue of Motor Trend magazine presents its "America's 10 Most Powerful" article. Rated 1st is the Dodge Viper RT/10 at 415 hp, 2nd is Corvette GS Z16 at 330 hp. [672.42]
- October 19
- General Motors names Dave Hill Corvette's vehicle line executive, a new title in General Motors' ongoing restructuring. [137.341] (November [453.13])
1996
- March 6
- Dave Hill makes the final decision to stop C4 model Corvette production and put all emphasis on C5. June 16 is set as the last day of building C4 Corvettes. [137.355]
- March
- General Motors begins preparing the Bowling Green assembly plant for the next generation Corvette. [122.36]
- April 21
- Zora Arkus-Duntov dies at age 86, in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. [102.12] [82.6] [113.26] [137.363] [151.35] [774.26]
- June 9
- The Car and Driver One Lap of America races are held, over seven days. Chuck Mallett enters a 1050-hp modified Corvette Grand Sport, driven by Jim Minneker. It finishes 36th overall due to reliability problems. It crosses the finish line of one race at 219 MPH. [190.37] [491.147]
- June 11
- General Motors holds a press conference to announce and display the new Gen II engine for the 1997 Corvette. The engine will be known as RPO LS1, a 5.7 litre V-8. [145.36]
- June 15
- At the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France, the 24 Heures du Mans race is held. The GT2 class Agusta Racing Team #74 Callaway Corvette driven by Patrick Camus, Rocky Agusta, and Almo Coppelli does not finish. [423] [487.132]
- June 21
- The last Corvette of the fourth-generation "C4" body style (used since 1984) is produced. 368,180 cars were produced since 1984. The car is bought by Mike Yager, owner of Mid America Designs, for his museum in Illinois. [82.6] [122.36] [137.359] [454.183]
- June 27
- The 24th annual Bloomington Gold / Corvettes USA three-day event begins. Over 1200 Corvettes attend, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. About 45,000 people attend. [145]
- (month unknown)
- Ertl/AMT releases its "Corvette Evolution" set, with 1953, 1957, 1963, 1972, and 1996 Corvette models, as kit number 8092. [176.67]
- Danny Kellermeyer and Dave Wiehie create the Touring Challenge for Corvettes, an affordable racing series for late model Corvettes. [342.59]
- August
- The first pre-pilot 1997 Corvettes roll of the assembly line. [137.190] [454.189]
- August 29
- The 15th annual Corvettes at Carlisle begins, running over the weekend at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Over 3,500 Corvettes and 46,000 people attend. 400 members of the ZR-1 Registry club show their cars. [83.40]
- At the Corvettes at Carlisle auction, a 1967 Tuxedo Black convertible with 427/435 motor and 16,000 original miles sells for US$75,000. [82.10]
- September
- The first pilot 1997 Corvettes roll of the assembly line. [82] [137.191] [454.189]
- September 3
- Workers at the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Corvette plant begin assembling the first production 1997 Corvette. [137.360]
- (month unknown)
- A factory-based Corvette racing program is initiated. [264.39]
- October 1
- The first production 1997 model Corvette is completed. [137.361]
- November
- At the Road Atlanta raceway in Georgia, the 1997 model Corvette is unveiled to the press. [109.6] [454.190] [679.59]
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