1996 Corvette Grand Sport | Retro Review

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Hard to believe the C4 Grand Sport was only a thousand units. I can remember seeing a few of them in one place several times back then.
Show 1532 | Originally Recorded 4.3.1996
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[@HONORYOUROATH]

But Does the 1996 C4 Grand Sport come with a voltage meter?

[@ParadiseisYoursNow]

Please post video on 1992 Corvette LT1.

[@Mac10Daddy]

I can’t believe how flat that thing is around the corners. And impressive ground clearance for a great handling daily car. It’s beautiful.

[@waynes.2983]

It almost looks like it has a lift kit in it huh. Very smart set up for public roads.

[@WorldFamousDJFish]

I daily my C4. Handles like a dream.

[@cheezyrider1111]

I daily my 96, rattle trap and stiff suspension. Perfect daily lol

[@WorldFamousDJFish]

@@cheezyrider1111 yup. I have an 84 Z51, literally rattles the screws out of the dash.

[@WorldFamousDJFish]

@@waynes.2983 my understanding is that GM had an edict that all of their vehicles had to be able to accept tire chains.

[@byrnc927]

Having owned an LT4 and two LT5 Corvettes, I have experience the best the C4 series had to offer. Though every new generation offers better ride and chassis dynamics, the understated look of the C4 is timeless. After fifteen years of C4 ownership, I still find myself going out to the garage just to look at it.

[@choward874]

I hear you. The second biggest mistake of my life.

[@SuperSnallygaster]

Man, the C4's look even better now than they did back in the day. That design is unique and has really aged well.

[@apexgt4]

I can hear mr regular say “Gran Turismo 1!!”

[@lucky1up856]

Exactly what i was thinking GT 1

[@FLYBOY409]

Same here

[@Ludeboi420]

Man the memories I got... mine were from Gran Turismo 2 being like a 9 year old kid kid playing it

[@alex_p90]

That dudes so lame

[@Bartonovich52]

Real fart!

[@vinnylovesretro]

Something about the paint scheme and overall visual design makes this my favorite 'Vette of all time.

[@marioiacolucci]

The poor mans viper gts

[@calvinr5248]

As a 96 LT4 owner, and 80's baby... I always dreamed of having a C4 GS.

[@316Autos]

Can't beat the looks of an Admiral Blue GS.

[@blairbrown4812]

Of any generation.

[@pope9349]

they drives super good but man they are butt ugly.the c5 was such an improvement.

[@michaelthebarbarian3380]

@@pope9349 "The eye of the beholder" I guess... I think C5s are the uglier car, far and away. Added to that, unless it is a Z06.... an LT4 Vette will beat it to the 1320' mark.

[@rhull3939]

A friend of mine bought one of these in 96 and still has it today.

[@Moecean]

I have yet to see one in real life, though I was born in 99. Neighbor has a white 96 with the lt4 though.

[@rhull3939]

@@Moecean I think they look so good, but I'm probably biased. I graduated high school in 96 so I love all the cool cars from back then. My first car was an 85 Camaro and I think the 3rd gen is the best looking generation even though I know the 1st gen is better looking to most people.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@rhull3939 I have also third gen and I agree. 😁

[@rhull3939]

@@V8AmericanMuscleCar nice.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I think the pre facelift 4th gen’s are the best looking, but I remember drooling over the 1997 anniversary models when they were on the showroom. The 3rd gen are beautiful cars though. My uncle had an ‘85 firebird that looked like the knight rider car to me as a little kid

[@michaelthebarbarian3380]

I have a 96 that is Competition Yellow and has the LT-4 and the 6 Speed. It has 11,500 miles and I adore it. A terrifically fun car to drive.

[@daviddrew4082]

Gran turismo nostalgia!

[@joshuamorehead6124]

Yes!

[@bobcortez9471]

Is is hard to believe that 24 years ago this car was only $15k cheaper than the new Vette’s base price - that is the most impressive thing GM has achieved in decades.. lol

[@robsvtgt500]

@@economynotstable 37k is the base corvette coupe,as tested was 44k+

[@1S1KC0DM4N]

@@economynotstable, adjusted for inflation a $37,000 Corvette in 1996 would be just under $63,000 in today’s market.

[@stephencox4509]

They don't make money on Corvettes.

[@rubyred93chev]

_$44,000 today is $74,890 (5/23/21 calculations). My current '96 Corvette convertible was just above $48,000 new, which is $81,699 in today's dollar. Considering the C4 ran for thirteen model years, it made a ton of cash for the General! It's just that GM made horrible financial decisions during this period almost putting the hammer down on the Corvette C5(enter Jim Perkins: savior of the brand)._

[@stephencox4509]

@@rubyred93chev they haven't made money on Corvettes in a long time. Even with the cheap plastic interiors (which I like) they have underpriced the corvette for many years to keep with the budget performance theme. The new mid engine deal is cheap at $60k, especially in today's confetti currency. In the 90's you could go to a dealership anywhere and test drive a corvette right off the lot. Most dealerships now will only order you one. They'd rather sell trucks and suv's. The corvette hasn't been a profitable venture in many years. It's a halo car now in every sense.

[@rafffer3951]

I love this generation vet it’s me favorite 😍

[@fernandorocha8459]

C4 Corvette is my favorite

[@CamelSmokes23]

Same, I had an 87 and an 89 Z51. Terrific cars!

[@MarkMeadows90]

When I was a kid, my pediatric doctor had one of these GS Corvettes. It was one of my favorite cars as a kid.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I agree completely, the C4 Corvettes are fantastic looking cars and the blue/white with the red stripes really set it off as a special car and very distinctive

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

The styling on the C4 has aged rather well IMO. Its a lot sharper looking car than the bloated C5 that replaced it or the cartoony looking, overly styled mess that was the post 1974ish C3 car. It just looks mean, creased, and lithe. Also when you pop the huge clam shell hood, the presentation is simply stunning, I can't think of another modern/fuel injected car that looks so damn cool with the hood up.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I agree, my neighbor has a 1986 Corvette she paid only around $3500 for. It’s in fantastic shape and much funner than you think 230 horsepower should be. In person it looks fantastic. I think they’ll start getting more love. They’ve probably dropped as much as they’re going to in value. I’ve helped her work on it and the great thing about Corvettes is everything is standard GM, very affordable parts and easy to work on

[@christianpatterson8301]

C5 is way sexier !!!

[@chexlemeneux8790]

Alot of 90s cars are in style, straight lines are back in . Just picked one up.

[@LateNightCable]

@@christianpatterson8301 go to bed kid, the C5 is a sled. Or as the poster above called it, bloated.

[@herkloader34]

​@@christianpatterson8301and boring to look at after about two minutes.

[@MBailey1977]

I was 19 when this beauty was new. A college classmate had a torch red 95. Was a real treat him taking me for a spin it!

[@subielife4life]

One of the reasons why I loved playing Forzamotorsport 4…..this 1996 Corvette Grand Sport was available and I loved it!!! I love the performance it packed in stock form….only upgrades I would do is to equip it with race tires and reduce weight to around 3k pounds and lowered the suspension a bit but everything else was left stock especially the engine!!! It had enough power to keep up and even overtake the 1995 ZR1(depending on driver skill)

[@WynnofThule]

Watching that thing rotate around corners is something else

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Ahhhh. Remember when Corvettes looked like Corvettes and not like a Ferrari?

[@P71ScrewHead]

Most ppl i see driving that new C8, drive them slow, must be ppl who work for Chevy.. The C6 Z06 was my favorite, LS7 is the best, n i'm a Ford guy..lol

[@ronyeahright9536]

you mean remember when Corvettes looked like Corvettes instead of trying to look like a Ferrari nightmare?

[@MF-Rell]

@@P71ScrewHead Me too.

[@P71ScrewHead]

@@MF-Rell For sure man.. ;)

[@clydemoreno1845]

I have a 95 base. This GS is my dream car.

[@pdennis93]

LT4 wasn't an option on all other 96 Corvettes. It was standard with the 6 speed manual and not available with the automatic.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

So if you got a non Gran Sport 6 speed you could still get an LT4 ? I wasn’t aware of that, I thought they were LT1 only. I know they put some LT4’s in anniversary 1997 Camaros. If I’m not mistaken they only made a little over 100. I could be wrong, I thought I read that somewhere. I recall someone saying the LT4 had quite a few changes compared to the LT1 and was underrated at 330.

[@pdennis93]

@@RobertSmith-le8wp yes. All manual 96 Corvettes were LT4 and all automatic 96 corvettes were LT1.

[@subielife4life]

@@RobertSmith-le8wpThe 1997 Camaro SS got the LT4 from the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport…the 1996 corvette got the LT4 specifically in the Grand Sport and on regular corvette’s that had the 6 speed manual…..Regular corvette’s that were equipped with the 4 speed auto got the LT1….still 300HP and 330-340lbs of torque were good enough to keep your ass pressed into the seat when you put the pedal to the metal from a stop…..

[@catjudo1]

Wimp shift drivers didn't deserve the LT4.

[@BurtSampson]

Yes! Videos like this are why I love the Retro Reviews so much. I love seeing these legends get reviewed when they were still new .

[@svenklaas1210]

Timeless Car! What a masterpiece!!!

[@brendas.1374]

In 96, my local Chevrolet dealership had a Grand Sport in the showroom. It was sweet!!!

[@jorgerodrigogomezflores5711]

Starting with the 2004 CTS-V GM finally allowed Cadillac to use Vette-spec small-blocks, they should have done that earlier, imagine a 1996 Fleetwood using the Grand Sport LT4, what would have made a more powerful Caddy than the V12 powered German flagships of the mid 90’s

[@jsciarri]

Or imagine this engine in a 1996 Impala SS.

[@V8Power5300]

I have a 1988 Cadillac Brougham with an LS, so about 300hp. I can confirm that it would have been great in those awesome cars. At least Buick got the lt1 engine.

[@jorgerodrigogomezflores5711]

@@V8Power5300 Cadillac and Chevrolet also got the LT-1 in the Impala, Caprice and Fleetwood, but they received a detuned version of the LT-1 (260Hp) when the Vette LT-1 was making 300Hp and the LT-4 was making 330Hp, all three engines making between 330-340 lb•ft.

[@thestyle1971]

My buddy had this Awesome GS back in 96. He also owned a 96 white, TA ws6 package..He picked me up one night in the Vette, & we drove from upstate NY to Brooklyn. FAF, Handled on rails, but we hit so many Potholes, I remember crying for him & that poor car that night!! 😬😑

[@bmacster1985]

The best looking c4 in my opinion

[@CraigSmith-qq3sr]

Best C4 ever! Wish I had one.

[@jamesnicholson1686]

One of the greatest body style

[@michaels9657]

Such a legend when new and now.

[@prayformojo1117]

My 96 Firebird WS6 had that skip shift deleted. Miss that car, those LT1/4s were pretty fast compared to almost everything else from the era.

[@thetechlibrarian]

My favorite Corvette of all time besides the ZR1

[@pontiacGXPfan]

The C4 had a 96 inch wheelbase, and that was amazing. It cramped the interior but the car damn near handled like a slot car

[@jareknowak8712]

Short WB usually means also that car is unstable at high speeds.

[@pontiacGXPfan]

@@jareknowak8712 it was better than the 911 from that time, especially the ZR-1

[@cIick_bait]

@@jareknowak8712 the c4 zr1 had a 180mph top speed

[@MrJz97ss]

Best of the C4 Vettes. Worth big money now

[@BIGGIEDEVIL]

0-60 in 5.2 seconds is very fast for back then and with only 330hp? Wow!!

[@andydhillon1977]

The LT4 actually made closer to 360 HP than the claimed 330. They purposely did that because the LS1 was about to come out and didn't want it to have more HP than the newer model.

[@subielife4life]

One of my favorite Corvette

[@kokonefuwa8819]

This Cars from Gran Turismo Series

[@johnbehneman1546]

I LOVE IT!!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!!! YOU MADE MY NIGHT!!!

[@nathanlopez5667]

13.7 yeah right closer to 13.2 with that lt4 option

[@SereneSpeed]

True. On a prepped surface w/ modern rubber, I ran a 13.4 in my ‘94, & 12.9 in my ‘96 LT4.

[@nathanlopez5667]

@@SereneSpeed that sounds about right

[@Bartonovich52]

This is for everyday driving.. not on a prepped track with a professional driver. You’d be lucky to break 15 seconds from a stop light with crosswalks and uneven pavement.

[@matthewlewis-zw3tf]

​@@SereneSpeedExactly. Modern tires are so much better.

[@carrosdiecast3650]

One of my favorite cars of all time

[@IROCMAN666]

For me, this car reminds me Gran Turismo 2 on PS1.

[@mmaahil_0099]

Another beautiful Corvette

[@doug6191]

The model was so old at this point, but it held up well with the subtle changes over the years. I much prefer the '96 C4's style to the C5. My favorite is the C6, though.

[@basshead.]

Just like the Nissan GT-R now(14 years and counting).

[@my1vice]

18 for the 928

[@TheBandit7613]

It's got really good ground clearance too!

[@RedLP5000S]

My favorite Vette of all time.

[@MasterDayTrader]

I was 16 at the time of this video.. I miss my C4 Corvette that I sold.

[@Jesus-yr7nk]

So how was it? Like was it reliable or why did u sell it? I’m planing on buying a c5 at 18

[@MasterDayTrader]

@@Jesus-yr7nk I loved, it. I love how it's the smallest Corvette. I have videos of it on my Channel. I slod it because at the time I was going through economic hardship.

[@jordanlunderville7319]

@@Jesus-yr7nk hey, owner of a 85 Vette here. If you’re planning on buying a C5 I’d say look at some late C4’s too. Get a similar engine and components for thousands cheaper. Get into the c4 now and in 5 years it’s going to raise in value. Just my opinion

[@Jesus-yr7nk]

@@jordanlunderville7319 yeah I forgot to mention c4s too but I’ve seen a few that are worth near 10k which is the cheapest I could find on different websites such as auto tempest and the Facebook marketplace. And right now there is a c5 with 100k miles that is in great condition, but it’s just now sold and hopefully I’ll find another one once I have the cash. I found a similar one an hour away that was just posted on Facebook, meaning that there will always be a corvette for sale at some point.

[@jordanlunderville7319]

@@Jesus-yr7nk that’s great to hear that you’ve found some. OfferUp and Marketplace will have some around 4K

[@stevepurcell5883]

Been waiting for this one.

[@steveespinola7652]

Gran Tourismo vibes here. 😎

[@snafu4696]

absolutely gorgeous!

[@cali2468]

These cars would go low 13s. Saw one at Sac Raceway go consistent 13.3-13.4@107ish. I'm sure at tracks on the east coast like Atco they'd run even quicker.

[@SereneSpeed]

True. On a prepped surface w/ modern rubber, I ran a 13.4 in my ‘94, & 12.9 in my ‘96 LT4.

[@Bartonovich52]

Probably not stock and on a prepped track, best of four passes.

[@cali2468]

@@Bartonovich52 So are you assuming a 300whp, 33XXlb car can't go low 13's? LS1 F-body's did that all day with a similar power to weight ratio as a '96 GS. I would hope there is at least SOME prep on a track! 🤔🙄

[@cali2468]

@@Bartonovich52 If you think low 13's is hard to believe you should read the old article in (IIRC) GMHTP where they took a bone stock to the tire LT4 vs LT1 C4 to the track. The LT4 went a best of 12.8 while the LT1 went bottom 13s.

[@tommyteeth5874]

@@cali2468 30 additional hp will do that. I have a 96 lt4 and it goes 13.3@108-109 with 100k miles on it. Paid $2700 for the car.

[@deadlymetal7694]

My dad has this grand sport and it is much more beautiful in person

[@danziger69]

Underrated performance beast.

[@alexmaclean1]

I bet this thing would be a blast on a set of modern high performance tires.

[@jareknowak8712]

Yes, but still quite heavy car.

[@VcArena]

Last of the good looking corvettes

[@Microjoey02]

There used to be a 96 grandsport parked in front of Buick city in Flint Michigan. Once it closed down in 99' most of the test cars including that 96 GS "disappeared" and not crushed.

[@ryanyoder7573]

I remember seeing this at the Tampa Bay International Auto Show. The tires were massive. By 1996 the C4 looked pretty dated though.

[@nofg3159]

Still want one

[@xjmg007]

C4 GS, C5 Z06, C6 Z06 my top vettes

[@quentinsheckles8705]

C4 ZR1 C5 Z06 and C6 Z06/ZR1 are my favorites

[@josephvoorhees9353]

"You've come a long way, baby!"

[@georgehgordy1690]

I have a 96 lt4 Corvette it's a lot of fun to drive in-between optispark replacements

[@jameswade2002]

I'm NOT surprised that Chevy didn't even bother to drop the spring bolts and give the car a proper track alignment and corner balancing before sending the car out for review. Ridin' high and proud! Maybe next time they'll send an automatic convertible to a drift school in Japan.

[@shaymathews7693]

Glad I'm not the only one! It looked like it was about ready to go off roading!

[@bryanwashington9511]

The late model C4 cars were alive, electrifying and popular

[@fanatic26]

The skip shift eliminator lasted until the c8. On the c7 it was one of the first mods you should do, I had mine tuned out via HPtuners. Truly one of the most obnoxious 'features' and you can still feel it on the 1-2 shift when disabled because that shift is never the smoothest

[@Trebor-gw8lt]

You got around that by using some force on the gas pedal! 😂😂

[@Cheezwizzz]

What a car!!

[@ShenmueAtheist]

I had the chance to buy one of these during the 2008 recession for dirt cheap. I stupidly bought a newer G35. You don't have to tell me I'm an idiot, I already know.

[@kgthegreatone943]

I remember these never seen one in person though

[@user-ok5xp9bf8d]

Mw brings out the kid in me lol

[@joek81981]

Got anything about the 1991-ish Nissan Stanza back there?

[@whatchalookin429]

God this makes me miss my C4😔

[@erinfreize4717]

If you can't snag one of the 1,000 originals, find a '96 with the same LT4 engine and even without a copycat wrap, it'll be nearly as collectible sooner than you think.

[@paulmoss7940]

My thoughts also . I found a nice lo-mile LT4 in Florida two years ago .Lot of fun to drive.

[@williambooth4274]

i always wanted one of these c 4's so i got one. 1996 torch red lt4 that is totally cool... i love the thing. it also has black a mold gs wheels...

[@RetroToonsOfficial]

Your Content Are Awesome i Mean I like It

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

I'm currently looking for a C4 with an LT4, it runs C5 times and is timeless. And I'm a JDM guy! I'm coming from a bone stock 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, it ran consistent 13.3-13.5s@101-103mph. Loved that car but I'm looking for something light and different! If any Vette guys see this can you please anawer these questions? Thanks! 1.Can you swap out an LT1 for an LT4? 2. Was the LT4 available on auto models? I thought only manuals could option the LT4.

[@cedricmiller4370]

I'm a JDM fan too but I agree the Corvette is a must have money value for the performance they hard to beat all around I prefer a C6 tho but I would definitely buy a c4 lt4 too

[@raz_nick4048]

1.) You can actually upgrade your LT1 into an LT4, but most LT1 owners stroke their engine to 383 and could get you more power for the same $ 2.)ZF 6 speed in most if not all LT4 C4 corvettes, t56 6 speed on LT4 SLP Camaros and Firehawks

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

@@raz_nick4048 Thank you! Believe it or not I'm still looking haha. Trying to hold out for a 1996 LT4 6 speed.

[@DarthSamuraiRyuu]

the most beautiful Corvette ever made!

[@neronine8679]

.. this intro music reminds me of the detective series from the '90-s...😁.. 👍.. I like it..

[@arlenburgin2392]

I want one

[@yamahama9650]

Took a ride in a 96 6speed with an lt-4 and I gotta say 330 horse seems a little low on my butt Dyno. Pulls strong from bottom too top. From my knowledge mid through production year 96 all c4s optioned with the 6-speed received the lt-4 top end kit getting ride of them due to gm switching to the LS series for the Corvette and the next year for the f bodies.

[@panchosspeedshop8576]

I'm surprised Motortrend was able to get better times with the LT4 Camaro than the lighter GS

[@SereneSpeed]

Different surfaces / conditions & MT does not count the first foot (1ft rollout).

[@tassioribeirodesouzaribeir5202]

Máquina total!!!!

[@logicn.reasoning9744]

That ground clearance would compete with modern crossovers.

[@kevin9c1]

Nice license-free Sweet Home Alabama muzak.

[@bwxmoto]

Good car in Gran Turismo. 😆

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

93 Galant please!

[@Motorweek]

like clockwork

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

@@Motorweek ;D

[@RallyLancer95]

You said you did a Cordia. Show the Cordia

[@KootBear]

very nice

[@andersonjosegerminojosefer6]

Caraca eu imagino como curtia esse carro no meu jogo grand turismo 4 jogava tanto esse corvette gran Sport é sensacional 👍👍👍👍😁😁

[@andersonsanjose8785]

Esse carro eu curtia muito nos game na época valeu amigão sensacional 👍👍

[@Trebor-gw8lt]

Best C4 ever built…by GM, Calloway’s cars notwithstanding. The LT4 really made 370-375hp and with the Z51 suspension and ZR1 spec tires, the GS was a quick Vette. Faster than the LS powered C5 until the ZO6 came out in 01.

[@my1vice]

Didn't have ZR1 tires.

[@Trebor-gw8lt]

@@my1vice the GS coupes had 315/35/17s on the rear - same size as the ZR1. All other LT4s did not, to include the GS converts.

[@my1vice]

@@Trebor-gw8lt Ah... Didn't know that it had 11s on the rear as well. My mistake.

[@MN12BIRD]

Where's the Lotus 4v twin cam heads? They ditched that I see.

[@wrailfan]

That was the ZR1's LT5, not the Grand Sport's LT4.

[@oscarsainz9865]

Sheesh 80k for the grand sport in todays moni hahaha

[@user-ie1hg5ov1m]

How dd you guys get royghly the same 0-60 as the '92 LT1 🤨

[@emilianocruz11]

we need the retro review pf the 1997 corvette please

[@sths0609]

They did already

[@VettemanLT5]

Dang thing is these things are faster than they tested. Even the C5 had trouble with any LT-4. Just like the LT-1 they were underrated the -4 just more so.

[@holeshot1721]

Just watching the video you can see how high the car is and how it suffers it was sliding all over the track! And that was the best version pshhh my i had one and it did handle well in a straight line but thats about it! O and it was scary fast!

[@mikeyfourbarrel8473]

Did anyone else notice that this predates the common use of “Cx” Corvette names? Not once did they reference the C4 designation. Ah. The good old days.

[@sidefx996]

Yeah that's a goofball thing, GM never called them that.

[@johnjohnmcclane1818]

That started with the C5.

[@sidefx996]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 GM actually started calling it the "Fifth gen" in 1997, not the "C5". The Cx thing was started by the internet/casual car crowd and is now unfortunately used by everyone too ignorant to simply call one by what year it is... Yeah I grew up around them and was almost born in one so I guess that makes me a Vette snob lol.

[@MrMisanthrope1RBjr]

i have the window sticker of my 1996 LT4 with a few options on it and it says 53,000.00$ the video states a 44,000.00 price tag. ?

[@datkinson1980]

I wanna hear it though!

[@AmraphelofShinar]

Yes yes yes yes yeeeeessssss!

[@MrMisanthrope1RBjr]

the grands sports bigger tires slowed it down in the quarter mile, the same car with the stock sized corvette ties were alittle faster. the extra weight of the big tires and wheels were blamed for the difference.. The 1996 With the LT4 option were faster than the grand sports as they were lighter.

[@davidpistek6241]

My 94 cavcavalier was admiral blue

[@colclumper]

They started getting fast after this generation