C4 CORVETTE - 1993
Forty years on: 6,749 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary cars with Ruby Red leather and embroidered headrests across coupe, convertible and ZR-1, the ZR-1 raised to 405 hp and 179 mph, passive keyless entry that unlocked the car as you walked up, narrower front tires, a quieter LT1 with 340 lb-ft and the last cloth seats.
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Model & Gen: 1993 Corvette (C4)
Body Type: Two-door hatchback coupe with lift-off roof panel and two-door convertible; ZR-1 coupe (RPO ZR1); 40th Anniversary package (RPO Z25) on all three
VIN: 1G1YY23P?P5100001 – 1G1YY23P?P5121142 (LT1 coupes 1G1YY23P…, convertibles 1G1YY33P…); ZR–1: 1G1YZ23J…P5800001 – 800448
Original Price: $34,595.00 coupe; $41,195.00 convertible; ZR-1 $66,278.00 ($31,683.00 package); 40th Anniversary package $1,455.00
Colors: 10 solid colors including Ruby Red for the 40th Anniversary cars (6,749) and new Torch Red and Competition Yellow
Engine: 350 ci LT1, 300 hp and now 340 lb-ft; or the ZR-1’s LT5, raised to 405 hp with new heads, cam and four-bolt mains
Transmission: 4L60 four-speed overdrive automatic standard on LT1 cars; ZF six-speed manual (MN6) at no cost, 5,330 cars, standard on the ZR-1
Units Produced: 21,590 (15,898 coupes, of which 448 ZR-1s, + 5,692 convertibles); 6,749 carried the 40th Anniversary package
The 1993 Corvette celebrated the car’s fortieth birthday with RPO Z25, the 40th Anniversary package: Ruby Red Metallic paint, Ruby Red leather sport seats with “40th” embroidered in the headrests, Ruby Red wheel-center emblems and 40th Anniversary badges on the hood, fuel door and front fenders, for $1,455 on any 1993, coupe, convertible or ZR-1. It was the first anniversary package offered on every body style and the first available on an open car, and 6,749 buyers took it, roughly one in three of all 1993s: 4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles and 245 ZR-1s, which made the Ruby Red ZR-1 the rarest of the LT5 cars. The ZR-1 itself got the power it had been promised: new cylinder heads with revised ports, new camshafts and valvetrain, four-bolt main bearing caps, platinum-tipped plugs and a linear electric EGR valve took the LT5 from 375 to 405 hp at 5,800 rpm and from 370 to 385 lb-ft at 5,200, with Mobil 1 the only approved oil; Car and Driver recorded 179 mph and put the ZR-1 at the top of the speed chart in its January 1994 Ten Best issue. Only 448 were sold, the same number as in each of the two years that followed.
Every 1993 got passive keyless entry, a first on a production car: a transmitter in the driver’s pocket talked to antennas in the driver’s door and the rear deck (both doors on the convertible), and as the driver walked up the car unlocked itself, lit the interior and disarmed the alarm, then locked itself again as he walked away; a hatch-release button was added for coupes, and the system could be set to one door, both or off. The LT1 kept its 300 hp but was made quieter and torquier, with a new camshaft profile that eased the exhaust valves shut and lifted torque to 340 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm, two-piece self-damping heat shields and thermoset polyester valve covers isolated from the heads, in place of the magnesium covers used since 1984. The wheels were machined to a new finish, and the base car went to a staggered fitment: 8.5-inch front wheels on P255/45ZR17 Goodyear GS-Cs with 9.5-inch rears on P285/40ZR17s, the Z07 cars keeping 9.5-inch wheels and P275/40ZR17s at all four corners; the asymmetric tires were side-specific and could not be rotated across the car. Cloth seats were offered for the last time and went into 426 cars.
Greenwood Automotive’s G572 coupe, with a 572-cubic-inch, 575-hp V-8 behind a reworked body for $179,333, was the year’s tuner headline, and Callaway offered the SuperNatural and the CR1. Production rose to 21,590, the first increase since 1989, at $34,595 for the coupe and $41,195 for the convertible, with the ZR-1 at $66,278 and the Z07 package ($2,045) in 824 coupes. Today the 1993 is defined by its anniversary cars: the Ruby Red coupes and convertibles are the most numerous collectible C4 and trade on mileage and the condition of the red leather, the 245 Ruby Red ZR-1s are the most valuable LT5 cars after the 1995s, and the 405-hp ZR-1 in any color commands a premium over the 375-hp 1990–92 cars. The standard 1993 is a 1992 with keyless entry, a smoother engine and better tires, priced with it.
When Harley Earl first envisioned his two-seat roadster in 1953, it is unlikely that even he would have been able to fathom the long-term commercial success the Corvette would achieve. Both on the road and on the racetrack, the Corvette had demonstrated again and again that it could compete with some of the fiercest automotive competitors from around the world.
From its earliest days racing against the Porsche 356 at the 24 Hours of LeMans to competing at some of the most grueling road courses of the day, the Corvette had become a world leader that had celebrated decades long victories in sales, showmanship and performance. Now, as the Corvette prepared to turn 40, Chevrolet decided to honor the milestone by releasing a special edition Corvette to pay homage to the American legend.
While the official 40th Anniversary Edition Corvette was ordered by many Corvette purists to celebrate the momentous occasion, there was another Corvette package offered in 1993 that catered more to the performance fanatics.
Florida-based Greenwood Automotive Performance unveiled a bolstered Corvette coupe. Named simply G572, for the size of its engine, the Corvette featured functional aero body panels and a reinforced chassis that were specifically modified to support the massive torque put on them by the car’s 575 horsepower engine.
Under the car’s hood lived a 9.4-Liter (572 cubic inch) Chevy V-8 that was mated to a GM four-speed automatic transmission. When this special edition Corvette was run with the throttle full open, the Corvette could accelerate from zero-to-60 miles per hour in just 3.4 seconds, and best a quarter mile at just 11.5 seconds at a speed of 135 miles per hour.
Additionally, when running fully open, the Corvette could hit and maintain a speed of 218 miles per hour. Of course, achieving that level of incredible power has always been an expensive undertaking, as was the case with the G572, which carried a price tag of $179,333.
Sadly, the base model coupes received virtually no cosmetic upkeep from the previous model year – but with just two exceptions: First, while the wheels on the Corvette included the same rotary cut pattern as that of the 1992 Corvette, the wheels still reflected a different physical appearance because they were machined differently than the wheels found on the 1992 Corvette.
Did you know? The 1993 ZR-1 Chevy Corvette received a power boost of 30 horsepower, from 375 hp to 405 hp. Torque was also improved from 370 lb-ft to 385 lb-ft, now at 5,200 rpm. This was accomplished through porting changes on the head and valvetrain, an electric EGR valve improving emissions, platinum tipped spark plugs, and four bolt main bearing caps.
Additionally, the 1993 Corvette would be the last model year that consumers could order cloth seats as an option, and it was a sound decision on the part of GM to eliminate this RPO from all future models, especially given the fact that only 426 Corvettes were ordered with that option.
Finally, the size of the front wheels on the base model Corvette coupe and convertible were reduced in size from 9.5x17 to 8.5x17 and the corresponding front tire sizes were reduced from P275/40ZR17 to P255/45ZR17. Similarly, the rear tire size was increased from P275/40ZR17 to P285/40ZR17. For Corvettes that included RPO Z07, 9.5x17 wheels and P275/40ZR17 tires were used on both the front and rear.
As in years past, the tires were Goodyear directional, asymmetric Eagle GS-Cs that were used exclusively on the Corvette during their first year of production. While new, these tires did utilize a similar tread pattern as in earlier models, though the tires designed for the 1993 Corvette were better equipped to handle the cornering stresses that occurred on both the inner and outer edges of the tire. Having specially balanced tires was a tremendous improvement to the Corvette’s drivability, though given the unique nature of each tire, owners had to be cautious about replacement given that no tire was interchangeable with another.
Mechanically the 1993 Corvette Coupe also remained virtually unchanged, although some small, but significant improvements had been made to make the Corvette continually more competitive on the racetrack.
While the LT1’s horsepower remained at 300, several modifications were made to make the engine quieter. First, the heat shield design was changed from a single piece stamping to a two-piece sandwich type shield that was self-damping.
Second, the LT1 camshaft exhaust lobe profile was modified to reduce the exhaust valve closing velocity. Additionally, a shortening of the inlet stroke duration allowed a longer exhaust stroke duration with no increase in overlap area between the two strokes. A side benefit of this modification resulted in a small, but significant, increase in torque from 330 to 340 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm.
Third, new thermoset polyester valve covers replaced the 1984 - 1992 magnesium covers. These covers were isolated from the heads by a gasket in the normal location, but also by gaskets under the heads of the mounting hardware.
Perhaps one of the most notable improvements to the 1993 Corvette was the introduction of a passive keyless entry (PKE) system. Unlike other keyless entry systems, which required the vehicle owner/operator to unlock the vehicle by pressing a “LOCK/UNLOCK” button on a small transmitter, the PKE system automatically communicated with the Corvette when the driver was in the general proximity of the vehicle.
The battery operated transmitter would simply transmit a unique code which could be picked up by the Corvette through one of two antennas – in coupes, the antennas were located in the driver door and the rear deck lid; in convertibles, the antennas were located in both the driver and passenger doors.
When a driver approached the Corvette, the PKE would unlock the doors, turn on the interior lights, and deactivate the theft deterrent system. The PKE system could be turned off completely, and could also be programmed to lock or unlock the driver’s door only, or both the driver and passenger doors. Coupes that were equipped with the PKE system included an extra button on the transmitter that would unlock the rear hatch.
The LT5 engine (featured in the ZR-1 Corvette) received a substantial boost in power. For 1993, the ZR-1 Corvette’s horsepower was increased from 375hp to 405hp. Given the overall lack of ZR-1 sales, many questioned the decision to improve upon the performance of the LT5 engine at all, though most critics agreed that doing so would again increase the performance gap between the ZR-1 and the base coupe, putting the ZR-1 back in a class of its own. This power increase was achieved as the result of a series of changes to the LT5’s cylinder heads and valvetrain. Additional modifications were made to the LT5 as well including the introduction of four bolt main bearings, platinum tipped sparkplugs, an electrical, linear EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system for improved emission control and the requirement of using Mobil 1 synthetic oil as the only spec compliant engine lubricant. These improvements would help propel the ZR-1 to set a new top speed record of 179 miles per hour, which was faster than any other unmodified production Corvette to that point.
Despite the absence of notable, physical changes to the design of the car, the overall sales numbers of the 1993 Corvette actually increased over previous years. A total of 21,590 Corvettes were manufactured and sold, marking 1993 the first model year in four years to actually witness an increase in its numbers. Additionally, the ZR-1 Corvette received the accolades of being the winner of the top speed category of Car and Driver’s “Ten Best” issue (January 1994). Despite this, the ZR-1’s numbers continued to head south, with just 448 units being produced that year.
40th Anniversary Edition Corvette
1993 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
G572 Greenwood Corvette.The 1993 Corvette was the first production car with passive keyless entry: the fob in your pocket unlocked the doors, turned on the lights and disarmed the alarm as you walked toward the car, and locked it again when you walked away, with no button pressed. The 40th Anniversary package could be ordered on a ZR-1 for the only time an anniversary package went on an LT5 car, and 245 Ruby Red ZR-1s were built, the scarcest ZR-1 of all.
DID YOU KNOW
The 40th Anniversary Edition and the 405-hp ZR-1 have their own sections below. Also here: Greenwood’s 575-hp G572, the Callaway SuperNatural and CR1, and the Anniversary Edition story across 1978, 1988, 1993, 2003, 2013 and 2023.
RPO Z25, $1,455 on any 1993: Ruby Red Metallic paint, Ruby Red leather sport seats with “40th” embroidered in the headrests, Ruby Red wheel-center emblems and 40th Anniversary badges on the hood, fuel door and front fenders. The first anniversary package offered on every body style, it went on 6,749 cars, 4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles and 245 ZR-1s, and Ruby Red was never sold without it. Today the coupes and convertibles are the most plentiful collectible C4, selling for $9,350 to $26,400 in the 2025–26 season on mileage and the state of the red leather, while the 245 anniversary ZR-1s are the rarest LT5 cars: $44,000 for a 23,000-mile car and $85,000 for a 203-mile one.
The year the ZR-1 got its power: revised cylinder heads and valvetrain, new camshafts, four-bolt main bearing caps, platinum plugs and a linear electric EGR valve took the LT5 from 375 to 405 hp and from 370 to 385 lb-ft, and Car and Driver recorded 179 mph. Otherwise the car was the 1992’s, at $66,278, and 448 were built, 245 of them in Ruby Red with the 40th Anniversary package. The 1993–95 405-hp cars command a premium over the 375-hp ZR-1s: in the 2025–26 season 1993 anniversary ZR-1s brought $44,000 and $85,000 at auction and were offered at $42,995 to $64,900.
MORE: ALL 1993 ZR-1 POSTS
The 1993 coupe listed at $34,595.00 and the convertible at $41,195.00, up $960 and $1,050, with passive keyless entry new on the standard list alongside the 300-hp LT1, the 4L60 automatic, ASR, the airbag, ABS, VATS, the staggered 17-inch wheels on GS-C tires, air conditioning and power windows; 15,450 LT1 coupes and 5,692 convertibles were built.
The 40th Anniversary package (RPO Z25, $1,455.00) went on 6,749 cars, 31 percent of production: 4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles and 245 ZR-1s. The ZR-1 package (RPO ZR1) stayed at $31,683.00, making a 405-hp car $66,278 before options, and 448 were built. The Z07 Adjustable Suspension Package ($2,045.00) went into 824 coupes and FX3 ($1,695.00) into 5,740 cars in all; the ZF six-speed (RPO MN6) was free and went into 5,330 cars, 4,882 of them LT1s; the 3.07:1 performance axle (G92, $50.00) into 2,630 automatics; California emissions (NN5, $100.00) onto 2,401.
Inside, the power driver seat (RPO AC3, $305.00) went into 20,626 cars and the passenger seat (AC1, $305.00) into 18,067. Leather sport seats (AQ9, $1,100.00) went into 11,267 cars, the anniversary cars’ Ruby Red leather among them, and white leather sport seats (AQ9, $1,180.00) into 622; base seats in leather (AR9, $475.00) into 8,509 and white leather (AR9, $555.00) into 766; 426 cars kept cloth, the last Corvettes that would.
The Bose CD system (U1F, $1,219.00) went into 16,794 cars, nearly four in five, the cassette Bose (UU8, $823.00) into 2,685, electronic air conditioning (C68, $205.00) into 19,550 and the tire-pressure warning (UJ6, $325.00) into 3,353. Coupe roof panels: blue-tinted glass (24S, $650.00) on 6,203, bronze (64S, $650.00) on 4,288, both panels (C2L, $950.00) on 4,204. Convertibles: the hardtop (CC2, $1,995.00) on 976, the luggage rack (V56, $140.00) on 765, and tops in black (1,719), Ruby Red (2,179, anniversary cars), white (996) and light beige (818).
A typical LT1 coupe with leather, both power seats, the CD, electronic air and a tinted roof came to about $38,600, a 40th Anniversary coupe so equipped about $40,000, a hardtop convertible about $46,300 and a 40th Anniversary ZR-1 about $68,400. The published color totals add up to 21,590 exactly.
MORE: PRICING, OPTIONS & COLORS / RPO CODES
| CODE | DESCRIPTION | QUANTITY | RETAIL PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1YY07 | Base Corvette Hatchback Coupe (300-hp LT1, 4L60 automatic, passive keyless entry, ASR, driver airbag, ABS, VATS, staggered 17-inch wheels on GS-C tires, cloth seats, lift-off roof panel, air conditioning, power windows) | 15,898 | $34,595.00 |
| 1YY67 | Base Corvette Convertible (as coupe, with manual soft top and reinforced structure) | 5,692 | $41,195.00 |
| AR9 | Base Seats, leather | 8,509 | $475.00 |
| AR9 | Base Seats, white leather | 766 | $555.00 |
| 24S | Removable Transparent Roof Panel, blue tint (coupe) | 6,203 | $650.00 |
| 64S | Removable Transparent Roof Panel, bronze tint (coupe) | 4,288 | $650.00 |
| AC1 | Six-Way Power Passenger Seat (included with ZR1) | 18,067 | $305.00 |
| AC3 | Six-Way Power Driver Seat (included with ZR1) | 20,626 | $305.00 |
| AQ9 | Sport Seats, leather (included with ZR1 and Z25) | 11,267 | $1,100.00 |
| AQ9 | Sport Seats, white leather | 622 | $1,180.00 |
| C2L | Dual Removable Roof Panels, body-color and tinted (coupe) | 4,204 | $950.00 |
| C68 | Electronic Air Conditioning Control (included with ZR1) | 19,550 | $205.00 |
| CC2 | Removable Hardtop (convertible) | 976 | $1,995.00 |
| FX3 | Selective Ride and Handling, electronic (any coupe; included with ZR1 and Z07) | 5,740 | $1,695.00 |
| G92 | Performance Axle Ratio, 3.07:1 (automatic cars) | 2,630 | $50.00 |
| MN6 | ZF Six-Speed Manual Transmission with CAGS (standard on ZR1) | 5,330 | no charge |
| NN5 | California Emission Requirements | 2,401 | $100.00 |
| U1F | Delco-Bose AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc, 200 watts (included with ZR1) | 16,794 | $1,219.00 |
| UJ6 | Low Tire Pressure Warning Indicator (included with ZR1) | 3,353 | $325.00 |
| UU8 | Delco-Bose AM-FM Stereo with Cassette, 200 watts | 2,685 | $823.00 |
| V56 | Luggage Rack (convertible) | 765 | $140.00 |
| Z07 | Adjustable Suspension Package (coupe: heavy-duty springs, bushings and stabilizer bars, 13.0/12.0-inch rotors, heavy-duty cooling, 9.5-inch wheels with P275/40ZR17 front and rear, plus FX3) | 824 | $2,045.00 |
| Z25 | 40th Anniversary Package (Ruby Red Metallic paint, Ruby Red leather sport seats with embroidered headrests, Ruby Red wheel-center emblems, 40th emblems on hood, fuel door and fenders; coupe, convertible or ZR-1) | 6,749 | $1,455.00 |
| ZR1 | Special Performance Package (coupe: 405-hp LT5, ZF six-speed, FX3, Z51-type suspension, 13-inch front brakes, 3-inch-wider rear quarters, roof-mounted stop lamp, 17 x 11-inch rear wheels, power leather sport seats, Bose CD, low-tire-pressure warning, solar-control windshield) | 448 | $31,683.00 |
| CODE | EXTERIOR | TOTAL | SOFT TOP | INTERIOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | Ruby Red Metallic, 40th Anniversary Edition only (RPO Z25) | 6,749 | Ruby Red | Ruby Red leather |
| 70 | Torch Red (new) | 3,172 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, Red, White |
| 10 | Arctic White | 3,031 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, Red, White |
| 41 | Black | 2,684 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, Red, White |
| 45 | Polo Green II Metallic | 2,189 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, White |
| 43 | Bright Aqua Metallic | 1,305 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, White |
| 73 | Black Rose Metallic | 935 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, White |
| 80 | Quasar Blue Metallic | 683 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, White |
| 53 | Competition Yellow (new) | 517 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, White |
| 75 | Dark Red Metallic | 325 | Beige, Black, White | Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, White |
The LT1 kept its 300 hp at 5,000 rpm but gained torque and lost noise: a new camshaft with a gentler exhaust-closing ramp and a shorter intake duration lifted torque from 330 to 340 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm, two-piece self-damping exhaust heat shields replaced the single stampings and thermoset polyester valve covers, isolated from the heads by gaskets under both the covers and their bolts, replaced the magnesium covers the Corvette had used since 1984; otherwise it was the 1992 engine, 10.5:1 with reverse-flow cooling, Optispark ignition, sequential injection and Mobil 1, with the 4L60 automatic (2.59:1 axle, 3.07:1 as G92) or the ZF six-speed (3.45:1).
GM’s own figures for a six-speed coupe were 0–60 in 5.6 seconds, the quarter in 14.0 at 101.7 mph, 60–0 in 116 feet and 0.93 g. The LT5 in the ZR-1 got the 1993 upgrade Lotus had been developing since the car’s launch: revised cylinder-head ports and valvetrain, new camshafts, four-bolt main bearing caps in place of two-bolt, platinum-tipped spark plugs, a linear electric EGR valve and Mobil 1 as the only approved oil, for 405 hp at 5,800 rpm and 385 lb-ft at 5,200, 30 hp and 15 lb-ft more; Car and Driver recorded 179 mph and named it the fastest car in its Ten Best issue, and contemporary tests ran 0–60 in 4.4–4.7 seconds and the quarter in 12.8–13.0 at 110–113 mph.
The base chassis moved to a staggered fitment: 17 x 8.5-inch front wheels on P255/45ZR17 Goodyear Eagle GS-C tires and 17 x 9.5-inch rears on P285/40ZR17s, machined to a new finish, with the Z07 cars on 17 x 9.5s and P275/40ZR17s at all four corners and the ZR-1 on its 9.5/11-inch wheels with 275/40 and 315/35 GS-Cs; the directional, asymmetric tires were specific to each corner and could not be rotated side to side.
Passive keyless entry became standard, with antennas in the driver’s door and rear deck of coupes and in both doors of convertibles, the system unlocking, lighting and disarming the car as the transmitter approached and locking it as it left, programmable for one door, both or off, with a hatch release on coupe fobs. The rest was carried over: forged-aluminum front arms and fiberglass monoleaf springs, Bilstein gas shocks, 13.0:1 steering, two-piston front calipers with Bosch ABS II and ASR, FX3 optional on any coupe, Z07’s heavy-duty springs, bushings, bars and 13.0/12.0-inch rotors with FX3, and the ZR-1’s Z51-type suspension, FX3, 13-inch brakes and heavy-duty Dana 44.
Wheelbase stayed at 96.2 inches and length at 178.5; curb weight was about 3,235 lb for the LT1 coupe, 3,280 for the convertible and 3,465 for the ZR-1.
MORE: FULL SPECIFICATIONS / ENGINE
| SPEC | 1993 CORVETTE |
|---|---|
| Engine, LT1 | 350 ci (5.7 L) Generation II small-block V-8, RPO LT1, VIN P: aluminum heads (casting 10205245) on the 10125327 block, 10.5:1, reverse-flow cooling, Optispark ignition, sequential injection, Mobil 1 factory fill; new camshaft (gentler exhaust closing, shorter intake duration), two-piece self-damping heat shields, thermoset polyester valve covers; 300 hp net @ 5,000 rpm, 340 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm (up from 330); engine suffix ZVA (automatic) |
| Engine, LT5 (RPO ZR1) | 5.7 L all-aluminum DOHC 32-valve V-8 by Lotus and Mercury Marine, 11.25:1, sixteen-runner induction with valet lock-out; 1993 upgrade: revised head ports and valvetrain, new camshafts, four-bolt main bearing caps, platinum-tipped plugs, linear electric EGR, Mobil 1 required; 405 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 385 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm (up from 375/370) |
| Transmission | 4L60 four-speed automatic with overdrive and lock-up converter standard on LT1 cars; ZF S6-40 six-speed manual (RPO MN6, no charge, 5,330 cars) with CAGS skip-shift, standard on the ZR-1 |
| Axle ratio | 2.59:1 automatic, 3.07:1 with RPO G92 ($50.00, 2,630 cars), 3.45:1 with the six-speed and in the ZR-1’s heavy-duty Dana 44; limited-slip standard |
| Traction control | Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR) standard, switchable off |
| Suspension | Independent front with forged-aluminum control arms and transverse fiberglass monoleaf spring; independent five-link rear with fiberglass monoleaf spring; Delco-Bilstein gas shocks standard; FX3 Selective Ride Control (RPO FX3, $1,695.00, 5,740 cars incl. ZR-1 and Z07) on any coupe; Z07 Adjustable Suspension Package (RPO Z07, $2,045.00, 824 coupes): heavy-duty springs, bushings and bars, 13.0/12.0-in rotors, heavy-duty cooling, 9.5-in wheels all round, FX3 |
| Brakes | Four-wheel discs with Bosch ABS II; two-piston front calipers; 11.5-in rotors on base cars, 13.0-in front / 12.0-in rear on Z07 and ZR-1 |
| Safety & security | Driver’s airbag; VATS resistor key; alarm; passive keyless entry (PKE) standard and new, with antennas in the driver’s door and rear deck (coupe) or both doors (convertible), programmable, with hatch release on coupe fobs |
| Steering | Rack-and-pinion with power assist, 13.0:1; tilt-telescopic column |
| Body | 1991 facelift body: hatchback coupe with lift-off roof panel (blue-tinted glass RPO 24S or bronze 64S, $650.00; both panels RPO C2L, $950.00) and convertible (hardtop RPO CC2, $1,995.00, 976; luggage rack RPO V56, $140.00, 765); ZR-1 with wider rear quarters, roof-mounted stop lamp and fender badges; 40th Anniversary (RPO Z25, $1,455.00, 6,749 cars) in Ruby Red Metallic with Ruby Red wheel-center emblems and 40th badges on hood, fuel door and fenders |
| Interior | 1990 instrument panel with 1992 revisions; cloth base seats (426 cars, last year), leather (RPO AR9, $475.00, 8,509) or white leather (AR9, $555.00, 766), leather sport seats (RPO AQ9, $1,100.00, 11,267, incl. Ruby Red with embroidered “40th” headrests on Z25 cars) or white leather (AQ9, $1,180.00, 622); power driver seat (RPO AC3, $305.00, 20,626) and passenger seat (AC1, $305.00, 18,067); Delco-Bose cassette (RPO UU8, $823.00, 2,685) or CD (RPO U1F, $1,219.00, 16,794); electronic air conditioning (RPO C68, $205.00, 19,550); low-tire-pressure warning (RPO UJ6, $325.00, 3,353) |
| Wheels & tires | Base: 17 x 8.5-in front and 17 x 9.5-in rear machined-finish alloys with Goodyear Eagle GS-C P255/45ZR17 front and P285/40ZR17 rear, new staggered fitment. Z07: 17 x 9.5-in with P275/40ZR17 all round. ZR-1: 17 x 9.5-in front and 17 x 11-in rear with P275/40ZR17 and P315/35ZR17 |
| Fuel tank | 20 gal; premium unleaded recommended |
| Wheelbase | 96.2 in |
| Overall length / width / height | 178.5 in / 70.7 in / 46.3 in (LT1 coupe); ZR-1 73.1 in wide at the rear |
| Track, front / rear | 57.7 in / 59.1 in (LT1, with the narrower front wheels); ZR-1 rear 61.9 in |
| Curb weight | approx. 3,235 lb LT1 coupe; 3,280 lb convertible; 3,465 lb ZR-1 |
| 0–60 mph | LT1: 5.6 sec (GM, six-speed coupe); ZR-1: 4.4–4.7 sec (period tests) |
| Quarter mile | LT1: 14.0 sec @ 101.7 mph (GM); ZR-1: 12.8–13.0 sec @ 110–113 mph |
| Top speed | LT1: about 160 mph; ZR-1: 179 mph (Car and Driver), the fastest car in its January 1994 Ten Best |
| Lateral acceleration / braking | 0.93 g; 60–0 mph in 116 ft (GM, LT1) |
| Production | 21,590: 15,898 coupes (448 ZR-1) and 5,692 convertibles; 6,749 with the 40th Anniversary package (4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles, 245 ZR-1s) |
| Assembly | Bowling Green, Kentucky; LT5 engines from Mercury Marine, Stillwater, Oklahoma |
The 1993 Corvette carries two VIN series: 1G1YY23P?P5 for the LT1 coupe and 1G1YY33P?P5 for the convertible, with one sequence from 100001 to 121142 for the 21,142 LT1 cars, and 1G1YZ23J?P5 for the ZR-1, with its own sequence from 800001 to 800448 for the 448 ZR-1s. The 1 is the United States, G General Motors, 1 Chevrolet, Y (fourth) the Corvette car line, Y (fifth) the base series or Z the ZR-1, 2 (sixth) the hatchback coupe or 3 the convertible, 3 (seventh) the driver-airbag restraint system, P (eighth) the LT1 or J the LT5, the ninth character a check digit that varies with the car, P the 1993 model year and 5 the Bowling Green plant. Nothing in the VIN identifies a 40th Anniversary car: Z25 appears on the build sheet and window sticker, and the trim tag should show paint code 68 and trim 793 for the Ruby Red leather.
The LT1’s engine pad carries the plant prefix, build date and a suffix such as ZVA (automatic) on a 10125327 block with 10205245 heads; the LT5 carries Mercury Marine’s build plate and the partial VIN, and a 1993 LT5 should have four-bolt mains and the 405-hp heads, which Lotus and Chevrolet never retrofitted to earlier cars. A 1993 ZR-1 is identified by the Z in the fifth VIN position, the J in the eighth, the 800001-series sequence, the wide quarters, roof-mounted stop lamp, fender badges and valet key; a 40th Anniversary ZR-1 adds paint 68 and trim 793 on the tag, and with 245 built every one is known to the ZR-1 registry. Z07 and FX3 show on the build sheet, FX3 also by the console switch and shock-rod motors.
MORE: VIN DECODER / PRODUCTION
| POSITION | MEANING |
|---|---|
| 1G1 (First through Third) | Country, maker, make: 1 = built in the USA, G = General Motors, 1 = Chevrolet |
| Y (Fourth) | Car line: Y = Corvette |
| Y or Z (Fifth) | Series: Y = Corvette (LT1); Z = ZR-1 |
| 2 or 3 (Sixth) | Body: 2 = two-door hatchback coupe (all ZR-1s); 3 = two-door convertible |
| 3 (Seventh) | Restraint system: 3 = manual belts with driver’s airbag |
| P or J (Eighth) | Engine: P = 350 LT1, 300 hp; J = 5.7 L LT5 DOHC 32-valve, now 405 hp (ZR-1) |
| x (Ninth) | Check digit, calculated from the other sixteen characters |
| P (Tenth) | Model year: P = 1993 |
| 5 (Eleventh) | Assembly plant: 5 = Bowling Green, Kentucky |
| 100001–121142 / 800001–800448 (Twelfth through Seventeenth) | Production sequence number: LT1 coupes and convertibles from 100001 (21,142 cars); ZR-1s in their own series from 800001 (448 cars). The 40th Anniversary package (Z25) is not coded in the VIN |
Ten colors: Ruby Red (6,749, 40th Anniversary only), Arctic White (3,031), new Torch Red (3,172), Black (2,684), Polo Green II (2,189), Bright Aqua (1,305), Black Rose (935), Quasar Blue (683), new Competition Yellow (517) and Dark Red (325). Convertible tops in black, white, light beige and Ruby Red; interiors in Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, Red and White leather, Ruby Red leather on the anniversary cars, or black cloth on the last 426 cloth-seat Corvettes.
The 1993 market is layered by package. At the top are the 245 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary ZR-1s, the rarest LT5 cars and, with the 405-hp engine, worth a clear premium over any 1990–92 ZR-1; then the 203 other 1993 ZR-1s, priced with the 1994–95 405-hp cars. The 4,333 anniversary coupes and 2,171 convertibles are the most plentiful collectible C4, bought for the color and the story and priced by mileage and by the condition of the Ruby Red leather, which fades and cracks; a low-mileage automatic coupe is the typical survivor and a six-speed convertible the one to find. Standard 1993s sit with the 1992s, a little above them for keyless entry and the quieter engine, with six-speed and Z07 coupes at the top of that range, and the two new colors, Torch Red and Competition Yellow (517 cars), the ones buyers ask for. Greenwood G572s and Callaway SuperNaturals trade on documentation.
Results tracked by Classic.com from October 2025 through March 2026: Bring a Trailer sold a 203-mile 40th Anniversary ZR-1 for $85,000 in November 2025 and Mecum a 23,000-mile one for $44,000 at Kissimmee in January, with 56,000- and 6,000-mile anniversary ZR-1s last offered at $42,995 and $64,900. 40th Anniversary coupes and convertibles sold for $26,400 (14,000 miles, six-speed, Mecum Glendale), $18,150 (27,000 miles, six-speed, Mecum Fort Worth), $16,500 (27,000 miles, Mecum Kissimmee), $12,000 (GAA), $11,000 (Bring a Trailer) and $9,350 to $9,900 for 50,000–74,000-mile automatics at Mecum Las Vegas, Barrett-Jackson and Bring a Trailer; dealers’ last asking prices on them ran $10,988 to $24,995. Standard cars sold for $38,500 (5,000 miles, Mecum Glendale), $27,500 and $24,200 (8,000 and 5,000 miles, Mecum Kissimmee), $21,500 (8,000 miles, GAA), $17,600, $14,500, $14,300 and $13,250 for 20,000–60,000-mile cars, and $9,350 to $12,100 for the rest; a 74,000-mile convertible was bid to $7,500 and not sold. In autumn 2026 standard cars were offered at $12,000 to $23,900, anniversary cars at $13,000 to $39,900 (a 5,000-mile coupe) and an anniversary ZR-1 at $49,997. Check whether a result includes the buyer’s premium (Mecum and Barrett-Jackson results do, Bring a Trailer bids do not), and treat asking prices and unsold high bids separately from completed sales.
Verification of a 40th Anniversary car: Z25 on the build sheet or window sticker, paint code 68 and trim 793 on the door-pillar tag, Ruby Red leather sport seats with the embroidered “40th” headrests, the Ruby Red wheel-center emblems and the hood, fuel-door and fender badges; Ruby Red was not available without the package, so a Ruby Red 1993 without the trim and emblems is a repaint, and the badges are reproduced. Every 1993 should have passive keyless entry (check that both antennas and the fob work, since the modules fail and are costly), the staggered 8.5/9.5-inch wheels on a base car or 9.5s all round on a Z07, and an LT1 with the 1993 thermoset valve covers. A ZR-1 needs the Z and J in the VIN, the 800001-series sequence, the wide body and roof lamp, the LT5’s Mercury Marine plate with four-bolt mains, and its service history; an anniversary ZR-1 adds paint 68 and trim 793 and should be in the registry.
The inspection list is the 1992 car’s plus the new electronics. The Optispark distributor behind the water pump remains the LT1’s weak point (the 1992–94 unvented units especially), the intake and water-pump gaskets leak, and knock and coolant sensors age; the LT5 needs its specialist. Passive keyless entry modules, antennas and fobs fail and were expensive even when new, and many cars run on a replacement fob or a bypass. The 1990–93 dash’s digital speedometer still fails, VATS keys and decoders wear, ABS and ASR sensors and the pump are expensive, FX3 shocks fail electrically and are often replaced with conventional Bilsteins, the ZF’s CAGS solenoid and shifter bushings wear, headlight motors strip their gears, the power antenna snaps, and the uniframe rusts under the battery tray and at the rear kick-ups. The Ruby Red leather fades to pink and cracks on the bolsters, and the anniversary seat embroidery is hard to redo correctly. Convertibles add top fabric and pads, frame bushings and leaks at the rear corners; the Ruby Red top is not reproduced in the original material.
MORE: THE MARKET
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Chevrolet built 21,590 Corvettes for 1993 at Bowling Green, Kentucky: 15,898 hatchback coupes, of which 448 carried the ZR-1 package, and 5,692 convertibles, the first increase since 1989. The 40th Anniversary package went on 6,749 of them: 4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles and 245 ZR-1s. Of the cars, 20,626 had the power driver seat, 19,550 electronic air conditioning, 16,794 the Bose CD system, 11,267 leather sport seats, 5,740 FX3, 5,330 the ZF six-speed, 824 the Z07 package and 426 the last cloth seats.
Between October 2025 and March 2026, 40th Anniversary coupes and convertibles sold at auction for $9,350 to $26,400, standard 1993s for $9,350 to $38,500 (the top figure a 5,000-mile coupe), and 40th Anniversary ZR-1s for $44,000 (23,000 miles) and $85,000 (203 miles). Dealers were asking $12,000 to $23,900 for standard cars, $13,000 to $39,900 for anniversary cars and $49,997 for an anniversary ZR-1 in autumn 2026. Mileage, the condition of the Ruby Red leather and, on a ZR-1, LT5 service history decide the price.
The LT1 350, still 300 hp at 5,000 rpm but with a new camshaft that raised torque to 340 lb-ft at 3,600 and new heat shields and valve covers that made it quieter, with the 4L60 automatic or the no-cost ZF six-speed; GM quoted 0–60 in 5.6 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.0 at 101.7 mph. The ZR-1’s LT5 was raised to 405 hp at 5,800 rpm and 385 lb-ft at 5,200 with new heads, cams, four-bolt mains, platinum plugs and electric EGR, and Car and Driver recorded 179 mph; it stayed six-speed only.
Ten colors: Ruby Red Metallic (6,749, 40th Anniversary cars only), new Torch Red (3,172), Arctic White (3,031), Black (2,684), Polo Green II Metallic (2,189), Bright Aqua Metallic (1,305), Black Rose Metallic (935), Quasar Blue Metallic (683), new Competition Yellow (517) and Dark Red Metallic (325); the totals add up to 21,590 exactly. Convertible tops came in black (1,719), Ruby Red (2,179), white (996) and light beige (818); interiors in Black, Light Beige, Light Gray, Red and White leather, Ruby Red leather on the anniversary cars, or black cloth on 426 cars, the last offered.
The coupe was $34,595.00, the convertible $41,195.00 and the ZR-1, as a $31,683.00 package on the coupe, $66,278.00. The 40th Anniversary package was $1,455.00 on any of them, leather sport seats $1,100.00 ($1,180.00 in white), base leather $475.00 ($555.00 in white), each power seat $305.00, the Bose CD system $1,219.00, FX3 $1,695.00, the Z07 package $2,045.00, the convertible hardtop $1,995.00 and a tinted roof panel $650.00; the ZF six-speed was free. A well-equipped 40th Anniversary coupe came to about $40,000, a hardtop convertible about $46,300 and an anniversary ZR-1 about $68,400.
A 1993 ordered with RPO Z25, the 40th Anniversary package, $1,455.00 on a coupe, convertible or ZR-1: Ruby Red Metallic paint, Ruby Red leather sport seats with “40th” embroidered in the headrests, Ruby Red wheel-center emblems and 40th Anniversary badges on the hood, fuel door and front fenders. Ruby Red was not available any other way. 6,749 were built, 4,333 coupes, 2,171 convertibles and 245 ZR-1s, the only time an anniversary package was offered on a convertible or an LT5 car. The package is not coded in the VIN; the build sheet, paint code 68 and trim 793 identify a real one.
The 40th Anniversary package arrived on all three body styles; the ZR-1 went from 375 to 405 hp with new heads, cams and four-bolt mains; passive keyless entry became standard, a production-car first; the LT1 gained 10 lb-ft and lost noise with a new cam, heat shields and valve covers; the base car went to staggered wheels, 8.5-inch fronts on 255/45 tires and 9.5-inch rears on 285/40s, with a new machined finish; Torch Red and Competition Yellow joined the chart; and cloth seats were offered for the last time.
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