Painted to match the C5-R that won its class at Le Mans in 2002 and 2003, the Commemorative Edition gave the Z06 GM's first production carbon-fiber body panel. Production counts and chassis changes.
C5 CORVETTE - 2004
The 2004 Corvette
The last C5: the Commemorative Edition in Le Mans Blue with Shale leather and, on the Z06, silver-and-red stripes and the first painted carbon-fiber hood on an American production car; Nürburgring-tuned Z06 damping, a sixth Indianapolis pace car, and Corvette Racing’s third Le Mans class win. 34,064 built, 248,715 in all.
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The Basics
Model & Gen: 2004 Corvette (C5)
Body Type: Two-door hatchback coupe with lift-off roof panel, two-door convertible, and the Z06 hardtop; the Commemorative Edition on all three (RPO 1SC on coupe and convertible, Z16 on the Z06, which adds the carbon-fiber hood) in Le Mans Blue
VIN: 1G1YY?2??45100001 – 1G1YY?2??45134064 (coupes 1G1YY22G…, convertibles 1G1YY32G…, Z06 1G1YY12S…; one shared sequence)
Original Price: $44,535.00 coupe; $51,535.00 convertible; $52,385.00 Z06; Commemorative Edition $3,700.00 (coupe, convertible) or $4,335.00 (Z06)
Colors: 8 (Le Mans Blue (Commemorative only, 6,899), Black, Torch Red, Machine Silver (new), Magnetic Red II ($750, returned), Medium Spiral Gray, Millennium Yellow ($750), Arctic White (returned)); Z06 in five; interiors in Black, Shale (Commemorative), Light Oak, Light Gray, Torch Red and Black/Torch Red
Engine: 346 ci (5.7 L) LS1, 350 hp and 360/375 lb-ft; Z06: LS6, 405 hp and 400 lb-ft, unchanged
Transmission: 4L60-E four-speed automatic standard on coupe and convertible (21,453 cars); Borg-Warner T56 six-speed $915 (MN6, 6,928); Z06 M12 six-speed only (5,683); 12,611 manuals in all
Units Produced: 34,064 (16,165 coupes + 12,216 convertibles + 5,683 Z06 hardtops), including 6,899 Commemorative Editions (2,215 coupes, 2,659 convertibles, 2,025 Z06s); the last C5, bringing the generation to 248,715
The Overview
Chevrolet had decided there would be no 1983-style gap: the C5 would run a full eighth year while the C6 was readied, with the Cadillac XLR sharing the Bowling Green plant on its own line. The 2004 changes were few on purpose, Machine Silver replacing Quicksilver, Arctic White back from 2000, Magnetic Red reformulated as Magnetic Red II at $750, and a Commemorative Edition to honor Corvette Racing’s back-to-back GTS wins at Le Mans in 2001 and 2002. On the coupe and convertible it was RPO 1SC, $3,700 on top of the 1SB group: Le Mans Blue Metallic paint, a Shale leather interior with the Le Mans emblem embroidered on the headrests, Commemorative badges front and rear citing the Le Mans titles, polished five-spoke wheels with special centers and, on the convertible, a Shale top and a silver emblem on the waterfall. 2,215 coupes and 2,659 convertibles were built.
The Z06 Commemorative Edition, RPO Z16 inside the Z06’s 1SB group at $4,335, went further: Le Mans Blue with the C5-R’s silver center stripe edged in red over the hood, roof and rear deck, polished Z06 wheels with “Commemorative 24:00 Heures du Mans” centers, the black Z06 interior with embroidered headrests, and a carbon-fiber hood, developed with MacLean Vehicle Systems and Toray Composites, weighing 20.5 pounds, 10.6 less than the composite panel, with its fibers aligned one way so the painted surface read smooth and the weave showing only in the red border of the stripe, the first painted carbon-fiber exterior panel on a North American-built production car. 2,025 were built, the production limit set in advance, and 46 Z18 cars, a European-only Le Mans Blue coupe with the Z06’s stripes, hood, suspension, brakes and black interior, went to Europe in its place. Every 2004 Z06 got revised Sachs shock damping, stiffer upper-control-arm bushings and softer rear-bar bushings after testing at the Nürburgring, where the car lapped under eight minutes; Frank Markus wrote in Car and Driver that it felt hundreds of pounds lighter and twice as rigid, and Motor Trend ran a Commemorative Z06 0–60 in 4.2 seconds and the quarter in 12.4 at 117 mph, the quickest showroom Corvette it had tested.
Prices rose to $44,535 for the coupe, $51,535 for the convertible and $52,385 for the Z06. The 2004 convertible paced the 88th Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 2004 with Morgan Freeman driving, the Corvette’s sixth time, and a Corvette paced Daytona as well. Corvette Racing did not lose a race all year: the C5-Rs won every GTS round of the American Le Mans Series and Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen took the class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car’s third win there and its send-off before the C6.R. Production closed at 34,064, 16,165 coupes, 12,216 convertibles and 5,683 Z06s, and the C5 ended at 248,715 cars over eight years, about 31,000 a year, with Motor Trend’s and North American Car of the Year awards, Automobile’s 2001 Automobile of the Year and five Car and Driver 10Best listings behind it. Today the Z06 Commemorative Edition is the most valuable C5 of all, $23,500 to $42,750 at auction in 2026 by mileage, the standard 2004 Z06 just behind it, the coupe and convertible Commemoratives $19,800 to $22,500, and ordinary 2004s $10,000 to $27,500.
The 2004 Corvette Story
The arrival of the 2004 Chevy Corvette brought with it the official announcement that, as far as factory production of the C5 was concerned, this would be the final year for the fifth generation model. Despite the growing rumors that an all-new Corvette was on the way, it had been decided that Chevrolet would continue to produce the Corvette so as not to leave a production gap (as they had in 1983) while ramping up production of a next generation C6 Corvette.
Just the same, it was also decided that no notable changes should be made to the 2004 C5, save for the introduction of a couple new paint colors – namely Magnetic Red II, a reformulated version of the Magnetic Red used on the 1999 through 2002 models and Arctic White, which had been featured previously on the 1997 to 2000 models.
However, General Motors, looking to commemorate the spectacular accomplishments that had been achieved by the C5 Corvette both on and off the race track during its eight year production run, also decided to introduce a special Commemorative Edition Corvette for its final model year.
The Commemorative Edition 2004 Corvette was specifically designed to pay homage to Corvette's successful return to racing. All the Commemorative Edition 2004 Corvettes were finished in a striking Le Mans Blue paint with red-edged silver stripes that adorned the hood, roof and rear deck lid. Special “Le Mans 24 Hours” emblems featuring Corvette's iconic crossed-flags trademark appeared on the nose and the tail of the car, and a matching emblem was embroidered into the headrests of the custom shale color interior leather seats.
Polished alloy wheels with their own center caps completed the package on the coupes and convertibles. The Commemorative Edition for those two bodies was RPO 1SC, $3,700 on top of the 1SB Preferred Equipment Group it was built on.
The Z06 Commemorative Edition, on the other-hand, was a little more costly. However, it also included a few additional upgrades over the base coupe and convertible. Priced at an additional $4,335, the Commemorative Edition option for the Z06 Coupe included a unique carbon-fiber hood that reduced the nose weight of the car by 10.6 pounds. The carbon-fibers were aligned in a single direction so that the alternate material would maintain a smooth sheen when painted. The only exception to this was a small cross-hatch pattern that was subtly displayed in the hood graphic between the silver and red sections.
Did you know? The 2004 Cadillac XLR, a luxury two-seater with a powered, fully retractable hardtop, was built on a separate production line at the Corvette's Bowling Green Manufacturing Facility in Kentucky.
Developed as a collaborative effort between Chevrolet, MacLean Vehicle Systems, and Toray Composites, the hood's carbon fiber technology was based on aerospace technologies and was the first painted carbon fiber panel ever featured on an American manufactured vehicle.
Beyond the car's hood, clear coat wheels with hubs reading “Commemorative 24:00 Heures du Mans” were also added to the Z06 package upgrade. The Z06 Commemorative Edition kept the Z06’s black interior, with the Le Mans emblem embroidered on the headrests, rather than the Shale of the coupe and convertible.
But there was more than just cosmetic improvements to the Z06 that caused the significant bump in the Special Edition Package price.
The most significant of these improvements was the additional testing that the 2004 Z06 received at the Nürburgring (a world renowned race track and proving ground for many of the top automotive manufacturers), which resulted in revised damping for the Sachs gas-pressure shock absorbers, stiffer bushings for the upper control arms, and softer bushings for the rear anti-roll bar.
All of these modifications were made in an effort to reduce the time it took for the Z06 to “settle” during transient maneuvers – and the results were quite successful.
Ironically, the 2004 Commemorative Edition Z06 would not be made available as a European export. Instead, Chevrolet offered European consumers the option of ordering a special edition Le Mans Blue Commemorative Coupe. Listed as an option (RPO Z18), the Commemorative Coupe would feature the Z06 stripe package, Z06 suspension, black interior and a carbon-fiber hood. It came equipped with non-EMT tires on the stock coupe. It carried the Z06’s 405-horsepower LS6 V-8 and six-speed manual transmission.
RACING: As the C5.R neared retirement, its final season was nothing short of spectacular -and a fitting sendoff for a car that had proven, without question, that Corvette was a serious contender on the racetrack. In 2004, Corvette Racing went undefeated for the entire American Le Mans Series season. Every race run during this season was won either by the No. 3 or the No. 4 Corvette Racing Teams.
To capture the magnitude of the difference in the cars drivability with these upgrades in place, the Z06 was distributed to a number of professional automotive critics. Each was encouraged to drive the car and review its handling accordingly. Several critics drove the car, and nearly all had a similar reaction to the Z06's improved responsiveness.
As Frank Markus, of Car and Driver's Magazine stated in their September 2003 review: '[The Z06's] steering response is [now] so much quicker it's hard to believe the ratio is the same [as in other 'Vettes]. Its weight is within 141 pounds of [other models], yet it feels like hundreds less. Its structure also feels twice as rigid. Yes, it filters out less road noise and harshness but at least each bump is felt just once…The [Commemorative] Z06 is clearly the [Corvette] that best rewards expert driving.”
Other reviewers were equally complimentary to both the Corvette and the team behind its latest technology. Motor Trend hailed the Commemorative Z06 as the fastest showroom 'Vette that they had ever tested, with a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds and a standing quarter mile of just 12.4 seconds at 117 miles per hour. Moreover, it was hailed as the best combination of performance, comfort, and value in the automotive world.
In the end, there were really no negative comments directed by any of the major automotive reviewers towards the 2004 Commemorative Edition Corvette – save for one. General Motors, recognizing that the 2004 Corvette would already be highly sought after as a collector's car, limited production of the Commemorative Edition to 2,025 Z06s and 4,874 coupes and convertibles. Still, given the success of the C5's production run during its eight year history, most felt that the Commemorative Edition was a fitting sendoff to one of the most successful Corvette generations to date.
And successful it had been. The C5 was one of the most respected and most celebrated of all Corvettes to date, and it had the awards to prove it. Besides winning an unprecedented number of trophies on the podium at such venues as Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, and even the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans, the production model Corvette had also been named “Automobile of the Year” (Automobile Magazine, 2001), “North American Car of the Year”, “Car of the Year” (Motor Trend, 1998), “A Best Buy Amongst Sports Cars (Consumer Guide Best Buy), and perhaps most impressive of all, it had ranked in Car and Driver's annual 10 Best List in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Of course, the accolades only told one part of the story. Another measure of the C5's overall success during its production run was the large number of units that were produced year after year. If one measures success in terms to total units manufactured and sold, then Corvettes numbers still reigned supreme with nearly a quarter million C5 Corvettes being sold in just an eight year window – which worked out to about 31,000 Corvettes a year.
Given its sales numbers and the unprecedented number of awards and accolades received, there could be no doubt that the C5 Corvette had raised the bar to an entirely new level – not only for Corvette or American made sports cars, but for sports cars from all over the world. The general question that critics and enthusiasts alike were now asking was what General Motors had planned to top the success of the C5 Corvette.
But that would come – as with all things – in good time.
From 2000 to 2004, the Chevolet Corvette C5.R earned a total of 33 1st place finishes including three wins at the 24 Hours of Lemans - in 2001, 2002, and 2004. (Image courtesy of GM Media.)The Z06 Commemorative Edition’s hood was the first painted carbon-fiber body panel on a production car built in North America, and GM hid the fact on purpose: the fibers were laid in a single direction so the Le Mans Blue paint would read as smooth as fiberglass, and the only place the weave shows is the red border of the stripe, where it was left visible as a signature. The hood saved 10.6 pounds, which is less than the difference between a Z06 and a Z06 with a full tank, and buyers paid $4,335 for the package; 2,025 got it, while the 46 European Z18 coupes got the same hood on a 350-horsepower body with the Z06’s running gear underneath.
DID YOU KNOW
Special & Limited Edition Models
The Commemorative Edition and the Z06 have their own sections below. Also here: the 2004 Indianapolis 500 and Daytona pace cars, the European Z18 and the C5-R in its unbeaten final season.
2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition
The C5’s send-off, built to honor Corvette Racing’s 2001 and 2002 Le Mans class wins and offered on every body. On the coupe and convertible (RPO 1SC, $3,700 over the 1SB group): Le Mans Blue Metallic, a Shale leather interior with the Le Mans emblem embroidered on the headrests, Commemorative badges citing the titles, polished wheels with special centers and, on the convertible, a Shale top and a silver waterfall emblem; 2,215 coupes and 2,659 convertibles. On the Z06 (RPO Z16, $4,335): the C5-R’s silver-and-red center stripe over hood, roof and rear deck, polished Z06 wheels with “Commemorative 24:00 Heures du Mans” centers, the embroidered black interior and a carbon-fiber hood developed with MacLean and Toray, 20.5 pounds, 10.6 lighter than the composite panel and the first painted carbon-fiber panel on a North American-built production car; 2,025 built, the number fixed in advance, with 46 European Z18 coupes carrying the Z06’s hood, stripes and running gear. In 2026 Z06 Commemoratives sold for $23,583 to $40,000 at auction by mileage, the coupes and convertibles for $19,800 to $22,500.
2004 Corvette Z06
The last and best-sorted C5 Z06: the 405-hp LS6, M12 six-speed, cast-spun wheels, titanium exhaust and standard HUD of 2002–03, with FE4 suspension retuned after Nürburgring testing (revised Sachs damping, stiffer upper-control-arm bushings, softer rear-bar bushings) for a car that settled faster in transitions and lapped the Nordschleife in under eight minutes; Car and Driver’s Frank Markus said it felt hundreds of pounds lighter and twice as rigid, and Motor Trend ran one 0–60 in 4.2 and the quarter in 12.4 at 117 mph. $52,385; 5,683 built in Le Mans Blue (2,025 Commemoratives), Black (1,186), Machine Silver (967), Torch Red (876) and Millennium Yellow (629), with black or black/Torch Red seats. In 2026 standard 2004 Z06s sold for $23,259 to $42,750 at auction by mileage, the Commemoratives a little above them.
MORE: THE C5 Z06 STORY
Price & Options
Core Features & Factory Options
The last C5s listed at $44,535.00 for the coupe, $51,535.00 for the convertible and $52,385.00 for the Z06. The Commemorative Edition was $3,700.00 on a coupe or convertible (RPO 1SC, on top of the $1,200.00 1SB group) and $4,335.00 on the Z06 (Z16, inside the Z06’s 1SB group with memory and mirrors), so a Commemorative coupe listed at $49,435, a convertible at $56,435 and a Z06 at $56,720; 2,215 coupes, 2,659 convertibles and 2,025 Z06s were built, the Z06 number fixed in advance, and 46 Z18 coupes went to Europe. 16,165 coupes, 12,216 convertibles and 5,683 Z06s were built in all.
The six-speed (MN6, $915.00) went into 6,928 coupes and convertibles, the fewest of any C5 year, and with the Z06s the manual count was 12,611, 37 percent; 10,367 of the 21,453 automatics took the $395.00 performance axle (G92). The 1SB group went into 11,446 coupes and 9,334 convertibles, so 25,599 cars had the HUD and 25,600 the telescoping column.
Magnetic Selective Ride Control (F55, $1,695.00) went into 5,843 coupes and convertibles, the Z51 package ($395.00) into 3,672; the polished wheels (QF5, $1,295.00, included on the Commemorative cars) into 22,487 and the magnesium wheels, cut to $995.00 (N73), into 1,110 in their last year. Millennium Yellow (79U, $750.00) was chosen for 2,641 cars, 629 of them Z06s, and Magnetic Red II (86U, $750.00) for 3,596 coupes and convertibles.
The Z06’s own list was memory (AAB, $175.00, 5,446 cars), electrochromic mirrors (DD0, $160.00, 5,446), moldings (3,358), the plate frame (3,614) and Millennium Yellow. The 12-disc changer (U1S, $600.00) went into 14,668 cars, 3,860 of them with the cassette deck (UL0); on the coupe the glass roof (CC3, $750.00) went on 4,356 cars and both panels (C2L, $1,400.00) on 5,079, leaving 6,730 with the body-color panel. Moldings (B84, $150.00) went on 20,626 cars and the plate frame (V49, $15.00) on 19,520; 142 buyers took delivery at the National Corvette Museum (R8C, $490.00).
A Commemorative convertible with the six-speed listed at $57,350; a Commemorative Z06 at $56,720.
MORE: PRICING, OPTIONS & COLORS / RPO CODES
| CODE | DESCRIPTION | QUANTITY | RETAIL PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1YY07 | Base Corvette Hatchback Coupe (350-hp LS1, 4L60-E automatic, Active Handling, body-color roof panel, sport leather seats, power seats, dual-zone air, fog lamps, mats, tire-pressure monitor, parcel net and shade, Delco CD with Bose, run-flat tires) | 16,165 | $44,535.00 |
| 1YY67 | Base Corvette Convertible (as coupe, with manual top, glass rear window and trunk) | 12,216 | $51,535.00 |
| AR9 | Base Seats, leather (Z06, standard; 45 coupes) | 5,728 | no charge |
| FE1 | Base Suspension (coupe, convertible; standard) | 24,664 | no charge |
| 1SB | Preferred Equipment Group 1 (coupe, convertible: Head-Up Display, power telescoping column, electrochromic mirrors, Memory Package, Twilight Sentinel); 11,446 coupes, 9,334 convertibles | 20,780 | $1,200.00 |
| 1SC | Commemorative Edition, coupe and convertible (1SB plus Le Mans Blue paint, Shale interior and top, embroidered headrests, Commemorative badges, polished wheels with special centers); 2,215 coupes, 2,659 convertibles | 4,874 | $3,700.00 |
| 1YY37 | Corvette Z06 Hardtop (RPO Z06: 405-hp LS6, M12 six-speed, FE4 suspension with 2004 Nürburgring damping and bushings, cast-spun 17 x 9.5 / 18 x 10.5 wheels on Eagle F1 Supercars, titanium exhaust, Head-Up Display, dual-zone air, Bose CD; five colors) | 5,683 | $52,385.00 |
| 79U | Millennium Yellow tint-coat paint | 2,641 | $750.00 |
| 86U | Magnetic Red Metallic II tint-coat paint (coupe, convertible) | 3,596 | $750.00 |
| AAB | Memory Package (Z06; in 1SB/1SC on the others) | 5,446 | $175.00 |
| AQ9 | Sport Seats, leather (coupe, convertible; standard) | 28,336 | no charge |
| B84 | Body Side Moldings | 20,626 | $150.00 |
| C2L | Dual Removable Roof Panels, body color and blue-tinted glass (coupe) | 5,079 | $1,400.00 |
| CC3 | Removable Roof Panel, blue-tinted glass (coupe) | 4,356 | $750.00 |
| CF7 | Removable Roof Panel, body color (coupe, standard) | 6,730 | no charge |
| CJ2 | Electronic Dual-Zone Air Conditioning (standard on every car) | 34,064 | no charge |
| DD0 | Electrochromic Mirrors (Z06; in 1SB/1SC on the others) | 5,446 | $160.00 |
| F55 | Magnetic Selective Ride Control (coupe, convertible; not with Z51) | 5,843 | $1,695.00 |
| FE4 | Z06 Performance Handling suspension, revised damping and bushings (Z06, standard) | 5,683 | included |
| G92 | Performance Axle Ratio, 3.15:1 (automatic only) | 10,367 | $395.00 |
| LS6 | 346 ci 405-hp V-8 (Z06, standard) | 5,683 | included |
| M30 | Four-Speed Automatic Transmission, 4L60-E (coupe, convertible; standard) | 21,453 | no charge |
| MN6 | Six-Speed Manual Transmission, Borg-Warner T56 (coupe, convertible; the Z06’s M12 is standard, 5,683 of the total) | 12,611 | $915.00 |
| N37 | Power Telescoping Steering Column (in 1SB/1SC) | 25,600 | included |
| N73 | Magnesium Wheels, Speedline five-spoke (coupe, convertible; final year) | 1,110 | $995.00 |
| QF5 | Polished Forged Aluminum Wheels (coupe, convertible; included with 1SC) | 22,487 | $1,295.00 |
| R8C | Customer Delivery at the National Corvette Museum | 142 | $490.00 |
| U1S | Remote Compact 12-Disc CD Changer (coupe, convertible) | 14,668 | $600.00 |
| UL0 | Delco AM/FM Cassette with Bose in place of the CD (with U1S) | 3,860 | no charge |
| UN0 | Delco AM/FM Stereo with in-dash CD and Bose speakers (standard) | 30,204 | no charge |
| UV6 | Head-Up Display (Z06 standard; in 1SB/1SC on the others) | 25,599 | included |
| V49 | Front License Plate Frame | 19,520 | $15.00 |
| Z16 | Commemorative Edition, Z06 (Le Mans Blue with silver-and-red hood/roof/deck stripes, carbon-fiber hood, polished Z06 wheels with Commemorative centers, embroidered black interior, memory and mirrors; Z06 1SB group) | 2,025 | $4,335.00 |
| Z18 | European Commemorative Coupe (Le Mans Blue coupe with Z06 stripes, carbon hood, FE4 suspension, Z06 brakes and seats, LS6 and six-speed; export only) | 46 | – |
| Z51 | Performance Handling Package (coupe, convertible; not with F55) | 3,672 | $395.00 |
| CODE | EXTERIOR | COUPE | CONVERTIBLE | Z06 | TOTAL | INTERIOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Le Mans Blue Metallic, Commemorative Edition only (RPO 1SC / Z16) | 2,215 | 2,659 | 2,025 | 6,899 | Shale with Shale top (coupe, convertible); Black (Z06) |
| 41 | Black | 3,105 | 1,921 | 1,186 | 6,212 | Black, Light Gray, Light Oak, Torch Red (Z06: Black or Black/Torch Red) |
| 70 | Torch Red | 2,438 | 1,709 | 876 | 5,023 | Black, Light Gray, Light Oak, Torch Red (Z06: Black or Black/Torch Red) |
| 67 | Machine Silver Metallic (new) | 2,514 | 1,185 | 967 | 4,666 | Black, Light Gray, Torch Red (Z06: Black or Black/Torch Red) |
| 86 | Magnetic Red Metallic II tint coat ($750.00) | 1,948 | 1,648 | – | 3,596 | Black, Light Gray, Light Oak |
| 88 | Medium Spiral Gray Metallic | 2,106 | 1,180 | – | 3,286 | Black, Light Gray, Light Oak, Torch Red |
| 79 | Millennium Yellow tint coat ($750.00) | 918 | 1,094 | 629 | 2,641 | Black (Z06: Black or Black/Torch Red) |
| 10 | Arctic White (returned) | 921 | 820 | – | 1,741 | Black, Light Gray, Light Oak, Torch Red |
Specifications & Performance
Engine & Transmission
Both engines ran out unchanged. The LS1 (VIN G) made 350 hp at 5,200 rpm and 375 lb-ft at 4,000 with the six-speed or 360 with the automatic, 346 cubic inches at 10.1:1 on 91-octane with a 6,000-rpm redline; the LS6 (VIN S, Z06) made 405 hp at 6,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft at 4,800 at 10.5:1 with its 6,500-rpm redline, hollow-stem valves and titanium exhaust.
Both were built at St. Catharines. Coupes and convertibles took the 4L60-E automatic (3.06, 1.63, 1.00, 0.70) on a 2.73:1 axle or the $395 3.15:1, or the $915 T56 six-speed (2.66, 1.78, 1.30, 1.00, 0.74, 0.50) on a 3.42:1; the Z06’s M12 (2.97, 2.07, 1.43, 1.00, 0.84, 0.56) drove the 3.42:1. EPA figures were 18/25 mpg automatic and 19/28 for both six-speeds; the tank was 18 gallons.
The Z06’s FE4 suspension got its last tuning after Nürburgring testing: revised Sachs monotube damping with more control delivered more smoothly, stiffer upper-control-arm bushings and softer rear stabilizer-bar bushings, to cut yaw and roll in quick transitions without a harsher ride; the coupe and convertible kept FE1, Z51 or F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control.
Brakes were the 12.8-inch front and 12.0-inch rear vented rotors with Bosch ABS, ASR and Active Handling, with red calipers and cooling scoops on the Z06. Wheels were 17 x 8.5 and 18 x 9.5 inches, painted or polished, on P245/45ZR17 and P275/40ZR18 Eagle F1 GS run-flats; the Z06’s cast-spun 17 x 9.5 and 18 x 10.5 wheels, polished with Commemorative centers on the Z16 cars, carried P265/40ZR17 and P295/35ZR18 Eagle F1 Supercars with the inflator kit. GM gave 3,246 pounds for the coupe, 3,248 for the convertible and 3,118 for the Z06, the carbon hood taking 10.6 pounds off a Commemorative Z06’s nose.
Chevrolet’s Z06 figures stood at 3.9 seconds to 60 mph, 12.4 at 116 and 171 mph; Motor Trend ran a Commemorative Z06 0–60 in 4.2 seconds and the quarter in 12.4 at 117 mph, and the 350-hp cars kept their 4.8-second, 13.1-second numbers.
MORE: FULL SPECIFICATIONS / ENGINE
| SPEC | 2004 CORVETTE |
|---|---|
| Engine, LS1 (RPO LS1, coupe and convertible) | 346 ci (5.7 L) Generation III small-block V-8, VIN G: 3.90 x 3.62 in, cast-aluminum block and heads, 2 valves per cylinder, sequential injection, coil-near-plug ignition, electronic throttle, 10.1:1, 91 octane; 350 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 375 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm (manual) / 360 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm (automatic); 6,000-rpm redline; built in St. Catharines, Ontario; final year |
| Engine, LS6 (RPO LS6, Z06 and Z18) | 346 ci (5.7 L) V-8, VIN S: 10.5:1 heads, high-lift camshaft, hollow-stem valves, low-restriction intake, titanium exhaust; 405 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm; 6,500-rpm redline; built in St. Catharines, Ontario; final year in the Corvette |
| Transmission | Rear-mounted transaxle via aluminum torque tube, limited-slip differential: 4L60-E four-speed automatic standard on coupe and convertible (RPO M30, 21,453 cars), ratios 3.06, 1.63, 1.00, 0.70; Borg-Warner T56 six-speed (RPO MN6, $915.00; 6,928 coupes and convertibles) 2.66, 1.78, 1.30, 1.00, 0.74, 0.50; Z06 close-ratio M12 six-speed (standard; 5,683) 2.97, 2.07, 1.43, 1.00, 0.84, 0.56 |
| Axle ratio | 2.73:1 automatic (11,086 cars), 3.15:1 with RPO G92 ($395.00; 10,367 cars); 3.42:1 with the six-speed and on every Z06 (12,611 cars) |
| Bodies | Hatchback coupe with lift-off roof panel (24.8 cu ft cargo); convertible with manual top, glass rear window and trunk (13.9 cu ft); Z06 hardtop with trunk (13.3 cu ft); Commemorative Edition on all three, the Z06’s with a 20.5-lb carbon-fiber hood (MacLean Vehicle Systems / Toray), 10.6 lb lighter than the composite panel |
| Suspension | Double wishbones front and rear, transverse composite leaf springs; coupe/convertible FE1 base (24,664 cars), Z51 Performance Handling ($395.00; 3,672) or F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control ($1,695.00; 5,843); Z06 FE4 with revised Sachs damping, stiffer upper-control-arm bushings and softer rear stabilizer-bar bushings after Nürburgring testing (5,683) |
| Brakes, traction & stability control | Four-wheel vented discs, 12.8 x 1.26-in front and 12.0 x 1.02-in rear rotors, Bosch ABS with ASR; Active Handling standard; Z06 red calipers and rear brake-cooling ducts |
| Steering | Rack and pinion, speed-sensitive magnetic variable-effort power assist; manual tilt, power telescoping column in 1SB/1SC (25,600 cars); 40.2-ft turning circle |
| Interior | Twin-cove cockpit; Head-Up Display standard on Z06 and in 1SB/1SC (25,599 coupes and convertibles); sport leather seats, power on both sides, dual-zone air, fog lamps, mats and tire-pressure monitor standard; Commemorative Shale interior with embroidered headrests (1SC) or embroidered black Z06 interior (Z16); Z06 AR9 seats, black or black/Torch Red; Delco CD with Bose standard (cassette UL0 with the changer, U1S $600.00); electrochromic mirrors (Z06 $160.00 / in 1SB); dual airbags |
| Wheels & tires | Coupe/convertible: cast aluminum five-spoke 17 x 8.5 / 18 x 9.5 (polished forged QF5 $1,295.00, 22,487 cars, with special centers on 1SC; Speedline magnesium N73 $995.00, 1,110, final year) on Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Extended Mobility P245/45ZR17 / P275/40ZR18 run-flats; Z06: cast-spun aluminum 17 x 9.5 / 18 x 10.5 (polished with Commemorative centers on Z16) on Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar P265/40ZR17 / P295/35ZR18 (inflator kit) |
| Fuel tank | 18 gal, twin composite tanks |
| Wheelbase | 104.5 in |
| Overall length / width / height | 179.7 / 73.6 / 47.7 in (47.8 convertible) |
| Track, front / rear | 61.9 / 62.0 in; Z06 62.4 / 62.6 in |
| Curb weight | 3,246 lb coupe (51/49), 3,248 lb convertible, 3,118 lb Z06 (53/47); Z06 Commemorative about 3,107 lb |
| 0–60 mph | Z06: 3.9 sec (GM), 4.2 (Motor Trend, Commemorative Z06); coupe/convertible six-speed about 4.8 |
| Quarter mile | Z06: 12.4 sec @ 116 mph (GM), 12.4 @ 117 (Motor Trend); coupe/convertible about 13.1 @ 109–111 |
| Top speed | Z06 171 mph (GM); coupe 174 mph, convertible 162 mph (magazine tests of the unchanged car) |
| Braking / lateral acceleration | Z06 1.0 g (GM); Nürburgring lap under 8 minutes (Chevrolet); coupe 116 ft from 60 mph, 0.90 g |
| Fuel economy (EPA) | 18 / 25 mpg automatic; 19 / 28 mpg six-speed and Z06 |
| Production | 34,064: 16,165 coupes, 12,216 convertibles, 5,683 Z06s; 6,899 Commemorative Editions (2,215 / 2,659 / 2,025) and 46 Z18 export coupes; VIN sequence 100001–134064; C5 total 248,715 |
| Assembly | Bowling Green, Kentucky (alongside the new Cadillac XLR); engines from St. Catharines, Ontario |
Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)
34,064 (16,165 coupes + 12,216 convertibles + 5,683 Z06 hardtops), including 6,899 Commemorative Editions (2,215 coupes, 2,659 convertibles, 2,025 Z06s); the last C5, bringing the generation to 248,715 Cars, 1G1YY?2??45100001 TO 1G1YY?2??45134064 (coupes 1G1YY22G…, convertibles 1G1YY32G…, Z06 1G1YY12S…; one shared sequence)
The 2004 VIN reads 1G1YY22G?451xxxxx for a coupe, 1G1YY32G?451xxxxx for a convertible and 1G1YY12S?451xxxxx for a Z06: 1 for the United States, G for General Motors, 1 for Chevrolet, Y for the Corvette car line, Y for the Corvette series, the body in the sixth position (1 Z06 hardtop, 2 coupe, 3 convertible), 2 for active manual belts with driver and passenger airbags, the engine in the eighth (G for the 350-hp LS1, S for the 405-hp LS6), a check digit in the ninth, 4 for the 2004 model year and 5 for Bowling Green, Kentucky. All three bodies share one sequence from 100001 to 134064, one number for each of the 34,064 cars, with the pilot and prototype cars numbered inside the series. Nothing in the VIN identifies a Commemorative Edition: on the coupe and convertible it is 1SC on the build sheet, window sticker and service parts label with paint code 19 and the Shale trim; on the Z06 it is Z16 with paint 19 and the black Commemorative trim code 192. The site’s Z06 Commemorative sequence post lists the Z16 cars by sequence number.
The engine carries a partial VIN on the rear of the left cylinder head or the front of the left oil-pan rail and the transmissions a VIN derivative. The VIN plate sits on the left windshield pillar, repeated on the driver’s door certification label and the console service parts label, which lists every RPO: a Commemorative Z06 shows 1YY37, LS6, M12, FE4 and Z16 and should have its carbon hood (the weave shows in the stripe’s red border and the underside is unmistakable), stripes and Commemorative wheel centers; a Commemorative coupe or convertible shows 1SC, 19U and the Shale trim with embroidered headrests, badges and the polished wheels with special centers; any coupe or convertible its package, MM6 or M30, F55 or Z51, QF5 or N73 and 79U or 86U. Paint codes are 10, 19, 41, 67, 70, 79, 86 and 88; interior trims 19I black, 92I light gray, 67I light oak, 70I Torch Red, the Z06’s 704 black/Torch Red and 15I Shale Commemorative; convertible tops 41T black, 67T light oak, 16T white and 54T Shale.
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 (Fifth) | Series: Y = Corvette |
| 1, 2 or 3 (Sixth) | Body: 1 = Z06 hardtop; 2 = two-door hatchback coupe; 3 = two-door convertible (the Commemorative Edition has no code of its own) |
| 2 (Seventh) | Restraint system: 2 = active manual belts with driver’s and passenger’s airbags |
| G or S (Eighth) | Engine: G = 346 ci LS1, 350 hp; S = 346 ci LS6, 405 hp (Z06 and the 46 export Z18 coupes) |
| x (Ninth) | Check digit, calculated from the other sixteen characters |
| 4 (Tenth) | Model year: 4 = 2004 |
| 5 (Eleventh) | Assembly plant: 5 = Bowling Green, Kentucky |
| 100001–134064 (Twelfth through Seventeenth) | Production sequence number, one series for all three bodies, pilot cars included; 34,064 numbers for 34,064 cars, the last C5s |
Pictures, Videos, Wallpapers & Galleries
Eight colors: Le Mans Blue (6,899, Commemorative Edition only), Black (6,212), Torch Red (5,023), Machine Silver (4,666, new), Magnetic Red II (3,596, $750), Medium Spiral Gray (3,286), Millennium Yellow (2,641, $750) and Arctic White (1,741, returned); the Z06 came in Le Mans Blue, Black, Machine Silver, Torch Red and Millennium Yellow. Interiors in Black (20,979), Shale (4,829, Commemorative coupes and convertibles), Light Oak (3,983), Light Gray (2,738), Torch Red (873) and Black/Torch Red (662, Z06); tops in Black (7,086), Shale (2,659), Light Oak (2,029) and White (442).
Market & Buying Guide
For Sale & What They Bring
The 2004 is the C5 the market has settled on. The Z06 Commemorative Edition is the most valuable C5 of all: 2,025 built, the carbon hood, the stripes, the last and best-sorted Z06 suspension, and a Le Mans story, so documented low-mileage cars bring $35,000 to $43,000 and even driven examples hold in the mid-twenties; the standard 2004 Z06, 3,658 of them, trades a few thousand under a Commemorative of the same mileage and above the 2002–03 cars for its damping and bushings. The coupe and convertible Commemoratives (4,874) are the collectible 350-hp cars but carry a modest premium over a 1SB car, the convertibles with the Shale top at the top; ordinary 2004s sit with the 2003s, priced by the six-speed, the convertible, F55 and mileage, with the last-year status worth little on its own. A Z18 (46 built, export only) is a curiosity in North America and a serious car in Europe. Le Mans Blue has been repainted onto other cars and stripes are easy to copy, so the console label is the test.
Classic.com results from October 2025 to October 2026. Z06 Commemorative Edition (benchmark about $34,800): Bring a Trailer sold an 11,000-mile car for $40,000 in June, 4,000- and 6,000-mile cars for $38,250 each in May and August, a 19,000-mile car for $35,890 in March, a 28,000-mile car for $30,000 in April, a 37,000-mile car for $29,000 in May and a 68,000-mile car for $23,583 in October; Hagerty sold a 36,000-mile car for $25,000 in April; 4,000- and 14,000-mile cars were bid to $36,000 and $34,500 without selling. Standard Z06: Hemmings sold a 4,000-mile car for $42,750 in October 2026, Bring a Trailer a 2,000-mile car for $35,500 in May, 14,000- and 23,000-mile cars for $35,000 each, 15,000-mile cars for $34,000 and $31,727, a 26,000-mile car for $25,000 and a 42,000-mile car for $23,259; Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas a 38,000-mile car for $27,500 and Hagerty 33,000- and 42,000-mile cars for $25,750 and $26,250. Coupe and convertible Commemoratives (benchmark about $21,500): GAA sold 11,000- and 12,000-mile six-speeds for $22,500 each, Bring a Trailer a 46,000-mile six-speed for $21,607 and Mecum a 48,000-mile automatic for $19,800; dealers asked $23,000 to $35,000. Standard cars: Mecum Kissimmee sold a 14,000-mile automatic for $27,500 and a 34,000-mile six-speed for $20,900 in January, Mecum Fort Worth a 23,000-mile convertible for $19,800, Cars & Bids an 80,000-mile six-speed for $17,527, and 73,000- to 109,000-mile cars brought $9,900 to $15,950; an 897-mile six-speed was bid to $35,000 and 5,000–6,000-mile six-speeds to $24,000–$25,000 without selling. Auction figures are hammer prices; add the buyer’s premium when comparing with asking prices.
Verifying a Commemorative Edition: on a Z06, Z16 on the build sheet, window sticker and console label, paint code 19, the carbon-fiber hood (check the underside and the weave in the stripe’s red border; a fiberglass hood with stripes is a tribute), the polished wheels with “Commemorative 24:00 Heures du Mans” centers, the embroidered black headrests and the Le Mans badges; on a coupe or convertible, 1SC on the label, paint 19, the Shale interior with embroidered headrests, the badges, the polished wheels with special centers and, on a convertible, the Shale top and waterfall emblem. The site’s Z06 Commemorative sequence post can match a Z16 car’s VIN. On any 2004, the label settles the package, transmission, suspension, wheels and the $750 paints, and an S in the eighth VIN position with a 2 in the sixth is a Z18 or a swap.
The inspection list is the C5’s, at its most mature. All cars: the electronic column lock (recall 04V060) and its bypass, the EBCM and wheel-speed sensors, the harmonic balancer, rocker bearings, warped rotors, fuel senders, window regulators, headlight bezel plugs, roof-panel creaks and seat bolsters; F55 cars, the magnetic shocks’ condition and cost. Z06: the sodium-filled exhaust valves and guides on abused engines, cracked cast-spun wheels, the clutch and torque-tube coupler on tracked cars, the titanium exhaust and, on a Commemorative, the carbon hood, which is expensive to repaint well and impossible to replace with an original. The 2004 Z06 is the one to buy if you want the best-driving C5, the Commemorative if you want the one that will be remembered, and a low-mileage coupe or convertible Commemorative with the six-speed the cheapest way to own a C5 with a story.
MORE: THE MARKET
Everything We've Published On The 2004 Corvette
Get all the latest news stories, upcoming auctions, prices, videos and more about the 2004 Chevrolet Corvette! The latest headlines here.
FAQs
How many 2004 Corvettes were built?
Chevrolet built 34,064 Corvettes for 2004 at Bowling Green, Kentucky, the last C5s: 16,165 hatchback coupes, 12,216 convertibles and 5,683 Z06 hardtops. 6,899 were Commemorative Editions in Le Mans Blue (2,215 coupes, 2,659 convertibles and 2,025 Z06s with the carbon hood), and 46 Z18 Commemorative coupes went to Europe. 12,611 cars had a six-speed (every Z06 and 6,928 coupes and convertibles), 21,453 the automatic; 20,780 coupes and convertibles had the 1SB package, 5,843 Magnetic Selective Ride Control, 3,672 the Z51 package, 22,487 polished wheels, 1,110 magnesium wheels; 142 were delivered at the National Corvette Museum. The C5 total came to 248,715.
How much is a 2004 Corvette worth today?
Between October 2025 and October 2026, Classic.com tracked 2004 Z06 Commemorative Editions selling from $23,583 (68,000 miles) to $40,000 (11,000 miles), most between $29,000 and $38,250 with a benchmark of about $34,800; standard 2004 Z06s from $23,259 to $42,750, most $25,000 to $35,500; coupe and convertible Commemoratives $19,800 to $22,500 (benchmark about $21,500); and ordinary 2004s from $9,900 for high-mileage cars to $27,500 for a 14,000-mile automatic. Dealers asked $13,000 to $45,000 across the range.
What engine did the 2004 Corvette have?
The same two as 2002–03: the 350-hp LS1 (375 lb-ft with the six-speed, 360 with the automatic) in the coupe and convertible, and the 405-hp, 400-lb-ft LS6 in the Z06 and the 46 European Z18 coupes, both 346-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) all-aluminum small-blocks built at St. Catharines, Ontario. The coupe and convertible took the 4L60-E automatic or the $915 six-speed; the Z06 came only with its M12 six-speed. The C6’s 6.0-liter LS2 replaced the LS1 the following year.
What colors did the 2004 Corvette come in?
Eight: Le Mans Blue Metallic (6,899, Commemorative Editions only), Black (6,212), Torch Red (5,023), Machine Silver (4,666, new, replacing Quicksilver), Magnetic Red Metallic II (3,596, a $750 tint-coat), Medium Spiral Gray (3,286), Millennium Yellow (2,641, $750) and Arctic White (1,741, back after 2000). The Z06 came in Le Mans Blue, Black, Machine Silver, Torch Red and Millennium Yellow. Interiors were Black, Shale (Commemorative coupes and convertibles), Light Oak, Light Gray, Torch Red or, on the Z06, Black/Torch Red; convertible tops Black, Shale, Light Oak or White.
How much did the 2004 Corvette cost when new?
$44,535 for the coupe, $51,535 for the convertible and $52,385 for the Z06, plus $670 destination. The Commemorative Edition was $3,700 on a coupe or convertible (over the $1,200 1SB group) and $4,335 on the Z06; Magnetic Selective Ride Control $1,695, the dual-roof package $1,400, polished wheels $1,295, magnesium wheels $995, the six-speed $915, the glass roof $750, Millennium Yellow or Magnetic Red II $750, the CD changer $600, museum delivery $490, the Z51 package and performance axle $395 each, moldings $150, and memory $175 and mirrors $160 on the Z06.
What is a 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition?
A package honoring Corvette Racing’s 2001 and 2002 Le Mans class wins, offered on all three bodies in Le Mans Blue Metallic. On the coupe and convertible (RPO 1SC, $3,700): a Shale leather interior with the Le Mans emblem on the headrests, Commemorative badges, polished wheels with special centers and, on the convertible, a Shale top; 2,215 coupes and 2,659 convertibles. On the Z06 (RPO Z16, $4,335): the C5-R’s silver-and-red stripes over hood, roof and deck, a carbon-fiber hood 10.6 pounds lighter than the composite one, the first painted carbon-fiber panel on a North American production car, polished Z06 wheels with Commemorative centers and the embroidered black interior; 2,025 built. 46 European Z18 coupes combined the Z06’s hood, stripes and running gear with the coupe body.
What changed on the 2004 Corvette?
The Commemorative Edition arrived on all three bodies; every Z06 got revised Sachs shock damping, stiffer upper-control-arm bushings and softer rear-bar bushings after Nürburgring testing; Machine Silver replaced Quicksilver, Arctic White returned and Magnetic Red II replaced Anniversary Red on the chart; the magnesium wheels dropped to $995 and the dual-roof package rose to $1,400; the Cadillac XLR began production alongside the Corvette at Bowling Green. The engines and the rest of the car were unchanged, the convertible paced the Indianapolis 500 with Morgan Freeman driving, and Corvette Racing won every ALMS race and Le Mans. The C6 followed for 2005.
All The Research
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