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My, How Things Have Changed

2003 50th Anniversary Corvette

By David Colman
Autoeditor.com

When Corvette made its debut in 1953, Eisenhower was in the second year of his first term, Comrade Herbert J. Philbrick was leading three lives for the FBI, and Bill Vukovich beat Art Cross to win the 500 at Indianapolis. The 50th anniversary of that first Corvette is coming up, and my, how things have changed.

Instead of its original 150 hp “Blue Flame” six cylinder engine, Corvette has a 350 hp V8. Instead of the original car’s Polo White with Sportsman Red interior, the 2003 celebration model is finished in 50th Anniversary Red with 50th Anniversary Shale interior. And in lieu of the first Corvette’s base price of $3,498, the tariff for the anniversary car is $49,810. Some things, however, do not change. Just like its 1953 ancestor, the 2003 Corvette remains a fiberglass car.

Whether you choose coupe or convertible, you will have to make do with the 350 hp LS1 motor, since the 405 hp Z06 LS6 engine is available only in the hardtop model, which does not get the 50th anniversary treatment. Now, 350 hp is more than adequate for most situations, and the base engine even returns 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. It loafs along at 1500 rpm in sixth gear at 70 mph and is completely unobtrusive until you stomp on the gas in the lower gears. That’s when the familiar Vette moan comes into play.

Shifting this car is a delight, with solid throws from gate to gate, and a massive feel to the linkage. Be prepared to pay an extra $915 for the privilege of shifting yourself, because for some inscrutable reason, Chevy equips all its Vettes with an automatic transmission as standard fare.

This technological breakthrough is due to a special magnetic fluid in the shock absorbers, which alters its resistance when prodded by an electrical current. The knob on the console alters that electrical current and thus controls suspension movement. The net result is a Corvette that is comfortable on the freeway, yet secure in the twisties. It’s the best ride compromise Chevy has achieved for this car in 50 years.

In addition to the special paint and interior color and MSRC suspension, the 50th anniversary package also includes memory settings for each driver’s preferred seating position, power telescoping steering wheel, twilight sentinel for automated lighting and a head-up display of information projected on the lower left quadrant of the windshield. These options add $5,000 to the Corvette coupe’s base price of $43,225. While there is no specific limit to the number of special edition Vettes for 2003, you cxn expect them to be in short supply now and especially in the future, due to the stiff surcharge over the stock model.