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Closing the chapter on what may arguably be the most successful racing heritage in Corvette’s history and its most thoroughly engineered generation, the C5 Corvette ends it saga in May 2004. Commemorating the C5’s back-to-back wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the GTS class winner is honored in the last C5 edition coupe, convertible and Z06 for 2004. The three cars are painted in Le Mans Blue Metallic with the Z06 receiving the additional “C5-R Le Mans” graphics on its unique weight-saving carbon fiber hood. The stripes then arch over the fixed-roof coupe and onto the trunk lid. Where the coupe and convertible have shale interiors, identical to the 50th Anniversary Red Corvettes, this Z06 receives black interior and polished Z06 aluminum wheels with Commemorative center caps. Chevrolet designates this car as the "Z-16" package. At nearly $57,000 list, the collectibility of the car and whether the above-mentioned additions are worth the $4,000 additional cost over the standard Z06, are debated on Corvette forums almost daily. In 1:24th scale, and at issue price of $105, the question is irrelevant.
Once again Franklin Mint has wandered into a gold mine with yet another iteration of a model that Corvette lovers can’t turn down. They have the formula, of repainting sure sellers and making them limited editions, down pat. Just look at the many various renditions of C5’s that we have on our Car Lists for TFM. In the dark blue color, beautifully applied, the model is stunning. The stripe tampos are done well, as all the C5 models have been that carry such embellishments; the two pace cars, 1998 and 2003, and the 1999 Police Car. The Commemorative Edition has different wheels than the standard Z06, as stated earlier, they are polished aluminum and FM did the change proud. They failed to get the tire sizes right on this car and on their Yellow 2003 Z06. They used the smaller sized tires that fit the standard Corvettes. Tire sizes on the Z06's should be P265/40-17 front and P295/35-18 rear. But they didn’t miss the front and rear emblem color. This could have been tricky. The black emblems were changed on the 2003 model to silver to celebrate the 50th Anniversary model year. They went back to black for the 2004 issue but that didn’t include the Commemorative Edition models that remain silver with the 24 Hours of Le Mans scripting added. Overall, another fine C5 effort on FM’s part and if history is any indicator this will sell well and fast. Each such special edition Corvette model moves quickly, for real and in 1:24th scale. 4.5 stars. Were it not for unusual gapping around the headlights this could have been a 5 star effort.
The issue price is $105.
(06/04/2004)
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