1985 Corvette
The C4 arrived at about the time the U.S. economy began recovering from its early-Eighties doldrums. What had been an oil shortage was unexpectedly replaced by an oil glut that caused gas prices to plunge, and buyers soon shopped for big and powerful Detroit cars once again. The Reagan Administration had also been helping out, convincing Japanese automakers to voluntarily limit their car exports to the U.S. via the Voluntary Restraint Agreement (VRA). In this new, more hospitable climate, American performance was flourishing anew by mid-decade, and Chevy wasted no time in turning up the Corvette's volume.
Styling was unchanged on the sophomore '85 save
"Tuned Port Injection" badges on the front fenders.
Responding to all the complaints about the corvette's harsh ride, Chevy softened up both spring and shock rates on both the standard and performance Z51 suspensions for '85. The latter now came with larger-diameter fore and aft stabilizer bars to maintain total roll stiffness with the softer calibrations, plus 9.5-inch-wide wheels at the front as well as the rear. Also included were Delco-Bilstein gas-pressurized shocks -- available as a separate option with the base suspension -- and a revised heavy-duty cooling system.
Of course, engineers were still interested in handling. The Z51 package was fine-tuned by Corvette development engineer John Heinricy to be a "showroom stock GT car," according to Corvette chief engineer David R. McLellan, referring to a hotly contested class in SCCA racing. Intriguingly, the suspension changes lowered ride height on the 1985 Corvette by an imperceptible 3/4 inch, which was just enough to drop the drag coefficient to 0.33 and, with the 3.07:1 axle, raise top speed to a genuine 150 mph. This year's standard axle was an even taller 2.73:1, which proved to be too tall for the car to reach 150 mph.
For better straight-line stability at top speeds, the steering caster angle was increased one degree (to four). For better stopping ability from high speeds, the brake system was fortified with a larger master cylinder and booster, as well as different pads imparting more braking power and improved feel.
Transmission-wise, the 4+3 Overdrive manual received a heavy-duty 8.5-inch differential ring gear (up from 7.9 inches) for extra longevity, as well as an override button that was more conveniently placed atop the shift knob. What's more, the unit's computer was reprogrammed to make the overdrive function less intrusive. Toward the same end, the electronics governing the lockup torque converter clutch in the automatic transmission were also revised.
The 1985 Corvette arrived with this dazzling array of digital and
graphic instruments. Switches allowed the driver to change some of the displays,
which included readouts for instant or average mpg and oil pressure and temperature.
Some critics thought the ensemble rather too busy, though.
Car and Driver was among the media celebrating the new model's added refinement. The magazine sampled two cars -- an automatic with the base suspension and a Z51 manual -- and found both to be "tight and solid." The former ran 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the standing quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds at 97 mph. The manual version raced to 60 mph in six seconds flat and hit the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 95 mph, reaching a top speed of 150 mph.
Roadholding and braking characteristics for the 1985 Corvette were also praised in the media, though testers still groused about an unnecessarily harsh ride with steering that was judged as being too quick for around-town use. The digital dashboard continued to be dismissed as being excessively gimmicky.
Sales for the C4's sophomore year took a steep plunge, dropping to 39,729, the lowest annual total since 1975. This downturn was at least partly due to 1985's whopping price increase -- the car's base price was now $24,403.
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1984 Corvette | 1985 Corvette | 1986 Corvette |
| 1987 Corvette | 1988 Corvette | 1989 Corvette |
| 1990 Corvette |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.
1985 Corvette Specifications
Quality continued taking big strides for the 1985 Corvettes, which were produced in the recently opened Corvette-only plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Extensive automation allowed workers to lavish more time and care on each car. Here are the specifications for the 1985 Corvette:
 Chevy still documented Corvette "body drops" in 1985, but a C4 "chassis" was welded to the "birdcage" body structure at this point on the assembly line. |
| Vehicle Specifications | Hatchback |
| Wheelbase, inches | 96.2 |
| Length, inches | 176.5 |
| Width, inches | 71.0 |
| Track, inches | front: 59.6 rear: 60.4 |
| Height, inches | 46.7 |
| Curb weight, pounds | 3,230 |
Mechanical Specifications (2-door hatchback)
Suspension
front: Independent; unequal length upper and lower A-arms, transverse fiberglass leaf spring, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers, antiroll bar
rear: Independent, upper and lower trailing arms, lateral arms, tie rods, halfshafts, transverse fiberglass leaf springs, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers, antiroll bar
Wheels/Tires
P225/50VR-16
Brakes
front: 11.5-inch disc
rear: 11.5-inch disc
Transmission
4-speed automatic
4+3-speed manual (4-speed manual with overdrive in 3rd and 4th gears)
Standard axle ratio
2.73:1 (auto) 3.07:1 (manual)
Engine Specifications
| Type | ohv V-8 |
| Displacement, liters/cubic inch | 5.7/350 |
| Bore X stroke, inches | 4.00 X 3.48 |
| Fuel management | Tuned Port Injection |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 230 @ 4,000 |
| Torque @ rpm, pound-foot | 330 @ 3,200 |
Published Performance Numbers
| Acceleration | 230 hp, 4-speed manual |
| 0-60 mph, second | 5.7 |
| 0-100 mph, second | NA |
| 1/4-mile, second @ mph | 14.1 @ 97 |
(Source: Car and Driver)
Vehicle Production and Base Prices
| Car Type | Production | Price |
| 2-door coupe | 39,729 | $24,403.00 |
Options and Production
| Option | Production | Price |
| Power Driver Seat | 37,856 | $215.00 |
| Sport Seats, leather | NA | 1,025.00 |
| Base Seats, leather | NA | 400.00 |
| Sport Seats, cloth | 5,661 | 625.00 |
| Power Door Locks | 38,294 | 170.00 |
| Removable Transparent Glass Roof Panels | 28,143 | 595.00 |
| Two-Tone Paint | 6,033 | 428.00 |
| Delco-Bilstein Shock Absorbers | 9,333 | 189.00 |
| Performance Axle Ratio | 5,447 | 22.00 |
| Cruise Control | 38,369 | 185.00 |
| 4-Speed Manual Transmission | 9,576 | 0.00 |
| California Emission Requirements | 6,583 | 99.00 |
| Radio Delete | 172 | -256.00 |
| AM/FM Radio Stereo, Cassette | 2,958 | 122.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, Stereo, CB | 16 | 215.00 |
| Stereo System, Delco-Bose | 35,998 | 895.00 |
| Heavy Duty Cooling | 17,539 | 225.00 |
| Performance Handling Package | 14,802 | 470.00 |
| Rear Window + Side Mirror Defoggers | 37,720 | 160.00 |
Color Choices and Production
| Color Choice | Production |
| Silver Metallic | 1,752 |
| Light Blue Metallic | 1,021 |
| White | 4,455 |
| Gold Metallic | 1,411 |
| Dark Bronze Metallic | 1,030 |
| Silver/Gray | 2,170 |
| Light Bronze/Dark Bronze | 2,393 |
| Medium Gray Metallic | 2,519 |
| Medium Blue Metallic | 2,041 |
| Black | 7,603 |
| Light Bronze Metallic | 1,440 |
| Bright Red | 10,424 |
| Light Blue/Medium Blue | 1,470 |
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1984 Corvette | 1985 Corvette | 1986 Corvette |
| 1987 Corvette | 1988 Corvette | 1989 Corvette |
| 1990 Corvette |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.