Motor Trend 1998 Car of the Year

It's a grand annual tradition. It's Motor Trend's Car of the Year competition, our lengthy reenactment of "Twelve Angry Men," but with less smoking, more driving, and a great deal more swearing.

Our competition is open to every new or significantly changed car or minivan that's classified a domestic vehicle by the EPA. The evaluation process begins months, and occasionally even more than a year, before the celebratory issue goes to press. Our staffers get early exposure to the '98 models, investigate the new machines, talk to engineers and product planners, visit factories, and get their first stints behind the wheel. By the time Car of the Year decision time nears, we've spent a vast amount of time with these vehicles, driving, testing, prodding, and researching-and testing some more. By process of elimination, the field is narrowed to a reasonably sized bunch of finalists that would be on sale by the Jan. 1, 1998 deadline. This final group ventures forth from our Los Angeles office on a multi-day mass comparison flog that takes in a wide range of driving conditions-and offers our judging staff plenty of opportunity for spirited discussion of the candidates.

What we're after is the most significant new car of the year. The one vehicle that packs the greatest importance in terms of technological advancement, overall value, driving character, performance, functional abilities, and market impact. We're confident we've found that vehicle in the all-new fifth-generation Chevrolet Corvette.

'98 Motor Trend Car Of The Year Chevrolet CorvetteIn the face of tough international competition, the all-new Chevrolet Corvette has been boldly reinvented, striking an astonishing balance between civility and brute strength, sending ripples through the entire performance-car segment. The first-ever no-excuses Vette combines cutting-edge technology, user-friendly design, a new corporate small-block V-8, and wind-cheating body into one extraordinary package. Debuting last spring, this latest version of America's favorite sports car is not only the best Vette yet, it's Motor Trend's '98 Car of the Year.

Affectionately known as C5 (for "fifth-generation"), the new Corvette carries on the proud tradition of serving as the technological and performance flagship vehicle not only for Chevrolet, but for all of General Motors. Through the years, Corvettes have served as the proving ground for new technologies later introduced into more mainstream GM vehicles. Components such as composite body panels, independent rear suspension, fiberglass leaf springs, four-wheel disc brakes, anti-lock brake system, six-speed transmission, and traction control were all first tested on the corporate halo car. The latest generation carries on this proud tradition, raising the benchmark in every conceivable category to unparalleled levels in Corvette history.

Evolutionary And RevolutionaryFour decades of exciting heritage have been steeped into the very essence of the C5, from its basic front-engine/rear-drive configuration and long-hood/short-deck profile to distinct exterior cues like the sculpted side coves ('56-'62), quad taillamps ('61-present), and fastback greenhouse ('78-present). These familiar elements were incorporated into a slippery coupe body with an ultra-low 0.29 drag coefficient that is unmistakably Corvette, yet fresh enough to carry on well into the 21st century.

As a rolling high-performance technology showcase, the C5 introduces more major new components than any of its predecessors, including rigid backbone frame with hydroformed galvanized-steel chassis rails; all-aluminum, clean-sheet-design LS1 OHV V-8; aluminum double-wishbone suspension; electronic throttle control; and rear-mounted transmission. As the first Corvette in history designed from the ground up (even the thoroughly reworked '84 used a carryover Cross-Fire powerplant), the C5 permitted the development team to address the needs of current and future owners-the real motivation behind the numerous innovative features.