Dominic Toretto

At work, on downtime again. Anyways, so I was thinking back about how the C5 first made an impression on me. I was 17 at the time I first got into cars really. The C5 was not the first car I liked but it was the most impressionable. Me and my highschool buddies would always take pictures next to them when we saw them out. The C5 was definitely the car to have!! I never thought I would get one especially not at the age that I did. So driving a 2001, for the same year I graduated seems pretty cool. The shape and overall stats just floored us. 200mph on the speedo, the curves like a woman, the taillamps. Everything about it seemed so perfect. I knew if I ever had a chance to get one that it would be a done deal! And here I am today.

-Alex

jrose7004

I thought that it was unbelievable, ahead of it's time! I couldn't believe it came out of Detroit!

kerryt1

I was really into other cars at that time, but I remember the first time I saw an EB Z06 back in 2002...I was sold after that.

JW Motorsports

I think I was in 6th or 7th grade. I don't even remember when they came out. I just knew in HS I wanted one!

sneakelman

It came out of Kentucky.
Oh and FYI: Yesterday was the birthday of the Corvette. 6-30-1953 first production one came off the line. I believe it was $3200.00, but not certain.

srs244

my first impressions were not favorable. i felt it was trying to copy one (or more) of the then current crop of japanese cars style wise. it took a bit of time for me to get used to it (i had a 93 convert at the time it was first released). thought that it broke to radically from the corvette lineage, but grew to appreciate it and then really like the look. i guess that's why i have the 04 CE vert now, lol!

blacksedan87

I have been a Corvette fan since I was four years old. I followed the development of the car through the generations. I saw the spy photos and the conceptual drawings of the C5 for a year before the introduction. I read all the early reviews and saw all the pictures.....but when I actually saw the first one - a black coupe....I grabbed my chest and started having trouble breathing. I was that taken by it!

I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen in my life! Little did I know that I would eventually own two at the same time....back then I didn't think I would ever own one.

After six years of ownership and being around Corvettes every day now - I still think it's one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen.

BUGZ

It was love at first sight. I went to an auction in downtown Palm Springs CA in 1997. There were two brand new C5s on display. I had an early C4 at the time and I was drooling all over the C5. The sales gal seemed to be a little reluctant to let me sit in this red coupe, she acted like I was going to drive it away without the keys. I was in heaven. I knew I would have one some day.

jedblanks

I graduated in 1996, so I spent most of my HS years lusting after the C4. It was actually hard for the C5 to grow on me initially. But once it did I was hooked. I initially didn't like the C6, and thought the same would happen. It hasn't.

duckvett

I was one of the few who did not particularly like the C5 when it first hit the market. At the time I was driving a `71 Coupe and to me a real Corvette had to have steel bumpers. I thought the butt was too big and the car was too long & too wide.

That was then; this is now.

Over the years the look grew on me. We owned a couple of C4's and in 2003 my wife started talking seriously about trading up to a C5. We bought our 2000 in `05 and now I still can't believe we own something this beautiful and impressive. The lines are really timeless.

If we could afford them I would still like to have a `62, `63 Split, `72 Convertible and a C6 ZO6 to round out the collection.

DevilMan02

When I saw it I didn't think much of it. I thought it looked a little plain to be honest. I liked the lines of the 3000GT VR4, the Toyota Supra, and the TransAM WS6 a little bit more. That was back then and I realized that the Corvette was a bit more refined and less of a 'teen car guy's' kind of car.

vetteJR

same story. i grew up at a chevy dealer, and loved the C4, but when the C5 came out....it was so exotic, so sexy i had to have one. im currently vette shopping now, and sometimes i still cant believe that C5 is my next car!

MrMojoRisin921

I went to the DC Auto Show around Chritmas of '96 and saw the C5 there for the first time and thought it looked awesome (and was surprised at the trunk space). I've been thinking about getting one since then.

Dominic Toretto

Oh I forgot to mention that in 2002 I worked for a Chevy dealership in OKC so I was ALWAYS drooling over them in the show room! The first time I actually got to drive one was a 2002 silver convertible, just to move it from the front of the building to the back. Later that day during closing I got to move the 2002 ZO6 from the front of the building near the highway to the showroom floor. I brief thought of becoming a street pharmicist entered my mind LOL.

-Alex

LoudassZ

I thought it was awesome! I was 15 and at the NY Auto show wanting one to bring home with me. My dad said work hard and you'll get one. So I did just that and I have one now. Still have the double sided posters from the show too

csexton

Love at first sight

Chuck

roscoe118

I thought....What's up with that big azz butt..... Now it's one of my favorite stylings of the car!

Vetteman Jack

At first I really did not care for it - especially the huge rear end of the car. Took me a couple of years to really warm up to it and then order a '99 coupe. Glad I did, since the C5 has turned out to be a great car.

Toque

Initial impressions --> The big butt took a little while to grow on me. I wished they still had the clam shell hood like the C4's. Loved the overall design though. Many people said at the time it was a copy of the RX7, especially the side vents behind the front wheels.

I remember that the first 97's were only available in Auto's, and the 6 speeds were extra big $$ ! I remember thinking i'm going to wait for the cost to go down before buying one.

When the Hard Top arrived in 99 I knew that was the car I wanted. Not just because it was the lowest cost C5, but because of the Fixed roof coupe roof line (so sexy ! ), and lighter weight etc....

When the 01 Z06 came out I was in HEAVEN ! I had to have one !

Finally in 2004 I got my first ever Corvette... Machine Silver Z06...

Toque

R Devil

Wasn't really a vette guy until I saw it at the dealership in 98. It was in my driveway 2 hours later.