1990 Corvette Overview

The 1990 Corvette only saw minor improvements to the L98 motor, with an additional 5hp gained by an adjustment to the air speed density system. 1990 also marked the formal introduction of the ZR-1 Corvette that had the new LT5 motor, designed by Lotus, pumping out an amazing 375hp and 370lb-ft of torque! That’s more then the twin turbo Callaway L98 motor! The LT5 needed special assembly because of the double overhead cam that Chevy’s plant couldn’t handle so this task was expedited to Mercury Marine in Stillwater, OK. The ZR-1 Corvettes not only had a new power source but also some slight aesthetic work done to the rear, with a convex rear with rectangular brake lights while the base models had a concave rear with circular brake lights. Beside the change in rear the only visible difference between the two was the 11’ wide tires on the ZR-1. The ZR-1 also came with a bunch of standard options like Selective Ride Adjustment and the six-speed transmission.

The base model Corvette also had some options that became standard in 1990, that also were standard on the ZR-1, due to national safety regulations, namely the driver’s side air bag. A new option this year on all Corvettes was a CD player. Overall it was a productive year for the Corvette but the production numbers didn’t reflect that as much as Chevy would have liked.

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