We approached our first drive in the C5 with some apprehension. See, back in 1996 we piloted a Sebring Silver Corvette Collector's Edition convertible around the suburbs of Phoenix for a week. Fellow motorists treated us rudely. We caught glares and stern stares when driving faster than your average retiree. People cut us off on purpose, tried in vain to drag race us, and we came away from the experience exhilarated by the car but flabbergasted by the general public's attitude problem. Maybe it was the fact that we are a relatively young group of writers, and fellow motorists perceived us to be spoiled rich punks with nothing better to do during a normal workday but cruise town in a ragtop `Vette. Perhaps the rude treatment we received was a reaction to the stereotype described above. Possibly the public's reaction was a manifestation of one of human kind's most destructive emotions: envy. Whatever the case, we expected more of the same while driving the 1998 Corvette. We didn't get much of it.

Apparently, Denverites are more accepting of the General Motors icon known as Corvette. Either that or our gray hairs are becoming more noticeable than we care to acknowledge. Able to travel the highways and byways of Colorado's Front Range unmolested, we quickly uncovered a few truths about the C5. A.) Engineers have created a car that represents a quantum leap over its predecessor in every discernable way. B.) The 1998 Corvette is ridiculously fast, but the power is very easy to control. C.) A diverse range of consumers find the C5 appealing. D.) A sports car can actually offer comfort, style, and daily-driver utility in a single package. E.) The Corvette might prove a tough sell over the Camaro Z28 and Pontiac Firebird V-8.

The vast majority of readers know that Chevrolet has completely redesigned the Corvette from the ground up. Introduced in mid-1997 as a coupe, the C5 lineup adds a convertible for 1998. Last revamped in mid-1983, the C4 (as the fourth-generation Corvette is known) was getting stale quickly. For a while during the C5's gestation, it appeared GM might pull the plug. This new Corvette was eight years in the making, delayed by bumbling management, inconsistent funding, and other foibles. Fortunately for GM, the car is finally on the market, and automotive journalists have been praising the new design for over a year. The Corvette won the 1998 North American Car of the Year award in Detroit this past January, beating formidable competitors from Audi and Lexus. Motor Trend named it Car of the Year for 1998 as well. Car and Driver nominated it to their annual Ten Best list for 1998. The Corvette needed a fresh outlook on life, and Chevrolet claims this new design has more brand-new pieces in it than any Corvette in history, including the original 1953 model.

Retained from the old Corvette is a 5.7-liter pushrod V-8, but in the C5 the legendary small block shares only displacement and configuration with the 1996 LT4 engine. The new LS1 powerplant makes 345 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 350 pounds-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. An aluminum engine block is stronger and lighter than the old cast-iron design and the cylinders have a slightly smaller bore and longer stroke than the old motor. The LS1 has a deep skirt that extends below the centerline of the crankshaft, helping to quell noise and vibration. A new four-bolt head pattern provides better engine sealing, and revised lighter-weight pistons reduce hydrocarbons and friction while improving fuel economy and allowing for a higher rev limit. Better breathing is made possible by intake ports that allow air to be channeled directly into the combustion chamber without having to negotiate the tight corners of the old engine's Siamese ports. A composite intake manifold allows air to pass through with less restriction and higher velocity. It also conducts less heat, and the air making it to the engine is denser, which means more power can be extracted.

Revisions to the valve train reduce stress and weight leading to better fuel economy, reduced friction, and better durability. A new low-profile oil pan employs extended sumps on either side to ensure continuous oil flow to the pickup tube even under the most strenuous driving conditions. The new oil pan design also allowed engineers to drop the engine, providing a lower hoodline. The LS1 uses electronic throttle control (ETC), a first for a GM powerplant. ETC allows engineers to tune throttle progression to meet a car's character, and also integrates the cruise control and traction control into a single controller.

The transmission has been moved to the rear of the Corvette, improving under-car packaging and creating plenty of foot room for passengers. A Hydra-matic 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission is standard, and is filled with Dexron III transmission fluid that requires changing every five years or 150,000 miles under optimal circumstances. Optional is a Borg-Warner 6-speed manual transmission with a self-adjusting clutch system. The abhorred 1-4 skip-shift feature that is designed to help improve city fuel economy remains to satisfy the EPA.

Either transmission puts plenty of power to the ground, and the Corvette's suspension is up to the task of keeping the car planted to Mother Earth. Engineers set out to improve both the ride and handling of the old Corvette, and they've succeeded. Thanks to a finely tuned fully independent four-wheel short/long-arm (SLA) suspension, the Corvette rides nicely and handles aggressively. Low mass control arms, transverse composite leaf springs mounted to the most rigid parts of the chassis, stiff front bushings combined with soft rear bushings, and the addition of upper control arms to the rear suspension make the difference in ride quality between the C4 and C5 as dramatic as the difference between property values in South Central L.A. and Beverly Hills.

Three suspension setups are available. The Base suspension will be perfect for most drivers most of the time. The optional F45 suspension features Selective Real Time Damping. Sensors read the road surface and instantaneously adjust shock damping to provide a smooth, stable ride. Select between Tour, Sport, or Performance modes. Tour provides a softer ride than even the Base suspension, while Sport firms things up a bit more than the standard underpinnings. Performance lands the driver at a level just short of Z51 capability, effectively counteracting roll, dive, and lift. Our test cars both came equipped with the Z51 Performance Handling Package, which includes stiffer springs, larger shocks, and thicker stabilizer bars. Tuned on the racetrack and intended for serious drivers only, we scarcely noticed the Z51's presence as we pounded along on Denver's winter-ravaged roads. Chevrolet says Z51 is suitable for everyday use in the C5, and they're not exaggerating.

The Corvette's braking and steering systems have been improved as well, helping the car achieve amazing levels of performance. Larger brake rotors are fed cool air from two slots located in the Corvette's front fascia, helping to reduce brake fade. The anti-lock brake system includes traction control that doesn't push the accelerator back when wheelspin is detected. The system is virtually undetectable, unlike in the C4, where smoking the tires resulted in a rude upward shove of the accelerator against your right foot. Aluminum brake calipers are corrosion resistant, while non-metallic brake linings combat squeals and squeaks. The improvements result in satisfyingly short stopping distances and allow the Corvette to be hauled down from extra-legal speeds in a hurry.

GM's variable-effort Magnasteer II rack-and-pinion steering gear has been upgraded for use on the Corvette. A lightweight aluminum intermediate shaft is employed, and the steering column is connected to a magnesium bracket to provide more crisp feedback while isolating road harshness and reducing mass. The system works quite well, telegraphing the road surface like no other GM product in recent memory. Huge Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Extended Mobility Tires (EMTs) respond instantly to steering input, and track reasonably well on grooved or rutted pavement. The benefit of EMT tire technology is that the spare and the jack can be shelved in the interest of saving weight. A tire inflation monitor lets a driver know when one of the EMTs is losing air pressure. Front tires measure 17 inches, while the 18-inch rears nicely fill out the Corvette's wheelwells.

Despite the mechanical updates, the Corvette wouldn't behave nearly as well as it does without a strong structural design. Engineers fashioned a full-length perimeter frame featuring seamless hydroformed side rails welded to front and rear bumper beams. The result is a very stiff, very strong foundation, supplemented by a closed drivetrain tunnel running through the center of the car. A plate is attached to the bottom of the long straight tunnel with 36 bolts, reducing stress on the outside frame rails. Lower than the previous Corvette by four inches, the new frame rails make it much easier for passengers to get in and out of the car. A welded cage of aluminum castings and extrusions forms the basis of the cockpit and windshield frame, allowing engineers to isolate vibration from the interior while optimizing mass and stiffness. The floorpan is composed of a balsa wood core sandwiched between two layers of an aircraft-type composite. Balsa wood is used because of its light weight, stiffness, and ability to filter noise and vibration. Cast aluminum chassis cross members further strengthen the already tight sports car.

Our test cars didn't rattle a bit, which is unusual for a Corvette. The beefed-up structure has plenty to do with the Corvette's newfound rigidity, but the C5 is also constructed using 34 percent fewer parts than the C4. Not only does this result in a car less prone to rattles, but it makes the car less complex and easier to assemble. There are 1,500 fewer opportunities for something to go wrong in a new Corvette, which means the car should be more durable than past models. Multi-plex wiring is also used to cut down on complexity; 20 percent of the C4's wiring is gone from the new design.

The paint on our test cars was positively luminescent, and there's a good reason why. The paint shop at GM's Bowling Green, KY, assembly facility has been converted to what is called a "clean room." Sheet molded compound (SMC) body panels are buffed before heading to the paint shop. Huge ostrich-feather dusters clean the panels, and robots handle the painting. We found no paint flaws on our test Corvettes, which shimmered in the Colorado sunshine.

Getting up close and personal is the proper way to view the Corvette's sleek flanks. Pictures don't do the car justice. The design is obviously evolutionary, but it is revolutionary as well. Boasting a .29 coefficient of drag, the Corvette slips through the atmosphere more stealthily than any sports car in the world. Designers paid close attention to the Corvette's performance in the wind tunnel, because as vehicle speed doubles, drag quadruples. The result of all the wind tunnel testing is the controversial sawed-off appearance of the rear end. A sharp defining line wraps the tail from side to side and along the top edge of the rear fascia. It's this crisp lip that allows the Corvette to travel unfettered by wind drag. Appearing massive in photos, the Corvette's thick rear styling is much more pleasing to the eye live and in person. Some staffers are still put off by the air scoops in the front fascia, but they serve a dual purpose. They help cool the front brakes during hard driving, and they fill what would otherwise be a blank spot on the nose that would make the Corvette look larger and heavier than it really is. Plenty of heritage is evident is this modern Corvette design, from the quad taillights to the bubble glass backlight to the sculpted door panels and flared front fenders. The car looks great from nearly any angle, and the styling should wear well during the coming decade.

Inside, ties to the past are also evident. A slick twin-pod dashboard mimics 1960s Corvettes with simplistic round analog gauges, dash-mounted ignition, and a passenger grab handle which doubles as a safety device that deflects the airbag in the proper direction when deployed. One test drive instantly illustrated just how good the new interior is. Ergonomics are nearly flawless, with large controls for all functions that are easy to find and operate. Gone is the C4's digital video game display and haphazard control placement. Seat comfort is improved as well, not only in terms of the seat itself but also the driving position.

Despite the Corvette's low roofline, the driving position is surprisingly sedan-like. No more of that sitting-on-the-floor feeling unless you really want it. Visibility is outstanding for a sports car of any shape and size, with wide sideview mirrors, a large rear window, a low cowl, and a hood that has been redesigned to give drivers a much better view of the road. In comparison to the C4 Corvette, 18 more feet of pavement directly in front of the car is visible from the C5's driver's seat. This makes canyon running all the more enjoyable; you can actually see where to plant the front tires in corners and downhill runs aren't begun with a blind eye.

Cargo volume is eye-poppingly large in the C5. The coupe provides 24.8 cubic feet of storage room under the hatch-glass, while the convertible's conventional trunk holds 13.9 cubic feet of stuff with the top up (top down the figure drops to 11.1). Not only is the 1998 Corvette comfortable enough and easy enough to drive that a cross-country trip actually sounds like fun, but it will allow you to take a healthy portion of your belongings along for the ride.

Driving the 1998 Corvette is a blast, with or without the convertible top. Click off the traction control system, and tail-out power slides will entertain the moronic teenager in anybody. Click on the traction control and go about your business with sure-footed speed and suave style. Using the Corvette on a beautiful day? Remove the targa top of the coupe or drop the top of the convertible and let the sun shine in. The targa is easier to remove than before, but it's still almost more trouble than it's worth. At least latches hold it in place now instead of bolts. The manual convertible top, on the other hand, is simple to use. It folds in a matter of seconds, but cannot be lowered or raised from the driver's seat. Once stacked neatly behind the seats, a hard plastic body-color tonneau drops into place, providing a waterfall effect between the front seats that finishes the top-down look perfectly and further ties the 1998 Corvette to its classic predecessors.

Unfortunately, we drove the 1998 Corvette in the winter. Not much driving was done while exposed to the elements. But this gave us the perfect opportunity to see how well a Corvette handles in the snow, and how well the convertible insulates occupants from the cold. With the traction control engaged, the Corvette accelerates adequately on snowy roads. It will even climb a small incline if you're patient. Take it around a turn even at slow speeds, however, and those wide Goodyears lose their grip. The tail swings wide but is easily controlled so long as you don't clip a parked car. And on ice? Fuhgeddaboudit. The glass rear window of the convertible has a defroster, and we were using it on a regular basis. Overall, however, the Corvette proved to be a competent daily driver as long as snow wasn't piling up more than an inch or two at a time.

On dry Interstate, the Corvette is cool, calm, and collected. The ride doesn't punish, even with the Z51 suspension, but we did notice some irritating driveline whine in the car equipped with an automatic transmission. Other irritants about the automatic were a perceived lack of low-end grunt and slow downshifts when bursts of speed were desired. During normal driving, however, the automatic transmission behaved, and in traffic it was a lifesaver. Despite a self-adjusting feature designed to make shifting gears easier, the manual transmission's clutch took some getting used to. More than one staff member stalled the 6-speed convertible, and in traffic thighs burned quickly. Still, this model didn't whine on the highway (or maybe the added wind noise in the convertible was drowning it out), and it provided instant power whenever we wanted it. We'd buy the manual and stay out of traffic as much as possible.

We say we'd buy, but we're speaking figuratively. While our staff found the Corvette to be fun to drive and a huge improvement over the previous generation car, nobody in our office found it to be suitable everyday transportation. One writer noted in our logbook, "The Corvette...continues to feel like a ponderous American muscle car. This is not a bad thing, but when compared to the easily driveable BMW M3, it does make `America's Original Sports Car' feel a little unsophisticated and unrefined, kind of like a football player in a tuxedo. In the final analysis, however, I think that the Corvette is one hell of a buy. Sixty mph in less than five seconds, 181 mph top speed, lateral grip approaching one g, and a price tag lower than a Lexus SC300. Wow! What a bargain!" Another noted, "Damn is that engine powerful. Jeeez...breathtaking once it gets going. That's the thing the Japanese don't understand: we want power, and we want a lot more of it than we can ever use." Our newest staffer, who'd never driven the old Corvette, wrote "It was, in a word, a blast. Actually, that's two words, but you know what I mean."

This same driver wasn't overwhelmed by the Bose audio system however. She said, "We used to have Bose speakers in our house and took them back, so maybe it's just me." It wasn't just her. Other drivers noted inconsistent sound quality, with one claiming that his left leg rested right against the door speaker while driving. As a test, he moved his leg to the right as far as it would go, and sound quality instantly improved. Since this position was uncomfortable, however, he put his leg back against the speaker and shut the stereo off. Somebody else noticed that the appearance of the stereo was low rent, looking as though it had been pilfered from a Cavalier. But several drivers gave the Bose stereo thumbs up, especially the sound system in the convertible. From the log book: "No complaints about the stereo, because it's much better than anything in its class. You can actually hear it with the top down."