Born literally at the end of the fourth generation while the sports car world awaited the arrival of the next and fifth generation, two commemorative packages were available to lure those sitting on the fence post.  A Sebring Silver Collector Edition with ZR1-like five-spoke wheels and expected embroidery, badges and emblems along with RPO Z16 which introduced the owner to a select group of Corvette owners.  Manufactured in one production run between April and June, only 1000 individuals chose the RPO Z16 Grand Sport option and only 190 of those were convertibles.   Going against the grain ("All Corvettes are Red.") owners chose Sebring Silver as the most popular exterior color followed by Torch Red and then Black.

Fashioned after the 1963 SCCA Grand Sport race cars that competed against the Shelby Cobra, the 1996 commemoration carried the same color scheme - Admiral Blue with Artic White center striping and dual red hash marks on the left front fender.  ...but far more than a special option, the Grand Sport represented a harbinger of the C5.

The LT-4 presaged the arrival of the LS-2 proving more than conceptually that the pushrod V-8 could provide power, flexibility, drivability and efficiency that were hard to match in more costly, complex engine designs.  Although, there are no mechanical links between the two engines, Chevrolet provided important groundwork for the C-5 small-block, pushrod V-8.   An improved crankshaft, camshaft and rockers and a redline of 6300 attracted speed addicts to the LT4 engine which produced 330 horsepower compared to 300 horsepower from the LT1 on the "other" Corvettes.   The Grand Sport was available only as a LT4/six speed manual transmission, just as the Z06 would be beginning in 2001. 

A significant improvement in an already impressive system, RPO F45, Selective Real time Damping was  capable of adjusting shock rates in almost real time.  Real time damping was finally achieved with RPO F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control, available in MY 2003 for the C5.