1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sports - The Grandest Of Options

The red intake is a sure giveaway that this is an LT4 engine, the big brother to the LT1. Interestingly, the LT4 did not use an EGR system like the LT1. Instead, the engine was designed to reduce oxides of nitrogen through valve overlap, improved cooling, different fuel calibrations, and spark timing. The LS engines that would be introduced the very next year also omit EGR, much like the LT4.

This Grand Sport has the optional black/red interior (interior code 705) with sport seats but without the F45 suspension. Like all Grand Sports, it has a shifter with the "double-H" pattern.

All LT4s, Grand Sport or not, used the Grand Sport throttle-body plate. Also note that, by now, Chevrolet was using both mass-air sensors and manifold absolute pressure sensors to accurately read the amount of air ingested and the load put on the engine, respectively.

Available GS options included the sport seats and the Selective Real Time Dampening suspension. This Corvette is nicely equipped with both for that "just the way you like it" feel.

The Grand Sport embroidery on the headrests of the seats was reserved only for the Grand Sports, unlike the LT4 throttle bodies.

To compensate for the wider P315/35ZR17 rear tires used only on the coupes, fender flares were added to the rear wheel openings to provide adequate envelopment of the tire.