| Chevrolet's brawny plastic-bodied two-seater | | | | against some of today's pricier new |
| has long been a dream machine for countless | | | | performance cars. Best of all, you can find |
| enthusiasts. Today, that dream is more in | | | | loads of good C4s practically anywhere in the |
| reach than ever. The fourth generation or | | | | U.S. for less than $10,000.When shopping for |
| "C4" version of these cars are absolute | | | | a C4, it's best to look for as late a model |
| steals on used-car lots.These potent | | | | as you can, to take advantage of the many |
| performers made their debut for 1984, | | | | refinements the design received over the |
| replacing the soft, boulevardier 1968-82 | | | | years. The most desirable cars are the 1992 |
| "Shark" design. With vastly improved | | | | and later ones. Besides having considerably |
| aerodynamics and extensive use of aluminum in | | | | more power, their softer styling is less |
| its construction, the C4 was enormously more | | | | 1980s "high-tech" and thus doesn't look as |
| capable than its predecessor.Throughout the | | | | dated at this point.Early C4 coupes (1984-91) |
| C4's long production run, practically every | | | | show up by the truckload for less than eight |
| model year brought significant improvements, | | | | grand, with a fair number of them listing for |
| including revised suspension, higher-quality | | | | under $5000. But realistically, you should |
| interiors, and new electronic performance | | | | expect to pay $6000 or more for a decent one. |
| aids. Horsepower for 1984 was a somewhat tame | | | | Scrounge up at least another thousand or two |
| 205, but it went up by 25 hp the next year | | | | on top of that if you have your heart set on |
| and continued to steadily climb. A | | | | a good 1992-96. As for ZR-1s, forget about |
| convertible was introduced for 1986, and the | | | | 'em -- they currently sell for about |
| following year horsepower reached 240.For | | | | $25-$40k.Convertibles command about a |
| 1990, the C4 got a redesigned dashboard, | | | | 30-percent premium over equivalent coupes, |
| followed a year later with an exterior | | | | which basically puts the 1992-96 ragtops out |
| facelift that included more rounded front- | | | | of our $10k Budget-Speed cap. Earlier |
| and rear-fascia styling. For 1992, horsepower | | | | convertibles, however, are still within |
| jumped to 300. From 1990 to 1995, Chevrolet | | | | range.So while the performance-car world is |
| offered the limited-production ZR-1, which | | | | drooling over new C6s or shopping for used |
| was powered by a 375-405hp Lotus-designed V8. | | | | C5s, these cars' fine predecessor is going |
| Output of the regular small-block-V8 C4 | | | | for clearance-sale prices. And that's great |
| peaked in 1996, at an optional 330hp.With | | | | for you -- a good used C4 can offer more |
| strong V8 power and exceptional handling, any | | | | thrills per dollar than most performance |
| C4 is a tremendously potent machine, even | | | | cars, making them well worth a look. |