The Chevrolet Corvette did not have a model year for 1983. This single-year gap occurred because General Motors halted production to completely retool its Bowling Green, Kentucky plant for the introduction of the all-new C4 generation. While prototypes (now known as 1983 Corvettes) were built and tested, none were sold to the public. The next model released was the highly anticipated 1984 Corvette, which launched the C4 platform.
The decision to skip the 1983 model year was primarily driven by the significant technological leap the new car represented. The C4 chassis featured a completely new frame with a rigid, integrated backbone structure, a much more advanced interior, and a digital dashboard that was revolutionary for its time. Ensuring the quality and reliability of these complex new systems required extra development time, making a full-year production pause the most practical choice.
This gap is a unique footnote in Corvette's history, which is otherwise known for its continuous production since its introduction in 1953. The only other significant production stoppage was during the 1992 model year, but this was a temporary, mid-year halt due to a labor strike, not a complete cancellation of a model year. The factory was idled for a period, delaying delivery of some 1992 models, but production resumed, and those cars were still sold as 1992 models.
| Model Year | Generation | Production Status | Key Context |
|---|
| 1953 | C1 | Full Production | Corvette's first year of production. |
| 1983 | C4 | No Production | Factory retooling for the new generation. |
| 1984 | C4 | Full Production | Successful launch of the new C4 platform. |
| 1992 | C4 | Temporary Halt | Mid-year production stopped due to a labor strike. |
| 2020 | C8 | Temporary Halt | Production paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a supplier issue. |
| 2023 | C8 | Temporary Halt | Production briefly idled for supply chain adjustments. |
