Safety article for July 2025

C1 bias ply tires

Keeping up with the Corvette's incarnations through the years has meant changes in the tires, from simple bias-ply to radial styles, with each generation increasing size, traction, and performance to match the evolving bodies' requirements. Follow the story of how the tires changed and were adapted for each generation.

C1  (1953-1962)

America’s Sports Car has evolved in many ways through the years, and a special part of the high-performance formula is traction. Every legend starts somewhere, and the Corvette began with bias-ply tires with a contact patch of less than five inches. The 6.70-15 bias-ply size remained the same for the entire first generation of Corvette production from various brands during that first decade. Goodyear, BFGoodrich, Firestone, and others were available, and the only other variances came with the width of the whitewalls. Early C1 Corvettes used the widest whitewalls, sometimes as wide as three inches, but these whitewalls got incrementally smaller year by year. Finally, in 1962, a significant change occurred across all American auto manufacturers, resulting in a transition to one-inch whitewalls. Black wall tires were also an option in 1959-1962.

C2 (1963-1967)

Although the C2 had an outstanding chassis update, it retained the 6.70-15 bias-ply tires from the previous generation. As horsepower increased, a lack of traction became a real problem. The initial solution involved a new tire size, which provided a slightly shorter sidewall and a wider contact patch. Introduced in the 1965 model year, the 7.75-15 size became the standard tire size for the Corvette. In terms of sidewall styling, the one-inch whitewall remained in the lineup from 1963 to 1965, then reduced to 5/8-inch for 1966-1967. The 1965 and 1966 models offered special gold stripe tires. By 1967, the gold stripes had become red, and the 7.75-15 sizing remained in place for the final year of C2 production. Black wall tires were also an option in 1963-1965 (Option Code P91)

C3  (1968-1982)

When the major body redesign took place for the 1968 production run, a significant improvement resulted from the physically wider body, allowing the car to accommodate a wider tire and wheel combination. At this point, there was also a nationwide transition from standard bias-ply sizing nomenclature to alphanumeric sizing. The 1968 Corvette rolled off the assembly line with F70-15 tires, and this size remained in place until the transition to radial tires in 1973. GR70-15 became the standard size for Corvettes until 1977 when P-metric sizing nomenclature gained popularity in the American market. 1978 through 1982 Corvettes features P225/70R15 tires, while an optional P255/60R15 increased the contact patch significantly. Sidewall styling during the C3 era changed drastically, with pinstripe whitewalls and red stripes being popular early on and raised white letters coming in strong for many years.  

C4  (1984-1996)

One of the most significant changes in Corvette tire technology occurred with the introduction of the high-tech C4 in 1984. This all-new chassis required a positive offset wheel and a revolutionary tire size that mimicked supercars of the era. The P255/50VR16 was the first high-speed-rated tire for the Corvette, marking the first deviation from the standard 15-inch wheel diameter. These tires remained standard equipment until 17-inch wheels came along as a Z51 and Z52 option in 1988. The 17s would become standard the following year, utilizing P275/40R17 sizing until 1992, when most Corvettes left the factory with staggered P255/45ZR17 and P285/40ZR17 tires. From 1990 to 1995, the famous ZR-1 featured giant P315/35ZR17 rear tires in combination with the 275 fronts for an unforgettable stance.  

C5  (1997-2004)

Staggered tire fitment continued into the C5 generation, which featured a 17-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear wheel. Standard sizing came in a P245/45ZR17 up front and P275/40ZR18 out back for the entire C5 run, except for the Z06 models, which featured a P265/40ZR17 front tire and P295/35ZR18 rear tire. The most significant revolution of the C5 era was the standardization of the run-flat tire, which had been optional a few years prior but became standard in 1997 with the introduction of the new C5 platform. These tires have mixed reviews and often get replaced with standard high-performance radial tires. Despite the conflicting views on the tire, the technology allowed Corvette owners to safely drive to a service center for repair rather than swapping a spare tire onto the car.

C6  (2005-2013)

Like the C5 generation, the staggered tire and wheel size continued into the C6 generation, this time utilizing an 18-inch wheel up front and a 19-inch wheel on the back. Standard tire sizes from 2005 to 2013 included P245/40ZR18 on the front and P285/35ZR19 on the rear. The Z06 used the larger P275/35ZR18 and P325/30ZR19 tires, and the 2010 -2013 Grand Sport editions used the Z06 fitments. The largest fitment in the C6 generation was available with the ZR1 package, which increased tire size to P285/30ZR19 front and P335/25ZR20 rear.

C7  (2014-2019)

Starting with the 2014 model year, all Corvettes came equipped with Michelin tires straight from the factory. While many aspects of the C7 generation changed, the tire and wheel sizes remained the same, with standard tires being P245/40ZR18 at the front and P285/35ZR19 at the rear from 2014 through 2019. The Z51 package featured slightly shorter sidewalls, stepping down to P245/35ZR19 tires at the front and P285/30ZR20 tires at the rear. The Grand Sport, Z06, and ZR1 packages all had the same tire sizes, with P285/30ZR19 tires at the front and P335/25ZR20 tires at the rear.  

C8  (2020-present)

The mid-engine C8 Corvette featured the most extensive list of chassis changes of any car in the Corvette legacy, and once again, tire sizes changed to accommodate the new platform. Now, a standard Corvette rolls on P245/35ZR19 front tires and P305/30ZR20 tires, providing maximum grip for the potent package. The E-Ray, Z06, and ZR1 share a tire size combination, using a P275/30ZR20 up front and a massive P345/25ZR21 out back.

C8 E-Ray with Michelin Pilot Sport tires

Source:  Corvette Central (June 2025)

Paul Ziegenhorn