1997 Pontiac Firebird

The fourth generation of the Pontiac Firebird was introduced in 1993 alongside the Chevrolet Camaro, and as with the Camaro, 1997 was the last year of the original styling before a major facelift. For 1997, the Firebird's base engine was a 200-horsepower 3.8-liter V6, with the Formula and Trans Am featuring a 285-horsepower 5.7-liter LT1 V8.

1997 Chevrolet Camaro

The fourth generation of the Chevrolet Camaro was introduced in 1993, and 1997 was the last year of the original styling before a major facelift. For 1997, the Camaro's base engine was a 3.8-liter V6, with the Z28 featuring a 275-horsepower 5.7-liter LT1 V8 that would accelerate the Camaro from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour. 1997 was the 30th Anniversary of the Camaro, and a limited-edition 30th anniversary model was available for the Z28 in Arctic White with Hugger Orange stripes, patterned after the 1969 Camaro Z28 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

1997 Chevrolet Corvette

The fifth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette was new in 1997, which was big news as the previous generation dated back to 1984. The new Corvette was slightly wider and taller, and had a significantly longer wheelbase that added to the Corvette's stability. The old quad-cam V8 was replaced by a new aluminum-alloy LS1 small block V8 that produced 345 horsepower with a traditional overhead-vale pushrod design thanks to cylinder heads redesigned to maximize airflow, a composite induction system, advanced engine management and electronic fuel injection. For the first time, the Corvette featured a rear-mounted transaxle and was available with a standard four-speed automatic transmission or an optional six-speed manual. The Corvette could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 175 miles per hour. Additional features included antilock brakes, traction control, a tire pressure monitor and run-flat tires. A convertible would debut six months after the coupe.

1997 Dodge Viper GTS

The Dodge Viper was first sold in 1992, and was originally only available as a roadster. In 1996, the Viper saw a facelift, and the Dodge Viper GTS coupe was introduced. The body of the GTS was made almost entirely of composite materials, resulting in the GTS weighing 42.2 pounds less than the roadster, despite the addition of a solid roof. The Viper GTS was powered by a 488-cubic-inch Lamborghini-designed all-aluminum V10 engine that produced 450 horsepower and 490 foot-pounds of torque and featured a six-speed manual transmission. The Viper GTS could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds, cover a quarter-mile in 12.6 seconds at 117 miles per hour, and reach a top speed of 179 miles per hour. The Viper GTS featured 23-inch vented disc brakes at all four corners and had 17-inch alloy wheels that were 10 inches wide in the front and 13 inches wide in the rear.

1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

The Chrysler Sebring Convertible was introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the Chrysler LeBaron Convertible. Though it shares its name with the Mitsubishi-based Sebring coupe introduced in 1995, the Sebring convertible is actually based on the Chrysler Cirrus sedan and features entirely unique sheet metal. The Sebring Convertible was powered by either a 150-horsepower 2.4-liter twin overhead camshaft inline 4-cylinder engine, or an available 168-horsepower Mitsubishi-built 2.5-liter alloy-head overhead-camshaft V6 that could accelerate the Sebring Convertible from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 10.2 seconds, cover a quarter-mile in 17.4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 122 mile per hour. All Sebring Convertibles featured a four-speed automatic transmission, but in 1997 an AutoStick transmission was introduced that allowed gears to be shifted manually by moving the shifter from side to side. The Sebring Convertible's front seatbelts were integrated into the front seats, eliminating the need for a B-pillar and easing rear-seat access. The power convertible top could be lowered in just 10 seconds.

1997 Plymouth Prowler

In 1997, the Plymouth Prowler was brand new, and it came in only one color: Prowler Purple. The rear-wheel drive Prowler was powered by an LHS-derived, 3.5-liter high-output 24-valve sequential multiport electronic fuel injection 60-degree single overhead cam V6 that produced 214 horsepower at 5,850 rpm, with a rear-mounted 4-speed fully adaptive electronically controlled automatic transmission with AutoStick. The Prowler could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.0 seconds with a top speed of 118 miles per hour.

Additional features included an aluminum frame, suspension arms, and body panels and a magnesium instrument panel cross member, cast aluminum 17-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels with Goodyear Extended Mobility run-flat tires and a low tire pressure sensor system, 4-wheel vented disc brakes, stainless steel exhaust manifolds, composite aerodynamic quad projector beam headlights, remote keyless entry system with vehicle theft alarm, power automatic door locks with time delay, dual power mirrors, power windows, electronic speed control, leather-trimmed bucket seats, and a 7-speaker AM/FM/Cassette/6-disc CD Infinity sound system powered by a remote, 320-watt amplifier with eight 40-watt channels, and a three-speaker subwoofer. The original retail price of the Plymouth Prowler was $38,300.