Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1971 Corvette.
The 1971 Chevrolet Corvette occupies a defined place in the model's multi-decade record, a single year-of-production entry within a lineage whose owner-reported complaints have been tracked from 1990 through 2025. Across that span, complaint volumes have varied dramatically — peaking at 588 reports in 2008 and reaching a low of just 8 in 1992 — which places the 1971 early in a reliability history shaped overwhelmingly by far later production years. For the researcher, this positions the 1971 as a quiet baseline against which both the highs and lows of the Corvette's complaint profile can be measured, with its year-of-build preceding the 2008 peak by nearly four decades.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 179.5 in |
| Overall width | 67.7 in |
| Overall height | 46.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 96.5 in |
| Curb weight | 3104 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Corvette of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Stingray LS6 Coupe 7.4L V8 | 5.30 sec | 13.80 sec | 425 hp | RWD |
| 1971 | Stingray LS5 Coupe 7.4L V8 | 5.70 sec | 14.20 sec | 365 hp | RWD |
| 1971 | Stingray LT-1 Coupe 5.7L V8 | 6.00 sec | 14.57 sec | 330 hp | RWD |
| 1971 | Stingray L48 Coupe 5.7L V8 | 7.10 sec | 15.55 sec | 270 hp | RWD |
| 1970 | Stingray 427 Coupe 7.0L V8 | 5.30 sec | 13.80 sec | 390 hp | RWD |
| 1970 | Stingray 454 Coupe 7.4L V8 | 7.00 sec | 15.00 sec | 390 hp | RWD |
| 1969 | Stingray 427 Convertible 7.0L V8 | 6.30 sec | 14.10 sec | 390 hp | RWD |
| 1973 | Stingray LS4 Coupe 7.4L V8 | 6.40 sec | 14.60 sec | 275 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
REMANUFACTURERD REAR BRAKE CALIPERS, PART NOS. 18-7019, 18-7020, 16-7019, AND 16-7020, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2002, TO APRIL, 25, 2003., AND FOR USE ON 1965 THRU 1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTES. THE SUBJECT BRAKE… Remedy: CARDONE WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND ALL UNSOLD INVENTORY WILL BE REPURCHASED AND WILL PROVIDE A FULL REFUND TO CUSTOMERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY…
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.