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The Z platform or Z-body automobile platform designation was used on three different types of vehicles made by General Motors.
After the Corvair was discontinued the Corvette utilized the platform from 1972 until 1975 when the "Y platform" was repurposed for the Corvette. The second digit in the VIN number displays vehicles that used this platform followed by either Body Style 37 for coupe or 67 for convertible.
Vehicles using the front-engine/rear-drive Z-body include:
* 1972–1975 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Sport Coupe
* 1972–1975 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible
Z-body
Z {{Modern-auto-stub
Chevrolet Corvair
The first was both generations of theChevrolet Corvair
The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969 in two generations. A response to the Volkswagen Beetle, it remains the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air- ...
from 1960 to 1969, which were a rear-wheel-drive and rear-engine compact car
Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
.
* The Corvair featured a rear-mounted six-cylinder Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine
The Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 is a flat-six air-cooled automobile engine developed by General Motors (GM) in the late 1950s for use in the rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair of the 1960s. It was used in the entire Corvair line, as well as a wide variety ...
that included many aluminum components and an aluminum block, along with a rear swing-axle (up to 1964) suspension and rear transaxle. From 1965 the rear suspension was similar to the then current Corvette except that coils were used in place of a transverse leaf.
Vehicles using the rear-drive/rear-engine Z-body include:
* 1960–1969 Chevrolet Corvair 500
* 1960–1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
* 1965–1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa
Chevrolet Corvette
After the Corvair was discontinued the Corvette utilized the platform from 1972 until 1975 when the "Y platform" was repurposed for the Corvette. The second digit in the VIN number displays vehicles that used this platform followed by either Body Style 37 for coupe or 67 for convertible.
Vehicles using the front-engine/rear-drive Z-body include:
* 1972–1975 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Sport Coupe
* 1972–1975 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible
Saturn S-Series
The third was Saturn's automobile platform from its debut in 1990 until 2002, which werefront-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
compact car
Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
s. This platform was replaced with the GM Delta platform
Delta was a General Motors compact front-wheel drive automobile and crossover SUV platform, originally developed by Opel Group. Delta was a successor to the Opel T platform; it also replaced J platform and the Z platform used by the Saturn ...
.
Vehicles using the front-drive/front-engine Z-body include:
* 1991–2002 Saturn SC
* 1991–2002 Saturn SL
The Saturn S-series is a family of compact cars from the Saturn automobile company of General Motors. Saturn pioneered the brand-wide "no-haggle" sales technique.
The automobile platform, the Z-body, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn, a ...
* 1993–2001 Saturn SW
External links
Z-body
Z {{Modern-auto-stub