Yes there was. My father bough a 1974 VW. Beetle as a second car. It was inexpensive and he had about a 20 min drive back and forth to the steel mill he worked at. The Bug got great gas mileage compared to the Plymouth Satellite he had with a 318 V8. He owned it about 2 years and caught crap daily for driving not only driving a foreign car, but a German made car.

I believe the C4 is a good starter for you coming from a small FWD platform. It isn’t crazy hp that you’ll do something bad, however it is enough to have some fun and get used to a vehicle that has more power. As was said above, don’t overthink it. Take it out and have some fun. Be cautious but get to know the car. Welcome to the Vette Club!

It is rare, but not weird IMO. Maybe because I grew up in that era and remember them making these variants and seeing them in the street in the Detroit area.