The motivation

It was the year of 1952. Chevrolet had caught up with Ford and Chevy management was looking for a way to keep ahead. At the same time General Motors had already been considering to build a sports car of their own. They wanted an exciting, youth-oriented car. But also, world class. GM was also inspired to build an American car to fulfill the yearnings of soldiers returning from war. Overseas, some men fell in love with a woman, while others found a mechanical sweetheart in the classic European sports cars.

Chevrolet was chosen as the Division to do so, and so it happened. "Project Opel" commenced short there after.

After months of hard work, a prototype was ready just in time for the January 1953 Motorama, held at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel. The car was revealed on January 17th of that year. Millions were about to fall in love, and the American roads would never look the same.

C1 - The eye catcher (1953 - 1962)

There, under the lights, sat a sports car unlike anything that had ever been seen before. It was lean. Low to the ground. Curvy. A toothy-grilled roadster with rocket-ship taillights and just enough room in the open cockpit for two adults. It didn't have exterior door handles; it didn't even have roll-up side windows. It could have been another European bullet. But it wasn't. This sexy dream machine was graciously named "Corvette" and had been presented by Chevrolet.

That wasn't the only surprise. Not only was this stunning roadster American, but also, it wasn't made of steel! Instead, the elegant, flowing bodywork was sculpted in fiberglass introducing significant advantages like light weight which would help increase performance, and would dramatically lower cost. When it went into production later in 1953, the Corvette became the country's first-ever mass-produced fiberglass automobile.

Production of the 1953 Corvettes began in June and they were mostly built by hand in Flint, Michigan appearing almost identical to the Motorama car. They were powered by the existing Chevrolet 235-cu.-in. 6-cylinder engine that was modified with a three-carburetor design and dual exhaust to give it more sports car-like performance. Named the Blue Flame Special, this engine generated 150 horsepower, and it was teamed with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission.

300 1953 Corvettes were made. All of them Polo White with red interiors. The base price for Chevy's new two-seater when it finally went on sale in September of 1953 was $3498.

Even though the new Corvette was a sensation, with sales of 3640 in 1954 in part helped by the new color offerings; the powertrain, did not live up to the performance expectations of sports car buyers.

Corvette's evolution into a true sports car began in 1955 when a 265-cu.-in. V8 that generated 195 horsepower was offered. The V8 and Corvette would be together ever since. By the end of the model year, a 3-speed manual transmission was also available. In 1955, driving a prototype V8-powered Corvette, Zora Arkus-Duntov set a new record in the Daytona "Measured Mile" at just over 150 miles per hour. From now on, the words "performance" and "Corvette' would become synonymous.

1956 was the first year a major styling update was given. Changes included an all-new body with "scooped out" sides, outside door handles, roll-up windows and an optional removable hardtop. Power was now up to 240.

In 1957 the 283-cu.-in. V8 was modified with fuel injection to produce an unprecedented 283 horsepower, and a new 4-speed manual transmission was offered as an option, making Corvette one of the first cars in the world to mate a fuel-injected V8 engine with a 4-speed manual gearbox.

Only two years had gone by since the latest body change, but in 1958 the "Vette" gained 9 inches, a couple more of headlamps and another 7 ponies. The Corvette didn't have significant changes to receive the sixties. Less chrome and  no more molded rear taillights were on the order.

In 1961 the big news was at the Corvette's tail. A new rear-end design added four recessed taillights, starting a new styling tradition that continues to this day. The engine output climbed to 315 hp.

The 1962 V8 displacement went up to 327 cubic inches, with a power bump of 45 horses. This was the end of the road for the first-generation Corvette. But with sales over 14,500 units, it went out on a high note.

C2 - A legend is born (1963 - 1967)

In 1963, Chevrolet introduced its all-new-second-generation model: the legendary Sting Ray. It came in both Coupe and Convertible versions for the first time. Both cars featured an all-new body design that was significantly trimmer and more stylish than the previous generation. It was also the first year for another tradition: concealed headlamps. The chassis was all new as well, including an independent rear suspension, as well as available air conditioning and leather. But the most distinguishable feature of the 1963 Sting Ray was that its Coupe version featured a split rear-window design.

With sales of the '63 model over 21,500 units, Chevy didn't want to mess with its new success. So the 1964 Sting Ray had only two major changes: more ponies to top out at 375 hp, and the Coupe rear window was replaced with a single-piece because owners complained about visibility. This has made a split-window Coupe an invaluable collectors item today.

With sales soaring, why change the styling? So for 1965 they didn't, but this would be the year in which the Corvette surpassed the 400 hp mark by offering a big-block V-8, a monstrous 396-cubic-inch "Turbo Jet" good for 425 horsepower. Four-wheel disc brakes stepped up to the plate as well.

1966 didn't bring any styling changes either. The main change was that its optional big-block engine got even bigger: displacement climbed to 427 cubic inches, and max horsepower jumped to 450.

Chevrolet had planned to unveil a new-generation C3 Corvette for '67, but the car was delayed. Instead, the company unveiled one of the most awesome engine options in Vette history: the '67 L88. Officially rated at 430 horsepower, the V-8 actually produced well over 500 hp. Only 20 of the beasts were built.

The C2 left, but not without leaving its mark as the most legendary of them all.

C3 - Long live the King (1968 - 1982)

In the time during which the Sting Ray was a hit, in the earlier 60's a car code named the Mako Shark II made its debut as a show car. Being of the like of many, it was later chosen as the base for the new C3. Its new styling was the first step towards the Corvette we see in show rooms today.

The new-generation Corvette was lower and seven inches longer than its predecessor. And another tradition was about to commence: the removable T-tops. Hidden windshield wipers were also introduced. In 1968, Corvette production hit a new record of 28,566, with its most radical styling change ever. This basic body design would continue to evolve for 15 years.

It was July of 1969 and the US was on top of the world by landing a man on the moon, and the Corvette was on the top of the sports-car world. No significant changes appeared. The only worthy-mentioning change was the reappearance of the "Stingray", just the name though. By the end of the year, Chevrolet produced its Corvette # 250,000.

The Corvette received few styling changes in 1970. Under the hood, the big-block V-8 jumped from 427 cubic inches to 454, and was rated at 390 horsepower in the LS5 version. The original high-performance LT1 engine was introduced. It was 350-cu.-in. The "Small Block" generated 370 horsepower.

Around the time, outside forces, such as the oil embargo and increasing government regulations, were having an impact on Corvette performance. These were convulsive times. The world would ever more environmentally conscious, so GM in 1971, mandated that all of its products would run on unleaded fuels. The Corvette of this year was not an exception. In anticipation of meeting that objective, the '71 Corvette offered engines designed to use low-lead gasoline. Still, a special-purpose "Big Block" V8 was available that produced 425 horsepower. The bodywork carried on unchanged.

1972 would have another significant change, but rather than bringing a visual change, it would be about how we talk. Horsepower ratings would change. The industry changed to a "net" rating system that accounted for the exhaust system, vehicle accessories and other components, rather than a "gross" measurement. It provided a truer measure of an engine's performance and it is still used today. This way the max horsepower suddenly stepped down to "only" 270, and it would need to start growing bigger all over again for us to feel we were talking "big" numbers once again.

The most noticeable change for '73 was the lack of a chrome front bumper. The new nose, covered in body-color urethane, was designed to withstand 5-mph impacts without damage. Yes, the safety race was about to commence. Chevy also added steel side-impact door beams and radial tires. Max output, in the 454 V-8, climbed to 275 horsepower.

1974 was the year in which the chrome was finally gone. The Vette featured a molded-plastic rear bumper to match the integrated front bumper introduced the year before. This was also the last Corvette not to have a catalytic converter, and the last year for the famed big-block V-8. Sales were strong: Chevy sold more than 37,000 Corvettes.

The Convertible model was dropped at the end of the 1975 model year. The next Corvette Convertible would not be available until 1986. Output ranged from 165 horsepower to 205.

1976 showed sales of more than 46,500 Corvettes. Some believe it was mostly due to the pride of being an American in its bicentennial year. Regardless of the reason, the love affair was stronger than ever.

The 500,000th Corvette rolled off the assembly line in mid-March of 1977. Leather seats were standard for the first time. And sales were through the roof: Chevy produced 49,213 coupes establishing a new Corvette record.

To celebrate the Corvette's 25th Anniversary, Chevrolet unveiled the most significant restyling since the '68 model, which included a new fastback rear window. In recognition to its anniversary, it was selected to be the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500. A limited edition replica of this car was sold to the public. The division also produced a Silver Anniversary model.

With a record production of 53,807 coupes, the '79 ranks as the most popular Corvette ever built. Power was up to 225 hp at its maximum.

Regulations, regulations. The 1980 Corvettes received speedometers that read to a maximum of 85 mph (a new Federal requirement). Other rules: tightened emissions. You couldn't buy a 350-cubic-inch V-8 in California. Golden State buyers had to settle for got a 305 V-8 instead.

For 1981 the 350-cubic-inch V-8 was back on sale in California, and the Computer Command Control system used on 1980 California Vettes was now standard in all models.

1982 marked the last year of the third-generation Corvettes, a design that lived the most of them all: 15 consecutive years, making it the most-selling, longest-standing model to date.

C4 - The world is at storm (1984 - 1996)

Chevrolet unveiled perhaps the most radically new Corvette since the ’63 Sting Ray: the all-new, 1984 C4. For rival automakers, it was future shock come true, and for the public, well, they went wild, yet once again. In addition to an all-new body design, its features included a new, highly responsive suspension; a rear hatch window; a “4+3” manual transmission; and advanced electronic instruments. The introduction of the 1984 Corvette was one of the most eagerly awaited vehicle announcements in recent history, and it didn't disappoint anyone.

For '85 the suspension was revised for an improved ride, and the 350-cubic-inch V-8 received new Bosch tuned-port fuel injection which helped to boost output from 205 horsepower to 230.

For 1986, the Corvette Convertible was back! To celebrate the convertible's return, Corvette again paced the Indy 500 and all convertibles were designated Pace Car replicas. The evolution of Corvette as a world-class performance car also continued with the addition of new standard 4-wheel ABS and continued suspension fine-tuning.

Engine output increased 5 horsepower, to 240 in 1987, and electronic air conditioning was now available on convertibles as well as coupes.

Chevrolet celebrated their 35th Anniversary with a Special Anniversary Edition Corvette. The 1988 package included a white exterior with black roof supports, a white-leather interior, special emblems, and an anniversary plaque.

1989 was a GREAT year for the Corvette as Chevrolet unveiled a six-speed manual transmission, and making the Performance Handling Package standard equipment. So were 17-inch wheels and tires. The Selective Ride Control adjustable suspension system was also introduced, allowing drivers to choose between three different operating modes: "Touring," "Sport" and "Performance." And to add more icing to the cake, a low-tire-pressure warning system that alerted drivers whenever any tire’s pressure dropped below a predetermined limit was made available.

The sports car was shocked in 1990 when Chevrolet released its awesome ZR-1 Corvette. Under the hood was the all-new LT5, an engine designed in conjunction with Lotus and capable of 375 HP. The Corvette was now one of the world's fastest cars. The maximum horsepower of the standard L98 engine was increased to 250.

For 1991 Chevrolet restyled the "standard" Corvette so its rear fascia more closely resembled the muscular tail of the high-output ZR-1. It included wrap-around front parking/cornering lamps.

The Corvette reached another milestone when, on July 2nd, 1992, the one millionth Vette rolled off the assembly line. Performance continued to grow with the introduction of the second-generation LT1, which achieved 300 horsepower for the base Corvette once again. The engine was designated LT1 because it was the first Chevy "Small Block" to surpass the horsepower of the original LT1 in 1970.

The 40th anniversary had arrived and success was celebrated with a special 40th Anniversary option available on all models which included a Ruby Red exterior and same color leather seats. Horsepower in for the ZR-1 reached 405 HP pushing the top speed to nearly 180 mph.

In '94 as in previous years, no significant changes were seen. Some refinements in the engine as well as in the interior were the focus.

It was the end of the road for the ZR-1, and once again the Corvette served as the Official 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

A high-compression version of the small-block V-8 known as the LT4 was available in 1996. It produced 330 horsepower. Two distinctive Corvettes are also part of the final C4 lineup: the Grand Sport and Collector Edition. Both celebrate the rich heritage of the Corvette, and mark the end of the fourth generation.

The world would look at the Corvette (and American car making for that matter) differently afterwards.

C5 - Good turns great (1997 - 2004)

Raising an already high bar, Chevrolet unveiled its all-new, fifth-generation Corvette to an awestruck public, and offered it as a 1997 model year. Stand-out features included an all-new 345-horsepower LS1 V-8 engine, a lengthened wheelbase, and a dazzling new exterior with side coves reminiscent of the Vettes of the Fifties.

A year later, two notable features reappeared: a convertible model and an exterior-access trunk (the first since 1962). Chevy also introduced an Active Handling System that automatically applied the appropriate brake(s) to enhance stability in slippery road conditions.

A new hardtop model joined the targa-topped coupe and the convertible for '99; the hardtop was available only with a manual transmission and was the Corvette price leader. Also new as an optional Head Up Display that projected readouts of the vital instruments onto the windshield for easy viewing.

Many upgrades carried the Corvette across the threshold of 2000 and into the new century. Among them: the Performance Handling Package received larger front and rear stabilizer bars, wheel options were shuffled, the dual-zone climate-control system was refined, and window seals were improved.

In 2001 the big news was the revival of a name from the past: a Z06 performance model. Powered by a thundering 385-horsepower LS6 engine, the Z06 featured a six-speed manual transmission, a lightweight titanium exhaust system, a high-performance FE4 suspension, and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

The muscular LS6 V-8 in the high-performance 2002 Z06 model got even better with horsepower climbing from 385 to 405, while torque jumped from 385 pound-feet to 400. Chevrolet also sweetened the Z06 suspension, revising the rear shock valving for an improved ride and even better handling control.

In a history where entered the 20th century the automobile was still an uncommon sighting, to achieve 50 years of winning the hearts of many and the envy of another respectable few; the Corvette against all belief at the time when the journey started can now say: "have been there, done that", and best of all in style and smoking its competitors while looking at them through the rearview mirror. To celebrate, Chevy released a special 50th Anniversary Edition, featuring a special ruby-red exterior, shale-colored leather, and embroidered interior logos.

2004 just brought more of the same. And the same was good.

C6 - The best ever (starting 2005)

Competitors were still scratching their heads trying to understand what had happened. What had they missed? How can they do this?

Chevrolet calls it: the "all-new C6". Car and Driver ® called it C5 and 11/16ths, and they argue that "there’s a lot of C5 under the new skin, which is no insult, considering the C5’s merits". Why change an already great car? Well actually Chevy didn't. They just made it better. It looks better. It's faster, more refined, and electronically enhanced. The wheelbase has been stretched 1.2 inches, enhancing ride quality, and overall length has been trimmed 5.1 inches. The C5’s standard 350-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 has been replaced by a 400-hp, 6.0-liter version. Mated with the improved (shorter shift throws) six-speed manual, it scoots the C6 to 60 in 4.3 seconds. Only the C5 Z06 is quicker, and a big up tick (500 horsepower, 500 pound-feet) is expected on the Z06 front when the C6 edition debuts this month in Detroit.

The only survivor

If you read through this carefully, you might have noticed that I skipped the year of 1983. Well, that was on purpose. Officially, there were no 1983 Corvettes. 44 of them were built, but they were never sold to the public. Since this was the original year for the C4 to start sales and production was so late (and the C3 was still selling well), Chevrolet decided to push back the C4 introduction to March of 1983 as an early 1984 model.

So what happened to the 44 1983 Corvettes? 11 were retained for assembly process evaluations and other tests. The remaining 33 went to engineering for crash tests and other engineering appraisals. The cars also saw duty at the long lead press preview at Riverside Raceway in December 1982. For these reasons, all but one of the 44 1983 pilot cars were destroyed. Only serial number 23 was retained by the assembly plant as a relic of the past. It resides today at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. And the picture shown here is a picture of it on display.

The story behind the logo

Just four days before the new Corvette's introduction at the Motorama on January 16th, 1953 the GM management team informed the styling team that the front emblem (seen here) and the horn button containing the likeness of the American flag had to go. It just wasn't proper to have a country's flag in an automobile emblem not to mention being against the law. Overnight, new emblems were fabricated and installed on the Motorama car. When the first Corvette was shown to the press at the Motorama in New York City, the front emblems and horn button contained a black and white checkered flag and a red Chevrolet bow-tie and fleur-de-lis.

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