Hit the Road with a Corvette
For almost 60 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has been enticing car enthusiasts with its beauty, power, and sheer elegance. This car has
become a true icon of American history, and there are few vehicles that share the richness and celebrated heritage that the Corvette
holds. First developed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in 1953, the corvette continues to evolve with the appearance of
modern technology. Since 1953, there have been six different generations of models built and distributed. Appealing to both consumers
and race car drivers, the Corvette continues to deliver top performance and satisfaction to all who own one of these magnificent
vehicles.
History of the Corvette
The first generation of the Corvette was developed by General Motors (GM) Corporation in 1953. Designed by the Vice President of
design at GM Harley Earl, the first model of the sports car was a convertible later displayed as a concept car at the GM Motorama auto
show. Myron Scott a photographer for Chevrolet at the time is credited with naming the Corvette. To come up with the name, he took
inspiration from the small, yet fast warships of the “Corvette” maritime class. When a full-sized fiberglass Chevrolet convertible accidentally
flipped over during a test run, designers noticed that the damage to the body was minimal. Because of this discovery, fiberglass was chosen
as the material for mass production.
The first Corvette model went into full production on June 30, 1953 with each car being built by hand. Exactly 300 Corvette models were
built that first year at the GM facility located in Flint, Michigan. All of the 300 cars produced were white with a red interior, black canvas
roofs and automatic transmissions. In 1954, Corvette production was moved to a new facility in St. Louis Missouri, and in 1981, the first
Corvette came off the assembly line at the facility in Bowling Green, KY where Corvettes are still manufactured today.
C1 Generation (1953-1962)
Over the course of time, the Corvette car has evolved from one generation to the next, making improvements and new landmarks along
the way. The first generation Chevrolet Corvette, also known as the C1 or “solid-axle” model was first produced in 1953 and stopped in
1962. These models were known as solid-axle because they did not have independent rear suspension. There were a number of changes
made to the C1 generation Corvette over time including the first real redesign of the exterior eliminating the tail lamp fins, and adding a
new “face” and side coves to the body in 1956. A new fuel injection option was also made available for the 1957 model making this
engine one of the first in history to reach 1 bhp (horsepower) per cubic inch. The following years saw even more redesigns to the body
including quad headlamps, exhaust tips, and a new steering wheel. In 1962, the first generation Corvettes increased their small-block
engine to 327 cubic inches, producing the highest amount of horsepower making it the fastest car from the C1 generation. This was also
the final year for the wrap around windshields, solid rear axles, and convertible body style.
C2 Generation (1963-1967)
The second generation of Corvettes, known as Sting Rays, appeared from 1963 to 1967. In general, this model of the Corvette was much
smaller in size, had a coupe body style featuring a unique tapering rear deck and a split rear window. Designers of this generation also
invented independent rear suspension and featured hidden headlamps and hood vents on the models. At the request of design expert Zora
Arkus-Duntov, the split rear windows were eliminated in 1964, with the Corvette returning to a full width window. Despite the C2
generation being smaller in size, these versions packed quite a punch with the creation of the 396 cubic inches V8, and the 427 cubic inches
big-block engines. The C2 series were also made lighter in 1962, and popular options included the auto-tuning AM-FM radio, air
conditioning, and headrests.
C3 Generation (1968-1982)
The third generation Corvette (C3) was the most successful of all generations with 542,861 units produced over the 15 year time span.
Larry Shinoda has been credited as the designer for the C3 Corvette. Notable changes include a coke bottle shape, a long engine
compartment and pronounced fenders. The exterior of this Corvette grew from past models, but unfortunately, one of the main problems
was that the interior space had become very cramped. There were no major mechanical changes made to the C3 series because the big
block engines, chassis and suspensions were taken and adapted from the C2 versions. This lack of mechanical design caused performance
to suffer due to the sheer size of the newer models. As the 1970s pressed on, so did the enforcement of stricter emission regulations. To stay
in line with these regulations the C3 Corvette models reduced their power to between 165 and 190 horsepower, which was half of the
preceding generations. Eventually, to comply with emission control and the energy crisis, Chevrolet only offered Corvettes with a 350 cubic
inch V8 engine. These changes to the size and engine power were detrimental to the success of the “Mako Shark” generation of Corvettes.
C4 Generation (1984-1996)
The emergence of fourth generation Corvettes brought with it a new and modernized version, bringing the Corvette nameplate back to the
forefront of the vehicle and creating a much more aerodynamic design. To widen the interior cabin space and create a much more open
feeling, Chevrolet changed the roof from a T-bar to a Targa design. The C4 generation brought with it the appearance of digital instruments
on the dashboards, and this Corvette model was the first by GM to offer an ABS anti-lock braking system. Chevrolet was able to increase
the power of the fourth generation models without altering the engine size, with the 1989 model reaching 250 horsepower. The most notable
model to come from the fourth generation was created in 1990 and was known as the ZR-1. The engine on this machine was incredible,
forcing the car from rest to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. This particular model could also reach an impressive top speed of 180 mph.
However, because the ZR-1 was double the price of the regular Corvette, sales were very low with less than 7,000 units sold over a 6 year
time from 1984 to 1996.
C5 Generation (1997-2004)
Production began in 1997 on the fifth generation of Corvette sports cars and ended in 2004. From these models emerged a new all-aluminum
small block V8 engine which produced a lighter ride, and a gas mileage of up to 28 miles per gallon on the highway. For the first year, this
Corvette was only available in a coupe design, but was later redesigned to be a convertible in 1998, and that was followed up by the
fixed-roof coupe design in 1999. One of the biggest improvements to the C5 series was the switch to transaxle. In order to improve overall
weight distribution, the 6 speed gearbox was moved from the front to back. This change allowed engineers to soften the suspensions in the
vehicle improving ride quality while still maintaining excellent driving control. In 2001, Corvette saw the return of the Z06 model replacing the
fixed-roof coupe as the highest performance model of the fifth generation cars. Features of the Z06 model included a titanium exhaust system,
upgraded brakes, a carbon fiber hood, and an overall decrease in weight. These improvements helped it to become a true competitor in the
world of sports cars.
C6 Generation (2005-Present)
The sixth generation series of Corvette cars began in 2005 and is presently active today. The design of the C6 series is very similar to that of the
C5 series, with a few exceptions. One of the most notable changes is to the bodywork, with exposed headlamps reappearing for the first time
since 1962. The interior cabin has also been increased to make for a larger passenger compartment, and a new 6.0 liter engine is present, giving
the car a 0-60 time in under 4.2 seconds. A new feature called the Computer Aided Gear Selection (CAGS) was invented to stay in line with fuel
efficiency regulations. This system forces drivers to shift directly from first gear to fourth in low speed conditions. New versions of the Z06 are still
churning out with the most recent displaying a 427 cubic inches small block engine that can hit speeds of up to 198 miles per hour. In December
of 2007, the new ZR1 model revealed that it would feature a LS9 engine with a supercharged 6.2-liter engine capable of producing 638 bhp.
This engine is notably the most powerful ever to be placed into a General Motors produced sports car.
Currently, buyers who purchase either the Z06 or ZR1 Corvette models are encouraged to participate in building their car's engines. This
program is known as the “Corvette Engine Build Experience.” Although it does cost an extra $5,800, the opportunity to assist line workers in
creating an automobile masterpiece is very intriguing and participants can choose to have their cars delivered for pick up at the National Corvette
Museum, located in Bowling Green, KY.