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Chronology of Chevrolet Corvette
The Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. It was the first all-American sports car built by an American car manufacturer. Today, it is being manufactured at the General Motors manufacturing centre in Kentucky.
The Chevrolet Corvette has written its name in the history of automobiles and has solidified itself as the benchmark in the history of American Sports Cars; a title it still holds on to until today. The Chevrolet Corvette debuted in the world as an answer to the growing popularity of European sports cars in America. Harley Earl, who worked for GM, dreamed of an all-American sports car and the outcome of that dream was the EX-122 in 1953 which came famous as the Corvette.
The first ten 1953 Corvettes were hand built and all Corvettes of that year sport a clean, simple, slick white exterior with red interior with a black canvas top. The Corvette headlights feature a mesh mask that accentuated the sports car image. The 1953 Corvette is the most sought after by collectors, not only is it the first year that Corvettes came into existence, but only 300 of these sports cars were created.
A year later, the Corvette did not have glass windows, but plastic side curtains. Thought this new look of the car was not a huge success, today we admire it for its classic lines and sophisticated look. But the 1955 Corvette had a V8 engine and an electric windshield wiper. The 1956 Corvette is considered to be one of the most stylish looking sports cars in history. This was a huge year for the Corvette - a cutting edge body design, roll up windows, outside door handles, a hard top, and options for electric windows and power top were available. This design continued for four years till the swinging sixties.
The 1960 Corvette is a classic sports car that has tremendous value for any car collector. It's a car that never ages and attracts attention wherever you go. The year 1961 was a huge milestone in cementing the Corvette as a sports car of the future. The 1961 Corvette was upgraded in many ways - the sleek rear deck, interior lights, an aluminum radiator, sun visors, parking brake warning lamp and the windshield washer were standard equipment. The 1962 Corvette is a more subdued redesign that reeks of subtle, sporty elegance. The following year was a watershed year for the Corvette with a revolutionary new design and stunning aerodynamics. The 1964 Corvette saw minimal changes which included a split rear window to a one piece and the elimination of the fake hood vents. The 1965 Corvette sported the first Big Block 425 bhp engine that racing enthusiasts applauded. Moreover, the car boasted of the four-wheel disc brakes which were a huge step up from the drum brakes of the past. The 1966 Corvette was the first Corvette to sport block engines with the option of either having 390 bhp or 425 bhp. The 1967 Corvette's stinger hood became a Corvette trademark and the front fender's gills are exclusive to it. The 1968 Corvette was a design trend setter. The distinctive body shape became known as the ‘Coke Bottle’ shape. The 1969 Corvette compensated for the functionality criticisms of the previous year's design - namely an increase in interior room.
The Chevrolet Corvette came to be known as a real man's car in the seventies. The 1970 Corvette saw some subtle changes. The vividly curved under body side of the previous year was found to be vulnerable to stone damage so Chevrolet implemented some flaring after each wheel to compensate. The seats were made to be more comfortable as well. 1971 was a dramatic year for the American sports car. Federal regulations dictated that it run on low lead fuel, which resulted in a decreased engine power.
The 1972 Corvette was the last Corvette to sport front chrome bumpers and the power of the car was decreased to 270 bhp due to more stringent air pollution laws. The 1973 Corvette received a new hood and the rear window was no longer removable. The 1974 Corvette adhered to new safety regulations which stated that the rear chrome bumpers needed to go and the two piece rear bumper design was unique to the 1974 Corvette. The next upgrade in the Corvette came in 1977 with an AM/FM/cassette stereo and the 1977 Corvette offered more refined cruising experience. Leather upholstery came as standard feature and a new sales record is set in that year.
The Chevrolet Corvette has written its name in the history of automobiles and has solidified itself as the benchmark in the history of American Sports Cars; a title it still holds on to until today. The Chevrolet Corvette debuted in the world as an answer to the growing popularity of European sports cars in America. Harley Earl, who worked for GM, dreamed of an all-American sports car and the outcome of that dream was the EX-122 in 1953 which came famous as the Corvette.
The first ten 1953 Corvettes were hand built and all Corvettes of that year sport a clean, simple, slick white exterior with red interior with a black canvas top. The Corvette headlights feature a mesh mask that accentuated the sports car image. The 1953 Corvette is the most sought after by collectors, not only is it the first year that Corvettes came into existence, but only 300 of these sports cars were created.
A year later, the Corvette did not have glass windows, but plastic side curtains. Thought this new look of the car was not a huge success, today we admire it for its classic lines and sophisticated look. But the 1955 Corvette had a V8 engine and an electric windshield wiper. The 1956 Corvette is considered to be one of the most stylish looking sports cars in history. This was a huge year for the Corvette - a cutting edge body design, roll up windows, outside door handles, a hard top, and options for electric windows and power top were available. This design continued for four years till the swinging sixties.
The 1960 Corvette is a classic sports car that has tremendous value for any car collector. It's a car that never ages and attracts attention wherever you go. The year 1961 was a huge milestone in cementing the Corvette as a sports car of the future. The 1961 Corvette was upgraded in many ways - the sleek rear deck, interior lights, an aluminum radiator, sun visors, parking brake warning lamp and the windshield washer were standard equipment. The 1962 Corvette is a more subdued redesign that reeks of subtle, sporty elegance. The following year was a watershed year for the Corvette with a revolutionary new design and stunning aerodynamics. The 1964 Corvette saw minimal changes which included a split rear window to a one piece and the elimination of the fake hood vents. The 1965 Corvette sported the first Big Block 425 bhp engine that racing enthusiasts applauded. Moreover, the car boasted of the four-wheel disc brakes which were a huge step up from the drum brakes of the past. The 1966 Corvette was the first Corvette to sport block engines with the option of either having 390 bhp or 425 bhp. The 1967 Corvette's stinger hood became a Corvette trademark and the front fender's gills are exclusive to it. The 1968 Corvette was a design trend setter. The distinctive body shape became known as the ‘Coke Bottle’ shape. The 1969 Corvette compensated for the functionality criticisms of the previous year's design - namely an increase in interior room.
The Chevrolet Corvette came to be known as a real man's car in the seventies. The 1970 Corvette saw some subtle changes. The vividly curved under body side of the previous year was found to be vulnerable to stone damage so Chevrolet implemented some flaring after each wheel to compensate. The seats were made to be more comfortable as well. 1971 was a dramatic year for the American sports car. Federal regulations dictated that it run on low lead fuel, which resulted in a decreased engine power.
The 1972 Corvette was the last Corvette to sport front chrome bumpers and the power of the car was decreased to 270 bhp due to more stringent air pollution laws. The 1973 Corvette received a new hood and the rear window was no longer removable. The 1974 Corvette adhered to new safety regulations which stated that the rear chrome bumpers needed to go and the two piece rear bumper design was unique to the 1974 Corvette. The next upgrade in the Corvette came in 1977 with an AM/FM/cassette stereo and the 1977 Corvette offered more refined cruising experience. Leather upholstery came as standard feature and a new sales record is set in that year.
New fuel standards necessitated that the 1980 Corvette become lighter. A thinner hood, frame, door panels and windshield helped the Corvette grow thin. The 1981 Corvette included a Computer Command Control that allowed reduction of smog and fuel consumption. The 1982 Corvette was reminiscence of the early Corvette as it came only with an automatic gearbox.
The following year was an incredibly down year for the Corvette as no Corvettes were sold in 1983 and Chevrolet made only 44 units that year for crash testing and other evaluation methods, and out of those only one 1983 Corvette survived to this day which is secured by the National Corvette Museum. The 1984 Corvette was a completely new Corvette, which was welcomed by Corvette fans. The 1985 Corvette was equipped with a Tuned Port Injection system.
After an absence of 10 years, the 1986 Corvette convertible emerged! The 1987 Corvette offered the option to include a Callaway Twin Turbo Engine Package which would allow the speedster to travel up to 285 km/h. On the occasion of its 35th anniversary in 1988, the 1988 Corvette came in all white, just like all the 1953 Corvettes and in came only as coupe. The 1989 Corvette was fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission and an option for a tire pressure monitoring system.
As Corvette entered the 1990s, Government regulations dictated that all 1990 Corvettes come installed with a driver's side airbag. The 1991 Corvette came with a makeover with more streamlined, thinner nose, the wrap-around front turn signals, and square tail lights. The aluminum wheels were also re-designed. The next year was a landmark year for the sports car as the one millionth Corvette was produced on July 2, 1992. The LT1 motor was introduced in the 1992 Corvette that gave 20% more horsepower.
In 1993, the Corvette celebrated its 40th anniversary with a commemorative 40th Anniversary Package. The 1994 Corvette saw the addition of a passenger side air bag, leather seats and knee bolster as standard. The Corvette was chosen as the pace car for the Indy 500 in 1995. The 1996 Corvette came with two special models, the Collector's Edition and the Grand Sport. The coming year was a great year for the Corvette as the brand new C5. Refined comfort, re-styled body, a new LS1 engine, the drivetrain, the chassis - all of the 1997 Corvette was new and signaled that the Corvette had achieved state of the art power and style while improving comfort. In 1998, the C5 Corvette Convertible emerged on the automotive scene. The 1998 Corvette was awarded Motor Trend magazine's “Car of the Year” award for its coupe and convertible. In 1999, the C5 hardtop emerged. Ushering into the new millennium, the Corvette renewed its energy with the new Z06 Corvette in 2001. The new LS6 engine offered a powerful upgrade with 385 bhp. The 2002 Corvette came with an increased 405 bhp and an AM/FM/CD player took the place of the standard cassette player.
In 2003, the Corvette celebrated its 50th birthday and the 2003 Corvette was again the pace car for the Indy 500. Two years later, the C6 Corvette emerged on the scene in an effort to counteract some of the criticisms of the C5. The 2006 Corvette sported a 7-liter engine and the 2007 Corvette was upgraded with airbag technology and two tone leather seats with embroidered race flags. The 2008 Corvette came with a new LS3 engine that churned out a powerful 430 bhp.
Coming to 2009, the Corvette became the super-charged Corvette that fans have been waiting for the past two years. Powered by a forced induction engine, the 2009 Corvette is a force to be reckoned with like no other Corvette in the last 25 years.
The following year was an incredibly down year for the Corvette as no Corvettes were sold in 1983 and Chevrolet made only 44 units that year for crash testing and other evaluation methods, and out of those only one 1983 Corvette survived to this day which is secured by the National Corvette Museum. The 1984 Corvette was a completely new Corvette, which was welcomed by Corvette fans. The 1985 Corvette was equipped with a Tuned Port Injection system.
After an absence of 10 years, the 1986 Corvette convertible emerged! The 1987 Corvette offered the option to include a Callaway Twin Turbo Engine Package which would allow the speedster to travel up to 285 km/h. On the occasion of its 35th anniversary in 1988, the 1988 Corvette came in all white, just like all the 1953 Corvettes and in came only as coupe. The 1989 Corvette was fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission and an option for a tire pressure monitoring system.
As Corvette entered the 1990s, Government regulations dictated that all 1990 Corvettes come installed with a driver's side airbag. The 1991 Corvette came with a makeover with more streamlined, thinner nose, the wrap-around front turn signals, and square tail lights. The aluminum wheels were also re-designed. The next year was a landmark year for the sports car as the one millionth Corvette was produced on July 2, 1992. The LT1 motor was introduced in the 1992 Corvette that gave 20% more horsepower.
In 1993, the Corvette celebrated its 40th anniversary with a commemorative 40th Anniversary Package. The 1994 Corvette saw the addition of a passenger side air bag, leather seats and knee bolster as standard. The Corvette was chosen as the pace car for the Indy 500 in 1995. The 1996 Corvette came with two special models, the Collector's Edition and the Grand Sport. The coming year was a great year for the Corvette as the brand new C5. Refined comfort, re-styled body, a new LS1 engine, the drivetrain, the chassis - all of the 1997 Corvette was new and signaled that the Corvette had achieved state of the art power and style while improving comfort. In 1998, the C5 Corvette Convertible emerged on the automotive scene. The 1998 Corvette was awarded Motor Trend magazine's “Car of the Year” award for its coupe and convertible. In 1999, the C5 hardtop emerged. Ushering into the new millennium, the Corvette renewed its energy with the new Z06 Corvette in 2001. The new LS6 engine offered a powerful upgrade with 385 bhp. The 2002 Corvette came with an increased 405 bhp and an AM/FM/CD player took the place of the standard cassette player.
In 2003, the Corvette celebrated its 50th birthday and the 2003 Corvette was again the pace car for the Indy 500. Two years later, the C6 Corvette emerged on the scene in an effort to counteract some of the criticisms of the C5. The 2006 Corvette sported a 7-liter engine and the 2007 Corvette was upgraded with airbag technology and two tone leather seats with embroidered race flags. The 2008 Corvette came with a new LS3 engine that churned out a powerful 430 bhp.
Coming to 2009, the Corvette became the super-charged Corvette that fans have been waiting for the past two years. Powered by a forced induction engine, the 2009 Corvette is a force to be reckoned with like no other Corvette in the last 25 years.
