Celebrating seven decades of the Chevrolet Corvette

What came to life as a design-led concept gradually became a symbol of American performance. Collectors have preserved and restored it, musicians have written songs about it, private and factory-backed teams have raced it, and rivals have often tried to imitate it. While the model has gone through countless evolutions over the past seven decades, and more are in the pipeline, it has never strayed far from its original mission of providing performance and style at relatively reasonable price point.

Join us for a look at where the Corvette comes from, where it’s been, and where it’s headed:

Chevrolet’s best-known nameplate started life as a sporty, futuristic-looking concept built in 1952 and called EX-122 internally. Designed by Harley Earl and Bob McLean, the EX-122 was assigned the Corvette name and presented as a design study at the General Motors Motorama on January 10, 1953, in New York City. At the time, the two-seater was merely a styling exercise — production hadn’t been officially announced yet. It generated hugely positive reactions from the public and the press alike.

Chevrolet brought the EX-122 concept to production with only minor changes for the 1953 model year. The convertible featured an innovative fiberglass body (something that many of Chevrolet’s peers and rivals tried to bring to production and failed), a distinctive chrome grille, and a 3.9-liter straight-six engine called Blue Flame. Production started on June 30, 1953 in Flint, Michigan. Early examples of the Corvette were mostly hand-built and Chevrolet made many changes during the production run.

The Corvette got off to a relatively slow start, both in terms of production and in terms of performance. Its 3.9-liter straight-six engine was rated at 150bhp, a figure which made it quick but not exceptionally so. Pricing started at $3498 (about $37,200 in today's money) and Chevrolet built 300 units during the 1953 model year. The main options available that year were a signal-seeking AM radio and a heater.

And yet, Chevrolet envisioned a bright future for the model: it planned to build 1000 units of the Corvette per month by June 1954 and it predicted that it could sell around 10,000 units annually.

Chevrolet made the first major change to the Corvette when it added a 4.3-liter V8 engine to the range for 1955: the brand new Chevy small-block unit that would become a legend in itself. Priced as a $135 option (about $1500 today), the eight-cylinder put 195bhp under the driver’s right foot and quickly became the Corvette’s volume engine; sales of the six-cylinder-powered model collapsed and it left the range after 1955. The V8’s output grew to 210bhp the following model year. PICTURE: 1957 model.

By the late 1950s, the Corvette had become a key part of the Chevrolet portfolio; it had also inspired a number of competitors and imitators. Designers kept the roadster fresh by redesigning it for 1958 with four round headlights, a new-look grille, and an updated interior. That year, the standard engine was a 4.3-liter V8 rated at 230bhp but buyers could pay extra for a 290bhp version of it with fuel injection.

And, Chevrolet’s prediction nearly came true: 9168 units of the Corvette were built during the 1958 model year, up from 6339 cars the previous year. The 10,000-unit mark was first crossed in 1960. PICTURE: 1960 model.

The second-generation Corvette made its debut for 1963 with a completely new look defined by concealed headlights and a split rear window, among other styling cues. And, for the first time, the model was offered both as a coupe and as a convertible. V8 power still came standard, but Chevrolet added “Sting Ray” to the name to further help the new Corvette stand out from its predecessor.

Chevrolet priced the coupe and convertible versions of the 1963 Corvette at $4257 (approximately $40,000 today) and $4037 (about $38,000 today), respectively. The standard engine that year was a 5.4-liter V8 that sent 250bhp to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission, though buyers could order a four-speed manual, an automatic, and more powerful engines at an extra cost. Selecting the fuel-injected 5.4-liter V8 (called L84 internally) gave the Sting Ray 360bhp.

10,594 units of the coupe and 10,919 examples of the convertible were built for 1962.

1968 brought significant updates inside and out as the Corvette entered its third generation. The front and rear ends were completely redesigned and the fastback model was replaced by a coupe with a two-piece removable roof panel.

Buyers had numerous ways to configure the Corvette, Chevrolet offered no less than 10 paint colors, several V8 engines, and even an off-road exhaust system, but some features were more popular than others: the convertible represented the bulk of Corvette sales that year.

At launch, the third-generation Corvette cost $4663 as a coupe and $4347 as a convertible, numbers that represent around $38,100 and $35,500, respectively, in 2022. The base drivetrain was a 5.4-liter V8 rated at 300bhp and a three-speed manual transmission, though bigger and more powerful eight-cylinders (including a 7.0-liter conservatively rated at 435bhp) and a four-speed manual and an automatic gearbox were optional. Sales totaled 9,936 coupes and 18,630 convertibles in 1968.

Chevrolet made numerous changes to the third-generation Corvette during its production run. 1978 brought a wrap-around rear window (pictured) that gave the coupe a more fastback-like roof line, while 1980 models lost about 250lbs thanks in part to lighter doors and thinner glass. Production ended in 1982.

After sitting out the 1983 model year, the Corvette returned for 1984 with a more aerodynamic exterior design that borrowed a handful of styling cues from its predecessor, a comprehensively updated interior that notably incorporated digital gauges, and a standard four-speed manual transmission. For many enthusiasts, the fourth-generation model (sometimes referred to as the C4) is the first modern Corvette. It fell perfectly in line with the styling trends of the 1980s while remaining true to its lineage.

Initially offered only as a coupe with a removable roof panel, the fourth-generation Corvette carried a base price of $23,360 (about $63,800 today) in 1984. It came standard with a 5.7-liter V8 rated at 205bhp. While that number paled in comparison to the horsepower figures offered by earlier Corvette models, the C4 was an immediate hit: 51,547 units were sold during the 1984 model year. PICTURE: 1987 model.

Chevrolet called the Corvette ZR-1 “King of the Hill” during the development process. It was envisioned as a range-topping super-Corvette capable of fending off competition from much more expensive rivals.

Power came from a 32-valve, 5.7-liter V8 engine developed with input from Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. Other changes made to the ZR-1 included a wider rear track and rectangular rear lights. Chevrolet also made the Selective Ride adjustable suspension system standard on the ZR-1 (it was optional on some of the other Corvette variants). These performance-oriented improvements came at a significant cost: pricing for the ZR-1 started at $58,995 (about $128,100 today) in 1990, its first year on the market, compared to $31,797 (about $69,100 today) for the base model.

The venerable fourth-generation Corvette finally retired after the 1996 model year, and its successor made its debut for 1997. Here again, designers updated the exterior without completely reinventing it; the C5 remained instantly recognizable as a Corvette, and it even kept the C4’s pop-up headlights in an era when most carmakers were moving away from this feature. Headline changes included a new 5.7-liter V8 engine called LS1 internally, a rear-mounted transaxle, and a longer list of electronics — this was the late 1990s, after all. Moving the transmission to the back of the car improved weight distribution.

Like the C4, the C5 was exclusively available as a coupe when it made its debut. The only engine available at launch was the aforementioned LS1, which was rated at 345bhp. It spun the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission, though buyers could order a six-speed manual. Pricing started at $37,495 (about $66,300 today), and Chevrolet sold 9092 units of the Corvette in 1997.

First used to denote an option package on the second-generation Corvette, the Z06 name returned for 2001 on a track-inspired evolution of the fifth-generation Corvette. Many years of racing inspired the changes made: the Z06 featured lighter wheels, thinner glass, a titanium exhaust system, and less sound-deadening material, among other modifications. It weighed around 100lbs less than a standard coupe, and it was fitted with a 5.7-liter V8 rated at 385bhp and bolted to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Chevrolet unveiled the sixth-generation Corvette in 2004 as a 2005 model, and it didn’t take a well-trained eye to tell it apart from its predecessor. For the first time in decades, the Corvette’s headlights were exposed. While it the C6 was related to the C5 in some areas, it was slightly shorter and narrower yet its wheelbase grew ever so slightly; these changes altered the model’s proportions. New features made their way into the cabin as well, including heated seats and an available navigation system.

The sixth-generation Corvette launched with a 6.0-liter V8 called LS2 internally. Rated at 400bhp, it was celebrated as the most powerful base engine ever fitted to a Corvette. Chevrolet again made a six-speed manual transmission standard, though a four-speed automatic was offered as an option, and buyers who wanted firmer handling and better brakes could pay extra for the Z51 Performance Package.

Pricing for the C6 Corvette started at $44,245 including destination, a figure that represents about $64,300 in 2022. The line-up included a coupe with a removable roof panel and a convertible.

Chevrolet dusted off the ZR1 nameplate (and got rid of the hyphen) for 2009. Positioned at the top of the range, the ZR1 benefited from an aluminum frame shared with the Z06, several carbon fiber panels added to keep weight in check, and a mighty 6.2-liter V8 engine supercharged to 638bhp. At launch, the Corvette ZR1 was proudly presented as the fastest and most powerful production car ever released by General Motors. Enthusiasts could see the big V8 through a transparent panel embedded in the hood.

2014 marked the launch of the seventh-generation Corvette and the return of the Stingray nameplate. Coupe and convertible models offered a then-new 6.2-liter V8 engine called LT1 internally, an available seven-speed manual transmission, numerous aluminum and carbon fiber components to keep weight in check, and a sharper-looking exterior design. Chevrolet proudly noted that the C7 Corvette only shared two parts with its predecessor, a comment that some interpreted as a thinly-veiled response to the enthusiasts and journalists who had complained that the C6 was too closely related to the C5.

The 6.2-liter V8 again raised the horsepower bar. At launch, the Corvette put 455bhp under the driver’s right foot, which was more than any base model before it. Selecting the optional performance exhaust system increased that figure to 460, and Chevrolet pegged the model’s 0-60mph time at under 4.0sec. Pricing started at $51,995 for the coupe and $56,995 for the convertible including destination.

Chevrolet again pelted the Corvette into supercar territory when it launched the ZR1 evolution of the seventh-generation Corvette for 2019. Building on the sixth-generation model’s foundations, the coupe featured a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 called LT5 and tuned to 755bhp thanks in part to a clever dual fuel-injection system. Big power plus a significant reduction in weight created the fastest production Corvette that Chevrolet had ever launched. And, surprisingly, buyers who didn’t want the seven-speed manual transmission could order an eight-speed automatic — a first in the ZR1 nameplate’s history.

Decades of rumors, reports with varying degrees of credibility, wild concepts, mysterious prototypes, and subtle hints materialized when Chevrolet released the eighth-generation Corvette with a mid-mounted V8 engine. This represented the biggest shift in the nameplate’s history. Moving the engine behind the passenger compartment created a completely different Corvette with new proportions and a rear-biased weight distribution that in turn affected handling. It’s normally difficult for carmakers to make such a significant change without upsetting enthusiasts, but Chevrolet pulled it off with the C8.

Chevrolet managed to give the Corvette supercar-like styling without a supercar-like price. Released as a 2020 model, the C8 carried a base price of $59,995, though the more expensive trim levels were priced closer to $70,000. Only one powertrain was available at launch: a 6.2-liter V8 tuned to 490bhp in its standard state of tune and bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission linked to shift paddles. Chevrolet notably hasn’t announced plans to offer the eighth-generation Corvette with a stick-shift.

Chevrolet has numerous evolutions of the C8 Corvette in the pipeline. While rumors and speculation are rampant, one of the few official morsels of information available as of writing is that the Z06 will return with a 5.5-liter naturally-aspirated V8 called LT6 and tuned to 670bhp. We’re told that engineers spent about two years fine-tuning the exhaust system’s sound, so we’re expecting great things from this car. Offered only with an automatic transmission, the 2023 Corvette Z06 will enter production in 2022.