Rogers Auto Group

The Corvette debuted in 1953 as a concept car at the GM Motorama, and was a groundbreaking release for GM, who had never before produced a sports car.  Borrowing its moniker from a word for nimble warship, the first generation Corvette was a stylish two-seater convertible that was only offered in a distinct polo white with black top and red interior.  The '53 Corvette's 6-cylinder engine was nicknamed the Blue Flame Special, delivering 150 horsepower with a three-carburetor design and dual exhaust. Only 300 of these 1953 models were produced, hand-built in Flint, Michigan and selling for $3498. 

While the new Corvette was undeniably visually stunning to look at, sales suffered due to its lackluster performance.  It simply wasn't measuring up as a legitimate sports car, earning the unfortunate nickname of the "plastic bathtub."  GM was not one to give up so easily, however, and made some crucial changes to the Corvette over the next few years of production.  A small-block V8 engine was introduced, giving the Corvette its much-needed sports car power, and other upgrades like fuel injection system, a 4-speed manual transmission, and cosmetic styling updates added to the boost.  The Corvette was back in business.

The Corvette gained further momentum and popularity throughout the 1960's, becoming not only a solid vehicle to own but also a key component of American culture, appearing in popular television shows, movies, and magazines. The notable highlight of this second generation (1963-67) of Corvettes was the introduction of the provocatively-designed Sting Ray, available in both a hardtop coupe and convertible, and which featured a distinctive tapering rear deck, hidden headlights, and an independent rear suspension.

The third generation (1968-82) of Corvettes began with the 1968 model, a striking new design that introduced a flamboyant new body shape, hidden windshield wipers and removable T-Tops on Coupe models. This design propelled Corvettes into the highest sales numbers of their history. Corvettes underwent several changes throughout the 70's, dropping the convertible model in 1975 and unveiling its 25th anniversary edition in 1978, which was selected to be the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 that year.

The fourth generation (1984-96) Corvette was the first major redesign since 1968 and was a highly anticipated release.  This 1984 Corvette featured an all-new body design, a double-wishbone front suspension and five-link independent rear suspension teamed with Goodyear Gatorback unidirectional tires. In short, everything about this update was better than before, and the renowned Motor Trend agreed, awarding the '84 Corvette its esteemed Car of the Year award. Fourth generation Corvettes also saw the return of the convertible in 1986, the release of special 35th and 40th anniversary editions in 1988 and 1993, not to mention key improvements in handling and suspension all along the way.

For its fifth generation (1997-2004), Corvette underwent almost a complete redesign, with the transmission relocated to the rear, 18-inch wheels, stronger body frame, and an all-new LS1 engine rated at 350 horsepower. Not only did this new engine give the C5 Corvette unmatched power, it also gave the car great fuel efficiency at 28 mpg on the highway.

The sixth generation (2005-present) Corvette retained the front engine/rear transmission design of the C5 but had all new bodywork with exposed headlamps (for the first time since 1962), a longer wheelbase, larger and more ergonomic passenger compartment, and a new 6.0 liter engine. The C6 has an impressive 0-60 time of less than 4.2 seconds, but also retains some of the fuel efficiency of its predecessor, coming in at 26 mpg highway.

As the only American car to survive more than 50 years of existence, the Corvette clearly has a long-standing celebrated history as both a car and cultural icon, and it is slated to be around for generations to come.