The Corvette is the ultimate American car. No matter where your heart lies in terms of allegiance we all know that at the end of the day no other car from the states has the pedigree, panache or presence that Corvette does worldwide.
What started out as a fairly low powered but striking convertible transformed to fit the times over and over again. Like Madonna, it transcended just one niche and managed to be successful throughout its history. It is so familiar that in many circles it's lost some of that specialness and many used examples can be found for what equates to amazing deals. Today it stands as a new frontier, the first Mid-Engine sub $100,000 American Muscle car to be released in over 2 decades.
What stands out about the ones found below is that each has a story or an incredible backdrop. The owners of each car, as most Corvette owners do, made them available in these wonderful scenes to be enjoyed by all.
15 The Eclipse
Back in 2017 the "Great American Eclipse" fell over the entire country from sea to shining sea. In the line of totality was Bowling Green Kentucky, home of the Corvette. It was during that fateful day that Car & Driver took the time to go down and snap this incredible photograph that in some ways symbolizes the pinnacle of the Front Engined Corvette.
14 63 Corvette GS Sema Tribute
As a tribute to the Corvette Grand Sport cars of the '60s Chevrolet unveiled this replica at SEMA. Equipped with an LSA EROD crate motor it provides the pilot with 556 horsepower. Combine that with its very low weight of only 2500 lbs and you have the makings of a supercar killer.
13 The Monza Concept
The Monza GT concept was one of the first real projects that combined Corvette with Mid-engined design. You can see the Stingray like fenders on the front and the elongated body in the rear to house the motor. It never saw production but did lead to newly developed tech.
12 59 Stingray Racecar
This Corvette was a design study ultimately inspired by a sketch penned by the legendary Pete Brock. Ultimately it gave birth to the name Stingray as well. When constructed, GM didn't allow it to be called Corvette or even associated with Chevy, so the name Stingray was given and we know it well today.
11 The Split Window
Oh boy, look at that incredible view. By 1963 the Stingray had made its way onto the mainstream Corvette and this design went down in history as iconic, desirable and dashing. No other Corvette has ever matched it in terms of uniqueness.
10 Corvette Gets Its Most Favorite Color
In '55, Corvette got its signature V8 and this particular car got its signature Gypsy Red paint job. To this point in history, the Corvette had predominantly used a "Blue Flame" 6 cylinder engine. In '55, Chevy realized more power was needed and this one came with 195 horsepower on tap.
9 The Indy Powered Vette
A sports car so far ahead of it's time the Corvette Indy pictured above had a mid-mounted Indy racing V8. A camera replaced the rearview mirror. All-wheel-drive, four-wheel ABS and traction control. It was truly advanced. Too bad it never made it to production.
8 The Sunset On The FR Corvette
Many wondered if the day would ever come that the Front Engine layout of the Corvette would end. Finally, we know that the answer is yes. Still, the outgoing C7 is a performance car to be lauded. To be so capable truly demonstrates that there are multiple ways to solve the same problem.
7 The Stingray We Forgot
This was one wild car. It demonstrated what the next generation of Corvette would slightly resemble but also had callbacks to the original Corvette in the form of that egg-crate style grill. It also had the split window from the '63. I personally would've loved to have seen this one make the cut.
6 Sleek 69
There's nothing like a good 69 Stingray. The sharp aggressive lines, the hard strakes in the side of the front fender and the power bulge on the hood are all synonymous with Corvette. You could see this for less than a second and know immediately what it is. This one in particular with the side pipes and bigger wheels stands out even more.
5 The Next Grand Sport
The Grand Sport carried its name well in the 90s, becoming a Viper killer with over 400 horsepower from the factory. This color scheme was lauded at the time and is now the one we all look for when shopping for the GS. The "Greenwood" body kit shown here makes it even more special and hard to find.
4 The 10 Million Dollar Corvette
What you're looking at is the only one of 5 Corvette Grand Sport cars to never be restored. It's currently housed at Simeone Museum and contains a wealth of information about how Chevrolet went about going fast in the '60s. Its uniqueness makes it a 10 Million dollar car.
3 Midengine For The Masses
The new King. This car will dominate supercars worldwide at the cost of a moderately equipped Lexus. It looks the part too with clear Corvette DNA coming through in its design. Corvette will never be the same... and neither will track days.
2 The First
It all started here. This photo of one of the original 1953 Corvettes demonstrates the beginning of this amazing saga of one incredible car after another. Each has had something that made it special but this one is Genesis. It began a revolution and you can see why. It was unlike anything on the roads at the time.
1 Winners In Every Decade
Corvette has had a long history of success in terms of sales here in America but what can often go unnoticed is that it's also been successful on the racetrack. Here pictured taking positions 1 and 2 at Road Atlanta, the Corvette was winning major races as far back as 1960. Surely it will only continue in its new form.