When American soldiers went to Europe to fight in World War II, one thing that caught their eye was the many gorgeous sports cars European automakers had built. After the war, Chevrolet noticed that many returning soldiers were trying to import sports cars from Europe as there were no local options, so it rolled up its sleeves and built the Corvette.
The Corvette debuted in 1953, and it has been one of the most popular Chevrolet models since. It's now in its eighth generation, and with demand still high, the Corvette could become the first American car to be in production for over a century. Over the years, Chevy has built multiple generations, model years, and special versions of the Corvette. This article compares five of the best Corvette models versus five of the worst.
10 Awesome Corvette: C8
The eighth-generation Corvette has only been in production for two years, but it's already the best Corvette ever to some gearheads. The C8 debuted in 2020 with many changes, most notably the switch to a mid-engined layout for the first time ever as opposed to a front-engined layout.
The C8 is powered by a 495-hp LT2 V8 derived from the C7 Stingray's LT1, giving it superb performance. Gearheads also love the C8's European-rivaling design, comfortable interior, and the fact that it's one of the cheapest supercars, with prices for the 2022 model starting at $60,900.
9 Horrible Corvette: 1980 California 305
The C3 Corvette had a great start in the late '60s, thanks to models like the 1969 ZL1 and 1970 ZR1. However, things quickly turned sour in the mid-70s when the government introduced strict emission requirements, and the C3 lost its power.
The situation was even worse in California, as the state's laws were more stringent than the rest of the country. The 1980 Corvette shows that perfectly, as the California version made 180 hp while the Corvettes delivered to the rest of the country had 190 hp.
8 Awesome Corvette: C7 ZR1
The C7 generation was coming to an end in 2019, so Chevy decided to give it a fitting send-off with a special model - the ZR-1. Chevy typically uses the 'ZR-1' name on the fastest Corvettes, and the 2019 ZR-1 was no different.
At the heart of the 2019 ZR-1 was a new 6.2-liter LT5 V8 engine with a 2.6-liter Eaton supercharger, producing a total of 755 hp. With its 214-mph top speed, the 2019 ZR-1 is still the fastest Corvette ever made.
7 Horrible Corvette: 1975 Corvette
The mid-70s will always be remembered as the time when the US government introduced strict emission regulations in the auto industry, leading to a significant drop in American car performance levels. 1975 was the first Corvette model year to be affected by the new rules.
The 1975 Corvette's base engine made only 165 hp, making it super slow. To put things into perspective, the 1974 Corvette made over 100 hp more than the 1975 model.
6 Awesome Corvette: 1963 Sting Ray
The first-generation Corvette will always be a legend since it started everything, but it was slow and towards the end, it gained quad-headlights that many didn't like. As such, every gearhead was eager to see what the second-generation version would be like, and Chevy didn't disappoint.
Introduced in 1963, the C3 was everything gearheads hoped for. For one, its shark-inspired design with its sleek lines and iconic split-window design has earned the 1963 Corvette a spot on the list of the most beautiful American cars ever. The 1963 Sting Ray was also a joy to drive, as it had a 360-hp V8 under the hood.
5 Horrible Corvette: 1995 Corvette Pace Car
In 1995, the Indianapolis 500 competition needed a pace car, and they chose the C4 Corvette to do it just like C3 had done in the '70s. To create the pace car, Chevy took a stock Corvette and added the safety features required by the competition. They then built 527 replicas and sold them to the public.
There was nothing mechanically problematic about the 1995 Pace Car, but gearheads just couldn't get past its horrid looks.
4 Awesome Corvette: 1969 ZL-1
When the C3 Corvette debuted in 1968, it didn't take long for Chevy to build the first special edition model - the ZL-1. The ZL-1 was a special package offered only for the 1969 model year, and it was superb.
The ZL-1 was offered with an all-aluminum 7.0-liter big-block engine rated at 430 hp, but many experts believe it made a lot more. The ZL-1 option was incredible, but since it cost a crazy $4,700 more than the standard 1969 Corvette, only two buyers got it. As such, the 1969 ZL-1 is one of the rarest American cars of all time.
3 Horrible Corvette: C1
We almost didn't include the C1 on this list as, without it, the Corvette wouldn't be around today. However, being the first-ever Corvette model, it's inevitable that the C1 had issues.
The biggest problem with the C3 was its engine - it made 150 hp. Considering European sports cars like the Mercedes-Benz 300SL made over 200 hp, it's easy to see why the C1 was considered to be a slow sports car. Still, that hasn't stopped collectors from paying over $100,000 to own a C1.
2 Awesome Corvette: 1990 ZR-1
In 1984, the thing American gearheads were looking forward to seeing the most was the new Corvette generation - the C4. Unfortunately, the C4 turned out to be an underwhelming model as it didn't have as much power as gearheads hoped.
Thankfully, Chevy went back to the drawing board several years after the C4's introduction and built a much faster version - the ZR-1. The ZR-1 was equipped with a 375-hp V8 developed with the help of Lotus - which GM owned at the time. With a top speed of 180 mph, the ZR-1 was one of the fastest sports cars of the '90s.
1 Horrible Corvette: C4 Base
As you've seen from some of the entries above, the second half of the C3 generation was horrendous due to underpowered engines. The next generation needed to be a winner if the Corvette was to survive, which is why gearheads were looking forward to the C4.
Sadly, the C4 didn't meet the high expectations gearheads had, at least not immediately. The 1984 model carried over the same horrible engine from the 1983 Corvette with just 205 hp on tap.