The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic cars ever made. It was launched in 1953, ten years before the Porsche 911, and it is one of the longest-running sports car nameplates ever. Throughout every decade, the Vette has been loved and owned by many famous people, and we're not just talking about football players or actors, it was also a favorite among astronauts and politicians. The man who walked on the moon had a Corvette.

It is such an American icon, and it has starred in so many films. Eight generations later, and it's still winning awards. Here are some reasons why every gearhead should own a Corvette.

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9 It's an Icon

Via racingsportconcepts.com

The Corvette is the go-to American sports car. The name Corvette has been mentioned in so many songs and everyone knows what it is, even if they hate cars. Some famous Corvette owners include Micheal Jordan, Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr, and even Joe Biden. Could things get even better? Yep, they do.

Front 3/4 view of a red C1 Corvette
Classic Driver

GM had a program whereby Astronauts were gifted Corvettes on lease for free. Some famous astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Alan Bean all had one. That's why the Corvette is an astronaut's car, something no other sports car can claim to be. Of course, with owners like that, the Corvette needed some serious power under its hood.

8 Great Value For Money

The front of the C5 Corvette
wsupercars.com

The Corvette has always been a great value car for the money. It's always been cheaper than its European rivals, yet it provides the same level of power, and in recent years, the same level of quality and handling. The latest C8 is a perfect example of this as it's a mid-engined car with 490hp and 465 lb-ft of torque which cracks a 0 to 60 time of 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 194 mph.

Via: CarBuzz

Yet, for all this speed and power, prices start at $59,995. If you want that performance from other cars you will have to spend double that MSRP. It's by far one of the best value cars on sale right now.

7 The Engines

Cars.com

The Corvette has always proudly had a V8, well, other than the C1 which did have a 3.9 inline-6. But since then, the Vette has never been available with anything but a V8 which has made the Corvette a respected sports car worldwide.

1985 Chevrolet Corvette
Via classicautomail

From the original 4.3-liter small-block V8 found in the original C1 Vette to the massive LS7 7.0L V8 seen in the C6 Z06 Vette, there has been a variety of V8 engines over the years.

6 The Looks

Chevrolet-Corvette-ZR-1
via hagerty

The Corvette has always been such a cool looking car, and when you drive one, you get stares from everyone. It's always been a glamorous car and the icon of America, especially the second-generation, which was also the first one to incorporate the famous "Stingray" name.

1cars.org

The Corvette has always designed to look fun and different. It's about standing out and showing off your own personality. It isn't an American sports car inspired by the Europeans, it was never made to have a European exotic influence. It was built to be as outlandish as possible and show off what America can do.

5 The Speed

Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 parked outside
Via roadandtrack.com

The Corvette has always been a car that delivers crazy speed, that's why the astronauts loved driving them. They are proper sports cars that are more than capable of slaying the competition. The fastest Corvette from the factory was the C7 ZL1 with a top speed of 210 mph.

via Mecum

There are plenty of legendary Corvettes we'd love to drive, as these sports cars are a slice of pure Americana.

4 The Experience

2010 Chevrolet C6 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible
via CorvetteForum

Owning a Corvette is an experience, it's a really fun car with a huge enthusiast base worldwide. A Corvette was made for style and to be sexy.

via MotorTrend

It is the ultimate American sports car and a symbol of freedom. Take the roof down, feel the wind in your hair, and leave all your worries behind. It's just you and the car, and it sure does bring pure joy.

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3 The Sound

Chevrolet-Corvette
Via-myAutoWorld.com

The Corvette has always sounded devilish, thanks to the V8 under its hood that has always loved to extend its lungs a little and make a deadly sound. It's very naughty, but it is ever so satisfying. Want to take it to the next level? The supercharged Vettes sound even better due to the whine from the supercharger.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
via MotorTrend

The Corvette has always beaten its rivals in the sound department. It sounds angry, and there are so many custom exhaust options too which make the Vette even louder. The sound is one of the reasons why the Corvette is one of the most popular coupes ever made.

2 The Cool Factor

Red 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
via Media.gm.com

The Corvette is a cool car, there's no doubt about that. It's been a movie star, seen in films like the Avengers, and it's been driven by some of the most famous people on the planet.  Even the names were cool; Sting Ray, Grand Sport, Z06, ZR1...

2020 Chevrolet Corvette
via Motor1.com

The latest C8 is a proper exotic, yet it still holds up its aggression. It gets so much attention and appreciation everywhere.

1 The Usability

Chevy Chevrolet Corvette Generations Collector Classic Car
via speednik.com

Corvettes are cars that are ever so easy to live with. Parts are cheap, they're reliable, and they're great cruisers and daily drivers. Sure, they can be a bit thirsty, but otherwise, they're all mostly easy to live with. The latest versions even have a decent-sized trunk that can fit a set of golf clubs.

Chevrolet Corvette C5
via Road & Track

You can quite easily live with a Corvette. It's a simple car with a lot of punch. It's a sports car made for everyone and even to this day it still maintains that usability. What more could we possibly ask for?

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