Chevrolet Corvette Specifications

Corvette was first built in 1953.corvette headlight at dusk image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com

The Corvette is considered by many to be the shining example of an American sports car. More than a million Corvettes have been produced and enjoyed by people around the world. Corvette has a long history of innovation and winning in racing series. Owners, collectors and enthusiasts of Corvettes often are very loyal and proud of this car model.

First Generation Corvette

The Corvette was first produced in 1953 as a two-door convertible. The engine was a six-cylinder producing 150 hp. The body was constructed from fiberglass, a radical design change over other sports cars. Only a few hundred of the first model year were produced and all in the color white. The final year of the first generation was the 1962 model with a small block V8 engine producing 360 hp. The first generation also is referred to as the "solid axle" cars, referencing the suspension design.

From 1963 through 1967 the second generation was built and often is referred to as the "Stingray" era. The body and chassis were a complete redesign from the first generation models. The car incorporated flip-up headlights for the first time. Independent rear suspension was used to provide a better handling and more stable platform. The first year engine was the small block V8 producing 250 hp. The 1967 model closed out the era with an optional big block, 427 ci, V8 producing 430 hp. The car carried four wheel drum brakes until 1965 when disc brakes were an option.

The "Mako Shark" era was produced from 1968 through 1982. The drive-train options remained from the previous model year but the body was completely redesigned. The car was available in either convertible or coupe with twin removable glass roof panels. The ZL-1 high performance option was available in 1969 and is a highly sought after car to this day. By the end of the production run in 1982 the car was available only with an automatic transmission and produced a paltry 180 horsepower due to pollution control rules.

The C4 Corvette came to life in the 1984 model year with a completely redesigned car. Almost every part of the 1984 model was different than the last model produced in 1982. The C4 was last produced in 1996 with the body style changing very little in the 12 years of production. The 1984 engine produced 204 hp with the 1996 producing over 330 hp. The 1993 model was available with an option package to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Corvette production. The ZR-1 model was introduced in 1990 with over 100 horsepower gain over the base model. The 1990 model introduced a new interior design with the 1991 model updating the front and rear bumpers. The early C4 models were equipped with a digital dash, very different from the previous corvette models.

The C5 model was produced from 1997 through 2004. This model Corvette improved on the world class braking and handling of the C4. The 1997 model introduced a new body style, sleek interior and major changes in the drive-train. The transmission was separated and placed at the rear of the vehicle to provide better weight distribution. The 2001 model introduced a new Z06 option package. The handling and performance of the Z06 models make them sought after.

The current mode of Corvette was first produced in 2005 at the Bowling Green, Kentucky, manufacturing plant. The 2005 engine was a new 6 liter V8 producing 400 hp and 400 ft lbs of torque. A base coupe, convertible, performance model Z06 and super high performance model ZR1 currently are available. The 2011 base model starts just above $48,000 with the ZR1 costing in excess of $111,000.