Description
By: Consumer Guide .
Few automobiles stir as much passion in their owners and fans as the Chevrolet Corvette. America's pride for more than 50 years, the 'Vette is as desirable today as ever and is packed with more heart-pounding performance than at any point in its storied past.
And what a past! Corvette: Sports Car Superstar brings to life the Fifties dream machine that grew into a world leader in speed, style, and sophistication.
More than 1,100 photographs, many never before published, follow every generation of Corvette from the secret studio models to the world's most challenging roads. Fast-paced text illuminates the people, trends, and technology that shaped America's most desired car. And lavish color sections celebrate in detail top examples of every important model.
Corvette, surprisingly, nearly died of slow sales at the tender age of three. But a landmark V-8 engine and superb styling saved it, while racing success proved it the equal of any rival. By 1962, it had secured its place in Chevy's lineup and in America's heart.
With a brilliant new chassis and futuristic styling, the 1963 Sting Ray turned up the heat. Improved each year through 1967, the Sting Ray is considered by many the most desirable Corvette of all.
Born of the Sting Ray in 1968 and plagued by teething troubles, the shark-inspired third generation faced hazards unknown to its predecessors. But it soldiered on through a remarkable 15 years of tightening regulations and frustrating gas shortages. Along the way, Corvette matured into a well- balanced speed machine.
Unveiled as a 1984 model, the sleek fourth-generation Corvette proved another survivor, enduring 13 years of unprecedented competition. It hosted the return of the Corvette convertible and the birth of a new legend—the mighty "King of the Hill" ZR-1.
A small-block Chevrolet V-8, two- seat cabin, and luscious fiberglass body secured the fifth-generation Corvette's role in the tradition of America's sports car. But the 'Vette introduced in 1997 was in reality so fresh it contained more new components than the original 1953 model. Its advanced chassis design and world- class powertrain rocketed the legend into the twenty-first century. Its ultimate expression was the fire-breathing, 405-horsepower Z06.
Introduced as a 2005 model, the C6 was more an evolution of the C5 than an all-new car. Still, it upped the Corvette's already high performance bar and maintained the 'Vette's rightful place among the world's best sports car values. The 2006 Z06 followed and took 'Vette performance to stratospheric heights.
No car's history is more stimulating, and it's all right here, in Corvette: Sports Car Superstar. Dive into the engines and the advertising, the road tests and the engineering. Get the inside story in exclusive interviews with towering figures in the annals of not only Corvette, but of the auto industry: Harley Earl, William "Bill" Mitchell, Zora Arkus-Duntov, Chuck Jordan, Dave Hill, and many others.
Six generations of America's favorite sports car come boldly to life in the pages of Corvette: Sports Car Superstar. Come along for the ride!
