A Brief History of the Evolution of the Chevrolet Corvette

In the history of the American automotive industry, the Chevrolet Corvette model (pictured below) has become a real brand. The first copy of the two-seat roadster began to be designed by General Motors designer Harley Earl in 1951. Two years later, the light appeared debut model, which went down in history under the name of C1. It was a white convertible, the interior of which was made in red. Under the hood of the car was a six-cylinder engine, which worked in combination with an automatic box in two stages. Whatever it was, despite the spectacular appearance, the car did not win a wide audience of fans because of its technical characteristics.

First improvements

Representatives of the company-manufacturer intended to sell ten thousand copies of the car, but this plan was executed only by thirty percent. In this regard, in 1955, the Chevrolet Corvette began to be equipped with a 195-strong V-shaped "eight", which significantly improved the statistics. Three years later, the model underwent an insignificant restyling, and the power unit was first equipped with a fuel injection system. An interesting feature of the car was a two-color painting.

Second and third generation

The author of the second generation Chevrolet Corvette design was Bill Mitchell. Thanks to the retractable headlights and peculiar heights above the wheels, the brand has become more extravagant. In the role of powerplant here was an eight-cylinder engine with a volume of 7 liters, which was able to accelerate the car to "hundreds" from the place in just 4.8 seconds, which is considered an excellent indicator even nowadays. The model boasted a two-circuit braking system and an independent rear suspension. The third generation of the model (C3) became the most popular. The car came in three body styles - a coupe, a convertible and a fastback. It is also interesting that in the period from 1970 to 1974 the machine was equipped with the most powerful engine in the history of the brand - a 425-strong unit with a volume of 7.4 liters.

Model Corvette in the late twentieth century

In 1983, Jerry Palmer substantially updated the car. The main feature of the novelty was the rejection of elegant forms, which was compensated by excellent aerodynamic characteristics. In the car there were the first fashionable systems, called to simplify driving, among which - traction control and ABS. In addition, aluminum and composite materials were used in interior decoration. Despite such advantages of Chevrolet Corvette, the technical characteristics of the car were not impressed by motorists. In particular, the car was driven by a 5.7-liter powerplant, the maximum power of which was 230 "horses". In the nineties, with the release of the next version, the car again gained technological excellence. Separate words deserve a gearbox, which the designers did not dock to the motor, but mounted over the rear axle.

In 1997, the debut of the fifth generation of cars took place, all the nodes of which were designed using advanced technologies. Most of the ideas of the designers were designed to provide comfort and pleasure to the driver from driving. They succeeded. The power of the power plant, working in tandem with the six-speed transmission, amounted to 345 horsepower.

Chevrolet Z06

In 2001, a modification of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 appeared. It was named after Zora Arkus-Dantov, a talented engineer of the company, who in the sixties of the last century put forward the idea of converting a serial version into a racing car. The novelty was significantly different from the previous variations of the car as an exterior, and an easy powerful motor. The power of the eight-cylinder V-engine was 385 "horses". To accelerate to the mark of 100 km / h the car was enough 4.6 seconds. The interior of the novelty is made in black and red colors. Even in its standard configuration, the model boasted a number of options and security systems.

The Sixth Generation

In 2004, during the car exhibition in Detroit, the debut of the sixth generation Chevrolet Corvette took place. Design in many respects was similar to the previous version, and the key innovation for the car was the lack of folding headlights, which replaced the usual xenon version. The model was equipped with a 400-strong V-shaped engine consisting of eight cylinders, which functioned in the complex with an automatic four-stage box. A year later the so-called "charged" modification of the model came out, in the name of which appeared the letter "Z". Externally, the novelty differed from the original not very much, but under the hood appeared powerful seven-liter engine in 512 horsepower. Up to "hundred" this car can accelerate in just 3.8 seconds.

The latest modification

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2014 version was nothing more than the seventh generation of the brand. In almost completely updated machine, designers were able to harmoniously combine high performance, stunning appearance, comfort and safety. The model is equipped with an eight-cylinder power plant with direct fuel injection, the volume of which is 6.2 liters, and the capacity is 455 "horses". As for the transmission, a "mechanics" for seven stages is provided for the modification, equipped with a so-called "smart" mode, activation of which happens at the push of a button on the handlebars. If desired, the buyer can order a model with a six-speed automatic. Interior trim is made with carbon fiber with leather and aluminum inserts. The cost of this car in our country starts from the mark of 4.1 million rubles.