Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette is a sports car marketed by Chevrolet since 1953. Originally a six-cylinder roadster, it was given a V8 shortly later. It has mainly competed in GT racing. This includes the IMSA GT Championship, the Trans Am Series after Trans Am became more like IMSA GT, the Pirelli World Challenge, the Rolex Sports Car Series, the American Le Mans Series (which succeeded IMSA GT), and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA's current series). It provided the powerplant for an IMSA GT Prototype and currently a Daytona Prototype. An aerodynamic "Stingray" model was introduced in 1963 and is noted for its one-year "split-rear-window", making such models rare and valuable. However, racecar drivers prefer the later models due to their increased rear visibility. The third generation, nicknamed the "Mako Shark", is the longest lasting generation. This generation was introduced in the sixties and lasted into the eighties. Popup headlights were introduced with the Stingray and lasted into the late nineties before people became concerned about maintenance of the mechanism which controlled the lights. Also, such headlights became a concern regarding safety at night. The popup headlights were eventually dropped. The golden anniversary of the Corvette was tributed at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. A special "Gran Sport" edition (no relation to the Buick model) was also available, first with the Stingray and revived on later models. The Stingray name has recently been revived. The original V8 model originally had two headlights, but this was increased to four a few years later. A boat-tail model was created in the generation's final years to help phase in the Stingray. The success of the original Corvette led to the creation of various concept cars, including a Nomad wagon and a Corvair sports coupe. These two names would be used on later Chevrolets. Corvette won the first IMSA GT race.