Chevrolet Corvette C1
(1953 - 1962)
Car articles about Chevrolet Corvette C1 by year
The Chevrolet Corvette was launched 60 years ago. To date, seven generations have appeared and the initially unsuccessful small-series sports car has blossomed into the most produced genuine American sports car, which is also happy to take on the best European competitors, even if many people don't want to hear it. This report provides an overview of seven generations and shows the vehicles in breathtaking pictures. Interested parties can also follow the many references and browse through brochures and technical data.
On January 17, 1953, the very first hand-built prototype of the Corvette made its debut at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York on the occasion of the GM Group's "Motorama" show - after just seven months of preparation. The EX-122 concept car was already essentially identical to the later production Chevrolet Corvette (C1) and marked the start of a model series that continues to this day. This report briefly recounts the creation of the first Corvette and the life of the EX-122 concept car, illustrated with historical and current images
When the first Corvette was presented in 1952, there was great enthusiasm. However, the plastic coupé was less well received by buyers than by the press. Unit sales were low and the car was immature. Year after year, however, the first Corvette, now known as the "C1", became more attractive, stronger and more successful. This comprehensive article describes the early years of the Corvette and shows various examples in detail, including sales brochures and pictures from production.
When Zora Arkus-Duntov suggested to GM in 1956 that they build a racing Corvette that could compete with the fastest sports prototypes of the time, he found an open ear. In just six months, the Corvette SS was built according to the standards for racing cars at the time. Fast lap times, including under Juan Manuel Fangio in Sebring, were the reward for the effort, but the vehicle proved to be unreliable in the race. As a result, the XP-64 project was stopped before success was achieved. This report describes the background to the XP-64 project and shows the 1957 Corvette SS in words and pictures, supplemented by two documentaries from the time.
While the Chevrolet Corvette started out as a US interpretation of an English roadster in 1953, the design had become fully Americanized by 1958 at the latest. But don't be fooled by the overloaded front end and the many functionless trim parts. Because underneath the GRP, the four-eyed Corvette was the most active to drive that had ever existed. This article tells the story of the Corvette vintages 1958 to 1960 and shows them in many historic photos.
In 1959, three men - Carroll Shelby, Gary Laughlin and Jim Hall - had a shared vision: a lightweight version of the Corvette was to cause a sensation on the racetrack and on the road. The Italian company Scaglietti, which also built the Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta, was entrusted with the bodywork, so similarities were to be expected. Although the beautiful Scaglietti Corvette weighed 180 kg less than the production vehicle, the idea was abandoned after three one-offs. All three vehicles still exist! The report summarizes the history and shows the first vehicle built in detail.
During the long construction period of the Chevrolet Corvette, many studies and concept cars were created. We present some of these studies in a series of articles. The one-off Chevrolet Corvette XP 700 from 1958/1959 can be seen as the final evolutionary stage of the Corvette C1. The XP 700 was presented as a near-production study in 1960 and was decisive for the further development of the design of future Corvette models. This report describes the background to the XP 700 development and shows the main characteristics in words and pictures.
Station wagons were already popular in the USA in the late 1950s. Chevrolet presented an extreme version in 1954, the "Nomad" based on the Chevrolet Corvette. However, the production version was then based on the Chevrolet Bel Air and Impala models, initially three-door and later five-door. This report portrays a Chevrolet Nomad from 1960 and tells the story of its development.
In the early sixties, development of the second generation Corvette (C-2) was already well advanced. The design was based on the Stingray racer (XP-87), whose appearance was influenced by the marine world. To prepare the future customers of the C2 for this new organic design language, a show car was built, the XP-755, called Shark. The idea was born while fishing, when design chief Bill Mitchell caught a shortfin mako. This report describes the 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Shark and its before and after history, accompanied by many pictures, some of which have never been published before.
On the second experimental chassis of the XP-64 SS, purchased for 500 dollars, Bill Mitchell conducted secret design experiments with far-reaching consequences. The XP-87 Stingray Racer became the blueprint for the second and perhaps most beautiful Corvette generation. This report tells the story of the development of the Stingray Racer and shows the prototype in pictures from the time.
General Motors built the first generation of the Chevrolet Corvette from 1953 to 1962. Over the nine years, the plastic sports car was continuously refined and the power output increased from 150 to 360 hp. In 1960, the cars showed that they were also competitive in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This driving report is dedicated to the last and most powerful Chevrolet Corvette C1 with the 5.3-liter injection engine. Many current and historical pictures and a sound sample provide multimedia enjoyment without remorse.
In the late summer of 1962, General Motors presented the second generation of the Chevrolet Corvette and for the first time it was also available as a coupé. Bill Mitchell had come up with a split rear window as a styling highlight and with this, as well as the implied bar that extended from the roof to the rear, the coupé lived up to its name "Stingray". However, after just one year, the special design solution gave way to a more conventional rear window variant, which is one of the reasons why the coupé from the first year of production is one of today's sought-after rarities. This report portrays one of these rare beauties and tells the brief history of the model, supplemented by original documents, historical pictures and a sound sample.
Current market prices for Chevrolet Corvette C1
Roadster, 150 PS, 3859 cm3
Roadster, 155 PS, 3859 cm3
Roadster, 194 PS, 4343 cm3
null, 209 PS, 4343 cm3
null, 230 PS, 4637 cm3
null, 230 PS, 4637 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Chevrolet Corvette C1
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette 1960 Sold RM/Sotheby's Monaco (May 12, 2018) |
Corvette | 1960 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Monaco (May 12, 2018) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 1954 Sold RM/Sotheby's Arizona Auction (January 19, 2017) |
Corvette C1 | 1954 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Arizona Auction (January 19, 2017) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 Cabriolet 1962 Sold Auctionata Berlin Sale (November 28, 2014) |
Corvette C1 Cabriolet | 1962 | Sold | Auctionata Berlin Sale (November 28, 2014) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 Fuel Injection 1962 Sold RM/Sotheby's The Arizona Sale (January 15, 2015) |
Corvette C1 Fuel Injection | 1962 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's The Arizona Sale (January 15, 2015) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 1962 Not Sold Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) |
Corvette C1 | 1962 | Not Sold | Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 1957 Sold Classicbid Nürnberg Sale (December 10, 2016) |
Corvette C1 | 1957 | Sold | Classicbid Nürnberg Sale (December 10, 2016) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 1962 Sold Coys 43RD Oldtimer Grand Prix (August 8, 2015) |
Corvette C1 | 1962 | Sold | Coys 43RD Oldtimer Grand Prix (August 8, 2015) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 Fuel Injection 1962 Sold Bonhams The December Sale (December 7, 2016) |
Corvette C1 Fuel Injection | 1962 | Sold | Bonhams The December Sale (December 7, 2016) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 Fuel Injection 1957 Sold RM/Sotheby's The Andreas Collection Sale (May 2, 2015) |
Corvette C1 Fuel Injection | 1957 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's The Andreas Collection Sale (May 2, 2015) | |
| Chevrolet Corvette C1 Fuel Injection 1957 Sold Bonhams The Amelia Island Auction (March 9, 2017) |
Corvette C1 Fuel Injection | 1957 | Sold | Bonhams The Amelia Island Auction (March 9, 2017) |
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