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Sixty years of Corvette history

  • Chevy unveils the 1953 Corvette at GM's Motorama show
    1/23

    1953 Corvette at Motorama

    Chevy unveils the 1953 Corvette at GM's Motorama show
  • Assembly line for the 1953 Corvette. Photo: GM Media Archive
    2/23

    Production begins on the 1953 Corvette

    Assembly line for the 1953 Corvette. Photo: GM Media Archive
  • The Belgian-born American engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's work on the Chevrolet Corvette earned him the nickname "Father of the Corvette." Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images
    3/23

    Zora Arkus-Duntov

    The Belgian-born American engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's work on the Chevrolet Corvette earned him the nickname "Father of the Corvette." Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images
  • Betty Skelton poses with a Chevrolet Corvette on Daytona Beach circa 1956. ISC Archives Photo via Getty Images
    4/23

    1956 Corvette

    Betty Skelton poses with a Chevrolet Corvette on Daytona Beach circa 1956. ISC Archives Photo via Getty Images
  • At the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corvette entered by the Camoradi team and driven by Ed Lilley and Fred Gamble leads the Ferrari 250TR/60 of Andre Pilette and Ricardo Rodriguez. Photo by Klemantaski Collection/Getty Images
    5/23

    1960 Corvette at Le Mans

    At the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corvette entered by the Camoradi team and driven by Ed Lilley and Fred Gamble leads the Ferrari 250TR/60 of Andre Pilette and Ricardo Rodriguez. Photo by Klemantaski Collection/Getty Images
  • GM chief designer Bill Mitchell with his 1959 Sting Ray, a race car he kept secret from other GM executives.
    6/23

    1959 Sting Ray

    GM chief designer Bill Mitchell with his 1959 Sting Ray, a race car he kept secret from other GM executives.
  • NASA astronaut Alan Shepherd gets the keys to his Corvette at GM's Design Studios. GM arranged for astronauts to receive free Vettes through the 1960s.
    7/23

    Astronauts and Corvettes

    NASA astronaut Alan Shepherd gets the keys to his Corvette at GM's Design Studios. GM arranged for astronauts to receive free Vettes through the 1960s.
  • The 1961 Mako Shark concept, the precursor to the second-generation Vette. Photo: GM
    8/23

    1961 Mako Shark

    The 1961 Mako Shark concept, the precursor to the second-generation Vette. Photo: GM
  • Corvette was not a high-performance car until Zora Arkus-Duntov fitted it with a V-8 engine and began campaigning Corvettes in racing in the late 1950s. The late Arkus-Duntov is shown with a 1966 Corvette. Photo: GM
    9/23

    Arkus-Duntov's '66 Vette

    Corvette was not a high-performance car until Zora Arkus-Duntov fitted it with a V-8 engine and began campaigning Corvettes in racing in the late 1950s. The late Arkus-Duntov is shown with a 1966 Corvette. Photo: GM
  • Bill Mitchell's love of all things nautical continued with the 1965 Manta Ray, which showed where GM would take Vette design through the '70s. The Stingray name was dropped from the Vette after Mitchell retired in 1977.
    10/23

    1965 Chevrolet Manta Ray

    Bill Mitchell's love of all things nautical continued with the 1965 Manta Ray, which showed where GM would take Vette design through the '70s. The Stingray name was dropped from the Vette after Mitchell retired in 1977.
  • GM stylist Chuck Jordan was asked by Warner Bros. to create a potential Batmobile based off the Corvette for the Adam West TV series of the late '60s. The producers went with the Lincoln Futura-based concept redone by George Barris.
    11/23

    Batman's Corvette, the Batvette

    GM stylist Chuck Jordan was asked by Warner Bros. to create a potential Batmobile based off the Corvette for the Adam West TV series of the late '60s. The producers went with the Lincoln Futura-based concept redone by George Barris.
  • The Beach Boys strike a pose in this undated publicity photo.
    12/23

    The Beach Boys' Corvette

    The Beach Boys strike a pose in this undated publicity photo.
  • A Chevrolet Corvette carrying a NASA “Astronaut” is part of the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, giving a plug to the Kennedy Space Center attraction. (Photo: ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images
    13/23

    Corvettes and NASA

    A Chevrolet Corvette carrying a NASA “Astronaut” is part of the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, giving a plug to the Kennedy Space Center attraction. (Photo: ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images
  • John Greenwood co-drove the “Spirit of Sebring” Corvette with Michael Brockman in the 1976 24 Hours of Daytona and finished 34th. Photo:ISC Archives via Getty Images
    14/23

    1976 Corvette at Daytona

    John Greenwood co-drove the “Spirit of Sebring” Corvette with Michael Brockman in the 1976 24 Hours of Daytona and finished 34th. Photo:ISC Archives via Getty Images
  • Dirk Benedict, as Templeton 'Faceman' Peck from TV's "The A-Team," with his 1984 Chevrolet Corvette
    15/23

    1984 A-Team Vette

    Dirk Benedict, as Templeton 'Faceman' Peck from TV's "The A-Team," with his 1984 Chevrolet Corvette
  • A 1999 caravan of Corvettes to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., drew 5,000 cars.
    16/23

    Corvette caravan

    A 1999 caravan of Corvettes to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., drew 5,000 cars.
  • The Corvette by Italian designer Giugiaro is displayed at the Geneve 73th International Motor Show on March 6, 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images
    17/23

    2003 Corvette by Giugiaro

    The Corvette by Italian designer Giugiaro is displayed at the Geneve 73th International Motor Show on March 6, 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images
  • Andy Pilgrim pulls his Corvette out of the pit lane during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla. Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/ALLSPORT
    18/23

    2001 Corvette at Daytona

    Andy Pilgrim pulls his Corvette out of the pit lane during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla. Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/ALLSPORT
  • The Corvette C5-R of Fellows, OConnell and Papis leads the Corvette of Gavin, Berette and Magnussen during final qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hour race at the Circuit des 24 Hours du Mans on June 10, 2004 in Le Mans, France. The Corvettes would sweep their class that year. Photo:
    19/23

    2004 C5.R Corvettes at Le Mans

    The Corvette C5-R of Fellows, OConnell and Papis leads the Corvette of Gavin, Berette and Magnussen during final qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hour race at the Circuit des 24 Hours du Mans on June 10, 2004 in Le Mans, France. The Corvettes would sweep their class that year. Photo:
  • Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2005 Tiffany Fallon poses with her 2005 Corvette Coupe. Every Playmate of the year receives a car of their choosing. Photo: Getty Images
    20/23

    2005 Corvette and Playmate

    Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2005 Tiffany Fallon poses with her 2005 Corvette Coupe. Every Playmate of the year receives a car of their choosing. Photo: Getty Images
  • 7 time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong drives the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car as he leads the cars out prior to the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Getty Images
    21/23

    2006 Indy 500 Pace Corvette

    7 time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong drives the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car as he leads the cars out prior to the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Getty Images
  • The #57 Corvette of Marc Bunting an Dominic Cicero II locks up its breaks as it enters a turn during the 2007 Rolex Series GT Challenge at Lime Rock Park. Photo: Brian Cleary/Getty Images
    22/23

    2007 Corvette racing

    The #57 Corvette of Marc Bunting an Dominic Cicero II locks up its breaks as it enters a turn during the 2007 Rolex Series GT Challenge at Lime Rock Park. Photo: Brian Cleary/Getty Images
  • The 2009 concept that hinted at the 2014 Vette's styling.
    23/23

    2009 Corvette Stingray Centennial Concept

    The 2009 concept that hinted at the 2014 Vette's styling.
Chevy unveils the 1953 Corvette at GM's Motorama show
Assembly line for the 1953 Corvette. Photo: GM Media Archive
The Belgian-born American engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's work on the Chevrolet Corvette earned him the nickname "Father of the Corvette." Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images
Betty Skelton poses with a Chevrolet Corvette on Daytona Beach circa 1956. ISC Archives Photo via Getty Images
At the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corvette entered by the Camoradi team and driven by Ed Lilley and Fred Gamble leads the Ferrari 250TR/60 of Andre Pilette and Ricardo Rodriguez. Photo by Klemantaski Collection/Getty Images
GM chief designer Bill Mitchell with his 1959 Sting Ray, a race car he kept secret from other GM executives.
NASA astronaut Alan Shepherd gets the keys to his Corvette at GM's Design Studios. GM arranged for astronauts to receive free Vettes through the 1960s.
The 1961 Mako Shark concept, the precursor to the second-generation Vette. Photo: GM
Corvette was not a high-performance car until Zora Arkus-Duntov fitted it with a V-8 engine and began campaigning Corvettes in racing in the late 1950s. The late Arkus-Duntov is shown with a 1966 Corvette. Photo: GM
Bill Mitchell's love of all things nautical continued with the 1965 Manta Ray, which showed where GM would take Vette design through the '70s. The Stingray name was dropped from the Vette after Mitchell retired in 1977.
GM stylist Chuck Jordan was asked by Warner Bros. to create a potential Batmobile based off the Corvette for the Adam West TV series of the late '60s. The producers went with the Lincoln Futura-based concept redone by George Barris.
The Beach Boys strike a pose in this undated publicity photo.
A Chevrolet Corvette carrying a NASA “Astronaut” is part of the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, giving a plug to the Kennedy Space Center attraction. (Photo: ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images
John Greenwood co-drove the “Spirit of Sebring” Corvette with Michael Brockman in the 1976 24 Hours of Daytona and finished 34th. Photo:ISC Archives via Getty Images
Dirk Benedict, as Templeton 'Faceman' Peck from TV's "The A-Team," with his 1984 Chevrolet Corvette
A 1999 caravan of Corvettes to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., drew 5,000 cars.
The Corvette by Italian designer Giugiaro is displayed at the Geneve 73th International Motor Show on March 6, 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images
Andy Pilgrim pulls his Corvette out of the pit lane during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla. Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/ALLSPORT
The Corvette C5-R of Fellows, OConnell and Papis leads the Corvette of Gavin, Berette and Magnussen during final qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hour race at the Circuit des 24 Hours du Mans on June 10, 2004 in Le Mans, France. The Corvettes would sweep their class that year. Photo:
Playboy's Playmate of the Year 2005 Tiffany Fallon poses with her 2005 Corvette Coupe. Every Playmate of the year receives a car of their choosing. Photo: Getty Images
7 time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong drives the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car as he leads the cars out prior to the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Getty Images
The #57 Corvette of Marc Bunting an Dominic Cicero II locks up its breaks as it enters a turn during the 2007 Rolex Series GT Challenge at Lime Rock Park. Photo: Brian Cleary/Getty Images
The 2009 concept that hinted at the 2014 Vette's styling.