The Chevrolet Corvette was unveiled to the public at the MotoRama auto show held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. It was a two-seater roadster, the first in history to feature a body made of plastic, or rather fiberglass – a polyester plastic reinforced with glass fiber.
The model did not take long to start production. First, public feedback was encouraging, and secondly, it was necessary to get ahead of Ford, which was also preparing a two-seater sports model. Already in September 53, the Corvette began to be produced at the plant in Flint. By the end of the year, only 300 units were produced.
The design of the car was developed by the famous stylist Harley Earl. Externally, the Corvette was noticeably different from its counterparts of this brand. The low, open body was placed on a chassis that was shorter than other Chevrolets by 33 cm. Both seats were moved to the stern, so the driver could reach the rear wheel with his hand.
The radiator grille was wide and low, forming frequent vertical bars. The headlights were located in sloping oval niches, protected by grilles. The original taillights protruded far back beyond the body.
The company's 3,9-liter inline-six was boosted from 108 to 150 hp. It was paired with a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Later, in 1955, the cars received a more powerful engine, a V-shaped 8-cylinder – 4,34 liters with 195 hp. The maximum speed was 165 and 175 km/h, respectively.
Interestingly, at first almost all cars were white with a red interior, and from 1954 two more were added - blue and red. In total, 1953 cars of this type were produced in 1955-4640.
In 1956, the “portrait” of the car changed. Another famous designer, William (Bill) Mitchell, joined the development of the exterior. The headlights were no longer equipped with fairings. The hood became longer, and the wings were more rounded. The car received a spectacular two-tone color, with clearly marked light sidewalls.
Later, in 1959, a version with four headlights and a modified radiator grille and front bumper appeared. The car was equipped with a V8 (4,34 l) with a capacity of 225 hp, and in 1962 a 5,36 l engine appeared, developing 230 or 315 hp. The maximum speed was noticeably different: 185 and 229 km/h, respectively. 1956 such cars were produced in 1962 - 64.
Chevrolet Corvette at the exhibition "Plastics in the USA", held in Kyiv in the summer of 1961. Photo from Leonid Gogolev's author's photo album "Foreign Cars of the 60s on the Streets of Kyiv" (Mystetstvo Publishing House, 2024).