America Sports Car is one of the most famous and recognizable cars on the road. Its sleek body and monster engine make it any muscle car guy’s fantasy.Still don’t know what I’m talking about? It’s the Chevrolet Corvette.The Corvette has been in production since 1953 and has gone through a number of changes. However, not so dramatic that you couldn’t recognize one on the road. There have been six generations of corvettes. C1 The first generation if often referred to as a solid axle because independent rear suspension wasn’t available on the car until later models. The C1 was made from 1953 through 1962. The thing that made this car stand out in the early years was the optional fuel injection, which was available in 1957. The car produced about 290 hp (horsepower). But that wasn’t the end to Chevrolet’s designs for the C1. In 1962, GM’s small block was enlarged to 357 inches and produced 360 hp.C2 The second generation, or mid-year generation, only lasted four years from 1963-1967. However, 1963 brought on the Corvette Sting Ray. The Sting Ray had a distinctive with its split rear window, fake hood vents and independent rear suspension. However, the rear split window was discontinued in 1964 for safety precautions. A big block engine (396 in) was introduced in 1965, but Chevy didn’t end there. They created a 427 in. engine for the biggest and collectible car to date. The 427 (7 L version) in the 1967 Vette supposedly reached over 500 hp, but officially was listed as 430 hp.C3- The third generation has the longest history of Corvettes. It was patterned after “Mako Shark II” designed by Larry Shinoda. This model ran from 1968-1982. There weren’t many changes done to the Corvette during this time, which made the car loss some of its flavor, as the car was mass-produced. In 1982, a new engine featuring cross fire injection, a fuel injection carburetor hybrid, was also introduced that year as the L83. It was the only engine available in 1982 and was not offered with a manual transmission.C4 The fourth generation lasted from 1984 through 1996. The 1983 model year was only used for test models. All but one of these models was crushed. The remaining car is in the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Corvette C4 was different from the models before it. It with an electronic dashboard with digital liquid crystal displays for the speedometer and tachometer. The C4 was a complete and total redesign except for its engine, and the emphasis was on handling. The C4 Corvette was proclaimed the best handling production car.C5 The production of the C5 lasted from 1997 to 2004. This car was even different from its predecessors. The car had a hydro formed box frame, rear transmission, which formed a rear-mounted transaxle that was connected to the engine via a torque tube. Also, introduced on this car was the LS1 small block with a rating of 345 hp and 350 pounds of torque.C6 The newest generation of the Vette started in 2005. The most obvious change to the car was the exposed headlamps, which was the first time since 1962. This is also a smaller, sportier car as it’s mildly shorter and narrower than the C5. The new 6.0 L LS2 V8 produces 400 hp (298 kW) at 6000 rpm and 400 ft-lb (542 Nm) of torque at 4400 rpm. It has also become the official pace car for the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 races.According to several issues of Motor Trend magazine, a C7 Corvette will debut in the 2010 calendar year. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11
