Cranswick on Classic Chevrolet Corvette 1953-1996

Book excerpt: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and, similarly, the dream of developing a world class American sports car took time and effort. Harley Earl and Ed Cole gave Corvette a push start, and Zora Arkus Duntov took the Plastic Fantastic into orbit, based on the combination of excellent design and hardware, as well as the racing achievements that followed. Once established, the Corvette became a Chevrolet icon, utilised by Bow Tie and GM marketing to benefit the automaker. However, Corvette was no loss leader, it earned its keep and the respect of industry commentators. The Corvette maintained all these qualities despite the triple whammy of insurance rate hikes, emissions controls and fuel crises, and survived into the ’80s with a fresh design that took on all sports car competitors. Archive images, independent testing, and the viewpoints of Chevrolet and auto industry personalities illustrate the rise and rise of America’s only sports car, including a substantial mid-engine genesis. Marc Cranswick’s original commentary pays homage to the Corvette as an enduring glamor icon and the ultimate dream machine!