Learn about the Ever-Evolving Chevy Corvette in Atlantic City, NJ
The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic American sports car that's been in production for nearly 70 years. It's also been a dream car of drivers from New York to Florida. The Corvette has changed considerably since it was first created in 1953, but it still offers the stylish mystique that made it famous. The current 8th generation (C8) Corvette is faster and more athletic than ever. Ciocca Corvette of Atlantic City offers a colossal selection of new and pre-owned Corvettes for sale or lease near Baltimore. We're passionate about our inventory, and we're pleased to tell you about the history of this classic car.
C1 Corvette (1953-1962)
The first Corvette was conceived in 1951 when Chevrolet brand manager Thomas Keating attempted to boost flagging car sales. Using the code name Project Opel, his team produced a car with a fiberglass body and a 3.9-liter six-cylinder engine mated to a two-speed automatic transmission. The Corvette debuted with a warm reception at GM's 1953 Motorama show in New York City. It was then rushed into production. All of the fiberglass bodied Corvettes were painted Polo White with red interiors and carried a sticker price of $3,490. Of the 300 first-generation Corvette models built that year, only 183 of them were sold.
In 1955, Chevrolet boosted the Corvette's appeal (and power) by upgrading to a 4.3-liter V8 engine making 195 horsepower. An engineer named Zora Arkus-Duntov was the creator of this new powertrain, eventually earning him the nickname "Father of the Corvette." In 1956, new creature comforts were added to the Corvette, including external door handles, windows that roll into the door panel, and an available power-operated folding roof. More improvements to the engine and transmission were made in the following years, culminating in a 340-horsepower motor and a four-speed manual transmission in the 1962 Corvette.
C2 Corvette (1963-1967)
In 1963, Chevrolet fully redesigned the Corvette based on Bill Mitchell's 1959 Sting Ray race car, and its split-window design was unique to the first-year coupes. This C2 version had an independent rear suspension and a V8 engine that could be mated to either an automatic transmission or a three- or four-speed manual gearbox. The 1963 Corvette Stingray was also offered with a Regular Production Option (RPO) Z06 package that gave it race-ready handling, but it was only added to 199 Corvettes.
In 1965, Chevrolet introduced Big Block V8 engines to the Corvette that produced 425 horsepower. They also added standard four-wheel disc brakes for improved stopping power. By 1967, the Corvette gained a second engine called the L88. This motor was rated at 430 horsepower, but its actual output was closer to 560 horses. Unfortunately, Chevrolet only produced 20 Corvettes with the L88 powerplant that year. The Stingray name remained affixed to the Corvette through the 1967 model year, and it was offered in both coupe and convertible body styles.
C3 Corvette (1968-1982)
1968 marked the beginning of the third-generation Corvette (C3). Chevrolet gave it new exterior sheet metal styled after the Mako Shark II concept car and made it the first production vehicle to offer "T-top" removable roof panels. It also had "pop-up" headlamps. At launch, the C3 Corvette came with a 5.4-liter small block 300-horsepower V8 engine and a three-speed manual gearbox. It worked with either a four-speed manual transmission or a new three-speed automatic. Several 7.0-liter V8 engines were also available in the Corvette, ranging from 390 to 430 horsepower.
In 1969, Chevrolet began offering a factory-installed ZR-1 racing package to the Corvette that gave it a beefier four-speed transmission, upgraded brakes, enhanced shocks, antiroll bars, and an aluminum radiator. In 1972, Chevy introduced a new LT1 Small Block V8 engine option that generated 370 horsepower. In order to meet new federal safety standards, Chevrolet gave the Corvette a body-color urethane bumper cover in 1973 to better protect its headlights and safety features.
1978 was the 25th anniversary of Corvette production, so Chevrolet built a silver and black special edition that year with a fastback rear end. In 1980, Chevy gave the Corvette visual enhancements such as revised bumpers, an updated hood, and an integrated rear spoiler. 1982 was the first Corvette model year to feature the convenience of hatchback design (introduced with the Collector's Edition model). A 200-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive came standard in the 1982 models.
C4 Corvette (1984-1996)
The C4 Chevy Corvette generation was originally supposed to begin in 1983, but production delays postponed its release to 1984. The '84 Corvette boasted an entirely new chassis for improved handling, a sleeker body design, and a new digital gauge cluster inside. Additional ground clearance and a lower center of gravity helped minimize body roll around turns. This Corvette could reach a top speed of over 150 mph when properly equipped. In 1986, the convertible body style was re-introduced after an 11-year hiatus.
Chevrolet began selling the Corvette ZR-1 model in 1990, which came with a dual-overhead-cam 5.7-liter V8 engine developed by Lotus. This motor produced 375 horsepower and enabled the Corvette ZR-1 to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. To fit its massive 11-inch-wide rear wheels, Chevrolet gave the ZR-1 model-specific doors and rear body panels. In 1996, Chevrolet introduced a one-year-only LT4 engine to the Corvette that mated exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. A Grand Sport model also became available that year with strictly Admiral Blue exterior paint and a coupe or convertible body style.
C5 Corvette (1997-2004)
In 1997, Chevrolet launched the C5 generation Corvette, giving it a more rigid hydroformed box frame and a rear-mounted transmission. It was also 80 pounds lighter than the previous generation. The '97 Corvette's 5.7-liter V8 base engine made 345 horsepower and its longer wheelbase gave it stabler handling. In 1999, Chevy introduced a fixed-roof coupe that was stiffer and lighter than its Targa sibling. In 2001, Chevrolet started producing the high-performance Corvette Z06, which came with a 385-horsepower V8 engine.
C6 Corvette (2005-2013)
In 2005, the C6 Chevy Corvette arrived with fixed headlights in place of the pop-ups that were a Corvette staple for more than 40 years. This model had a roomier interior and offered an optional navigation system. In 2008, a 6.2-liter V8 engine became available in the Corvette that put out 430 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque. By 2009, Chevrolet added a ZR1 model with a supercharged 638-horsepower engine.
