Top 10 Iconic Moments in Corvette History

Intro

To celebrate their 75-year anniversary Motor Trend recently conducted a poll asking readers to name the most iconic vehicle of all time. There were ten vehicles to choose from. The list included the Porsche 911, Ford F-150, Volkswagen Beetle, and of course the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette beat them all and was named as the most iconic vehicle ever. An impressive feat given the competition and the large fanbase those other vehicles enjoy. And this result got us thinking. What are ten of the most iconic moments in Corvette history? 

We are not talking about the most powerful engines, or the highest top speed, or anything like that. In fact, some items on our list don’t even have anything to do with the car itself. We are looking for moments. Moments when the Corvette made headlines. What times did the Corvette really change the game? Over the course of 70+ years we can honestly say that the Corvette had a couple dozen iconic moments. But we whittled the list down to just ten. These moments put the Corvette on the map and are the reasons why it was just voted as the most iconic vehicle ever made.

10. National Corvette Museum Sinkhole (2014)

It was just over ten years ago when the National Corvette Museum made international headlines. On February 12, 2014, a sinkhole opened up in the Skydome area of the museum. Eight historically significant Corvettes were swallowed by the earth. Security cameras captured the moment the sinkhole opened, and the cars fell into an underground cave. But the cars were extracted. Some were restored and others were left in the same condition they were in when they were recovered. Two years later a new exhibit opened to relive the events of that day. It is a surreal story and one of the most iconic Corvette moments ever.

9. Astronaut Lease Program (1962)

It started with Alan Shephard and his 1957 Corvette. After he became the first American in space GM gave him a new 1962 Corvette upon his return. The former Indy 500 winner and Florida car salesman Jim Rathmann came up with a plan where astronauts could lease a Corvette for $1. As a result, the Corvette became the car of choice for American astronauts. The coolest car was driven by the men with the coolest job. It was the perfect match and helped to solidify the Corvette as the American sports car.

8. Split Window (1963)

This is the first actual Corvette feature on our list. And it might be the most iconic of all Corvette features. Several key members of the Corvette team had a hand in designing the split window, including Chevrolet head of styling Bill Mitchell. It really hammered home the marine life motif that Mitchell was looking for. The split window kicked off the C2 generation which many consider the best Corvette generation ever. But it was not without controversy. The split window design obscured rear visibility and caused a safety concern. Some owners even had the two windows replaced with a single pane of glass back in the day. But the split window today remains one of the most iconic Corvettes ever produced.

7. C4 ZR-1 (1990)

The C4 ZR-1 was like no other Corvette before it. The car came with a dual overhead cam engine which was a first for the vehicle. It also came with a high price tag. But for that you got super car performance. It was the first Corvette that really had the performance to mix it up with the exotic super cars of the world. It elevated the Corvette game globally. The C4 ZR-1 was a milestone car in Corvette history. 

6. Corvette Racing Le Mans Success (Various Years)

The Corvette first raced at Le Mans in 1960. There they would battle it out with the best from Ferrari, Porsche, and Aston Martin. It finished eighth overall and won its class. But that was just the beginning. In 2000 the Corvette Racing team was back at Le Mans and a Corvette would win its class nine times out of 24 races from the 2000 to 2023 seasons. In 2006 a Corvette won its class and finished an incredible fourth overall. These victories put Corvette on the global racing stage with the best in the world.

5. First Corvette Z06 (1963)

In 2024 people are still clamoring for a C8 Z06. It is an incredible performance car. But the precedent for this car was set over 60 years ago. The Z06 option added about 50 percent to the price of the standard 1963 Corvette. But for that sum you got a street legal race car. The car came with upgraded brakes, a  heavy-duty front stabilizer bar, stiffer springs and shocks. Oh, and it also came with the L84 V8 making 360 horsepower which was nearly 50 percent more power than you got in the base car. Only 199 1963 Z06 cars were built. But those cars started a legacy.

4. Mid-Engine Design (2020)

Zora Arkus-Duntov had been pushing for a mid-engine Corvette since the early days of development. With the 2020 C8 it finally happened. And this has pushed the Corvette into a whole new class. Performance improved dramatically. The looks changed; the dynamics of the car changed. It is the biggest generational change in the history of the Corvette. Some traditional Corvette fans are not happy about it, but the mid-engine Corvette is an entirely different beast.

3. LS Engine Family (1997)

LS swap everything. It is a phrase we hear all the time. And it all started with the LS1 that debuted with the C5 Corvette in 1997 making 345 horsepower. It was the first aluminum block in a base model Corvette. The LS was lighter, more efficient, and more powerful. And it loves to be modified for more power. The LS engine has been found under the hood of many cars in the form of engine swaps over the last 25 years. 

2. Small Block V8 (1955)

The LS engine family is fantastic, but it all started with the GM small block in 1955. This engine saved the Corvette. The high price and tepid performance of the 1953 and 1954 Corvette models had GM seriously considering killing the model. But in 1955 the GM small block V8 appeared and saved the day. The Corvette finally got power worthy of a sports car. A small block V8 has been part of the Corvette formula ever since. We can’t imagine the car without it. And we certainly can’t imagine not having the last 69 years’ worth of Corvettes to enjoy.  

1. The Debut (1953)

The original debut of the Corvette in 1953 is naturally the most iconic moment in Corvette history. How sad were things in 1952 America with no Corvette yet? But the world changed in January of 1953 at the   General Motors Motorama held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. On June 30, 1953, the first Corvette was built. 300 were built in total that year. Most of the car was assembled by hand back then. They were all Polo White with a red interior. They were simple cars back then, but they became a symbol of American pride, freedom and power. This was the most historic moment for the most iconic car.

Images: Chevrolet