Chevrolet Corvette History
America's sports car since 1953 — eight generations from the hand-built C1 to the mid-engine C8.
Photo: “1962 Corvette Convertible” by Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Every model year (1953–2026)
Browse the Chevrolet Corvette year by year. Each generation is listed with its model years below.
Photo: “1962 Corvette Convertible” by Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
First generation · C1
Photo: Alf van Beem / Wikimedia Commons — Public domain . Cropped to 16:9.
Second generation · C2 "Sting Ray"
Photo: “1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible” by Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Third generation · C3 "Stingray"
Photo: AlfvanBeem / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Fourth generation · C4
Photo: Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Fifth generation · C5
Photo: Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Sixth generation · C6
Photo: HJUdall / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Seventh generation · C7 "Stingray"
Photo: HJUdall / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
Eighth generation · C8 "Stingray"
History
Launched in 1953 as a hand-built fiberglass roadster, the Corvette is America's longest-running sports car and has been built continuously across eight generations.
The 1955 small-block V8 set its performance template; the 1963 Sting Ray added a coupe and independent rear suspension; and the 2020 C8 made the historic switch to a rear mid-engine layout.
Performance halos — the Z06, the ZR1, and the Grand Sport — have anchored the line for decades, delivering supercar pace at a fraction of European prices.
Generations
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First generation · C1
The original Corvette — launched mid-1953 as a hand-built fiberglass-bodied roadster. Six-cylinder at first; the 265 small-block V8 arrived for 1955, setting the V8 sports-car template.
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Second generation · C2 "Sting Ray"
The Sting Ray — introduced the nameplate, the first Corvette coupe, and independent rear suspension. The 1963 coupe's one-year-only split rear window makes it the most iconic Corvette body.
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Third generation · C3 "Stingray"
The Coke-bottle 'shark' body — the longest-running Corvette generation. Big-block muscle early, then detuned through the 1970s emissions era; the original ZR1 option appeared 1970–1972.
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Fourth generation · C4
A ground-up modern redesign launched as a 1984 model (no public 1983 cars). Home of the Lotus-engineered ZR-1 'King of the Hill' (1990–1995) and the 1996 Grand Sport finale.
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Fifth generation · C5
A clean-sheet C5 with the new LS1 V8 and a rear transaxle for balance. The hardcore Z06 returned for 2001 with the LS6, reviving the badge after a 38-year absence.
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Sixth generation · C6
Exposed headlamps for the first time since 1962. Spawned the 7.0L LS7 Z06 (2006) and the supercharged 638-hp LS9 ZR1 (2009) — the most powerful Corvette of its era.
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Seventh generation · C7 "Stingray"
Revived the Stingray name for 2014 and was the LAST front-engine Corvette. Topped by the supercharged LT4 Z06 (2015) and the 755-hp LT5 ZR1 (2019).
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Eighth generation · C8 "Stingray"
The first rear mid-engine production Corvette (2020), a landmark reinvention. Followed by the flat-plane LT6 Z06, the AWD E-Ray hybrid, and the twin-turbo 1,064-hp ZR1.
Famous Corvette variants
The nameplates that define the Corvette — each with its own cross-year history, engines, production, and collectibility.
Browse by generation
- First-generation Corvette (C1, 1953–1962)
- Second-generation Corvette (C2 "Sting Ray", 1963–1967)
- Third-generation Corvette (C3 "Stingray", 1968–1982)
- Fourth-generation Corvette (C4, 1984–1996)
- Fifth-generation Corvette (C5, 1997–2004)
- Sixth-generation Corvette (C6, 2005–2013)
- Seventh-generation Corvette (C7 "Stingray", 2014–2019)
- Eighth-generation Corvette (C8 "Stingray", 2020–present)
Browse by body style
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