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This car could scare the unmentionable out of the small-bore Eurocentric entries in tours, or it could graduate summa cum outlandish from other events. In 1965, Zora Arkus-Duntov’s Corvette Engineering Group began developing the new 427 Mark IV engine for use in the Corvette as a full-bore endurance-racing engine, and in 1967 their work came…

For many, the 1960s were the golden years of American high-performance automobiles. No car did more to usher in that era than the Chevrolet Corvette. In 1955, it was offered for the first time with a V8 engine. From then on, there was no looking back—the Corvette has helped shoulder the banner for American sporting…

Penned by GM stylist Larry Shinoda under Bill Mitchell, the all-new 1963 Corvette Sting Ray introduced the aerodynamic styling and superb engineering that created an instant classic. Underneath that gorgeous new bodywork was a serious sports car, riding on a 4-inch shorter wheelbase than before and equipped with a simple yet effective independent rear suspension…

The LS6 engine RPO has been offered only once in Corvette history, and for only one model year—1971. With 454 cubic inches, a cast-iron block and aluminum heads, the first LS6 was second only to the full-blown L88 racing engine (offered from 1967 through 1969) in terms of both power and legend. The original LS6…

Following an absence of more than a decade, Chevrolet reintroduced the convertible roof option for the 1986 Corvette. This may require some explanation for younger readers, as in the mid-1970s the American car industry thought all convertible cars had one foot in the grave. With the introduction of the 5 mph bumper—and other innovations—federal crash…