Corvette Blog

One of the most fascinating collections of cars and trucks is at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, MI.

If you’ve not been there, I highly recommend you put a visit there at the top of your to-do list.

Some 600 cars and trucks make up the GM North American Heritage Collection. Many of the vehicles reflect GM's industry-firsts.

Of note for us, of course, is the very first Corvette ever built —  the EX-122, shown below. This beauty was a General Motors Motorama showcar and was first exhibited at the Waldorf Astoria in January of 1953. EX-122 was an instant hit and the first production Corvette was built on June 30, 1953 in Flint, MI.  As you may know, only 300 were built — virtually by hand and all on a pilot line. This first-year Corvette was available only in Polo white, with a red bucket-seat interior trim. The base price? $3,498!

The GM Heritage Collection is ever-changing. New vehicles are constantly acquired to fully represent GM's product story of the past 100-plus years.

Visits to the facility are available by appointment only. The facility also can be reserved for special events. For more information, email gmhc@gm.com. 

Michigan-based Corvette organizations leader and show organizer Larry Courtney reports the following news on driving clinics:

Larry Courtney

Want to learn how to handle your Corvette better? Corvette Club of Michigan (CCM) presents its annual Autocross School and Practice Day Sat., April 13, at the General Motors Hamtramck Plant in Detroit. The event is open to all Corvette owners.

Eventgoers will have the opportunity to work with an experienced driver, who will teach Corvette handling skills, while driving the low-speed Autocross. Come back Sun., April 14, to run the course and build up your skills.

Registration — 9-10 a.m. Admission — CCM and National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) members admitted free; all others, $20.

Required — must wear M/SA2005 (or 2000 stickered 10 years old) helmet; loaners available.

Where — The GM Hamtramck Plant in Detroit is at I-94/Chene Street, just east of I-75.

Questions? Call Chris Scafero at (734) 748-9948, or email Scafero at cscafero@yahoo.com.

In an impressive four-car display of advanced performance technology, the  all-new Corvette Stingray convertible, the all-new Corvette Stingray coupe, the 415-hp Chevrolet SS sedan and the restyled Camaro will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show.

The newest edition of the Camaro advances the design and performance attributes that have made Camaro the most popular sports car under $50,000 for three consecutive years.

Use this link to watch the webcast of the unveiling live from New York.

Larry Courtney, shown at Corvettes America 2012, gears up for this year's show.

Plans for the Aug. 10 Corvettes America show in White Lake, MI, are developing fast, reports Larry Courtney, Michigan captain for the 2014 Corvette Caravan.

This year's 13th anniversary celebration will draw automotive enthusiasts from across Michigan as well as surrounding states and Canada. It also has national ranking, drawing Corvette lovers from California, Oregon, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New York. The NCCC-sanctioned show, which is the largest all-Corvette event within a 200-mile radius of Detroit, will go on rain or shine.

Corvettes America is a qualifying event for the Motor City Concours.

For more details, contact Larry at info@corvettesamerica.org or (248) 208-0323.

Have you been to a Corvettes America show in the past? What do you like about it? Please share.

She's a beauty, that's for sure. Enter to win a 2014 Corvette, now!

The 2014 Stingray Corvette offers the best and most economical opportunity to own a legendary sports car. Priced at far less than any other luxury sports car made, it's certainly a deal with which to be reckoned!

And yet, along comes an even better opportunity! Hold on to your driving caps, ladies and gents ... this just in ...

You can enter for a chance to win the all new 2014 Stingray along with a VIP Corvette racing experience for two to the 24 hours of Lemans France. Just click here.

Additional details: There is no purchase necessary to enter or win. The drawing is open to legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia, 18 years of age or the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is older, as of the date of entry. Void where prohibited.

Do it now! The opportunity ends Aug. 12.  

The new Stingray Convertible debuts at the Geneva show.

Chevrolet revealed the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible today at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring an all-new, fully electronic top that can be lowered remotely using the car’s key fob. The top can also be opened or closed on the go, at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h).

“The convertible has been a part of the heart and soul of Corvette since the very beginning in 1953,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “With the all-new Corvette Stingray, we designed and developed the coupe and convertible simultaneously. As a result, the Corvette Stingray offers an open-top driving experience with no compromise in performance, technology or design.”

The Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible arrive in global markets in late 2013, with left-hand-drive models to be offered in Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Japan and Russia. Changes to Corvettes for export vary only in equipment required to accommodate a respective market’s regulations, such as lighting, headlamp washers and outside mirrors. 

“It's fitting to introduce the new Stingray convertible on the global stage at Geneva, because Corvette is the face of Chevrolet the world over,” said Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. “It is an icon that has long been recognized and admired even in countries where it’s never officially been offered.”

All of the performance technology and capabilities introduced on the Corvette Stingray coupe carry over to the convertible. The only structural changes are limited to accommodations for the folding top and repositioned safety belt mounts. Central to the Corvette Stingray’s driving experience is an all-new, more rigid aluminum frame structure, which is 57-percent stiffer and 99 pounds (45 kg) lighter than the current steel frame.

With the top down, the Corvette Stingray’s signature profile is further accentuated. Behind the seat backs, dual black accent panels enhance the character lines of the tonneau cover. Corvette Stingray’s signature “waterfall” design originates in the valley between the nacelles, bringing the exterior color into the interior.

For more information on the Stingray, give us a call here at George Matick Chevrolet.  

"Adrenalin Red" is one of the color options for the C-7 seats.

"Every feature and detail in the interior is designed to enhance the driver’s connection to the Corvette. It starts with the fighter jet-inspired wraparound cockpit; continues to build with the smaller steering wheel, more supportive seats, and high-definition, configurable screens, and is finished in gorgeous materials."
— Helen Emsley, director of interior design

Thank you, Helen!  And what wonderful seats they are! As comfort is key for Corvette drivers, the C7's all-new seats are certainly something to write home about. Precise and elegant stitching complements the available Napa leather trim. 

Two seating choices will be offered: a GT seat for all-around comfort and a Competition Sport seat with more aggressive side bolstering, which provides greater support on the track.

The frame structure for both seats is made of magnesium for greater strength and less weight than comparable steel frames. They’re also more rigid, contributing to the enhanced feeling of support during performance driving.

Which colors do you like best? Below are from top to bottom: Brownstone, Gray, Jet Black and Kalahari. Let us know!

A 1953 Corvette sketch, courtesy General Motors

In light of Corvette's 60th anniversary, here is  some of our favorite Corvette trivia: 


• The introduction of the original Corvette took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Jan. 17, 1953. That year, more than 1.4 million people saw the curvaceous design and futuristic approach of the Corvette at displays around the United States.
The enthusiastic response prompted Chevrolet to accelerate production plans and by late June that year, Corvettes were rolling out of a specialized assembly facility in Flint, MI. Only 300 were built in 1953 – all of them white with a red interior. They represented an auspicious launch for a car that would become synonymous with performance, technology, design and aspiration.

•  The Corvette was originally championed by GM’s legendary styling director Harley Earl, who insisted there was room for an American entry in the European-dominated sports car market. It was also his idea for Corvette to have a fiberglass body.

• Corvette was named for a small and fast class of naval ships.

• The 1953 Corvette had a base price of $3,498 and offered only two options – a heater for $91 and an AM radio for $145.


• Every Corvette model has used innovative materials, from fiberglass in 1953 to advanced carbon-nano technology and carbon fiber on the 2014 Corvette Stingray.

• A V-8 engine was first available in 1955. That year, it was selected by 90 percent of customers. After that, all Corvettes featured strictly V-8 power.

• The Stingray name was first used for a prototype race car, the design of which influenced the second-generation Corvette that debuted in 1963. The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split-window coupe has since been called one of the most beautiful and influential designs in automotive history.
   


• The Corvette is the longest-running, continually produced sports car in the world.

• Nearly 2 million Corvettes have been sold since it went on sale in 1953 and in 2012, it accounted for approximately one-third of all sports car sales in America.

Love is in the air ... This 2014 interior makes hearts beat just a little faster.

As Valentine's Day is right around the corner, this is a good time to think about just why our hearts go pitter-patter at the sight of a Corvette.

Recent corvetteblog.com posts from guest bloggers/Corvette connoisseurs Clayton Mackey (visit his post here) and Charles Beckham (visit his post here) reveal just how the car affects their innermost soul. 

And we love what Corvette lovers Claudia Turnquist and Jim Kimble shared in the pages of a recent issue of Hour Detroit magazine. The article features the 'Vette's 60th anniversary and takes a look at some aficionados in metro Detroit. Both Claudia and Jim purchased their vehicles at George Matick Chevrolet.

Cupid would approve of Claudia's take on color. The Hour Detroit article reads: “I love our current Crystal Red color — red is my No. 1 pick for Corvettes and the only reason why I did drive a yellow one was because the red that year wasn’t in a shade that appealed to me.” 

Meanwhile, Jim shares insights about "What Revs His Engine," a definite Cupid-approved phrase. “The Corvette has power, speed, classy lines, and looks," said Jim in the article.

Enjoy the entire story here. And ... Happy Valentine's Day!