Sixty years ago today, spectators lined New York City’s posh Park Avenue, waiting to get a glimpse of the ground-breaking 1953 Chevrolet Corvette on display at the General Motors’ Motorama show. Today, the Corvette is back in The Big Apple, marking the historic milestone with the all-new 2014 C7 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
“The all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray is the most advanced and engaging Corvette in the long, prestigious legacy of this uniquely American success story,” said Chris Perry vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “It is a car woven into the fabric of American culture and it got its start right here in the Big Apple.”
The introduction of the original Corvette took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Jan. 17, 1953. Only 300 Corvettes were built – all of them white with a red interior. 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, Mich. One of these 300 is on exhibit at the National Corvette Museum, along with another piece of important Corvette history that many don’t know about.
This was the logo that was switched at the last minute because it had the American flag on it.
Although the Corvette crossed flags emblem has seen some variation over the years, it actually had a controversial beginning. The first logo design included an American flag crossing over the checkered flag to emphasize America’s entry into the sports car world. Originally created by Robert Bartholomew, an interior designer at Chevrolet, this emblem was installed on the 1953 prototype that was set to debut in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria during the “Motorama” show. As preparations were made for Corvette’s big day, the Chevrolet legal department discovered that it was against the law to use an American flag on any commercially made product. With only four days left before the show, the pressure was on to come up with a new logo, and fast.
The designers acted quickly, and looked toward Louis Chevrolet for inspiration. Searching at first for a family crest that could be adapted into a flag they ran into a dead end, as the Chevrolet family didn’t have a crest. Getting desperate, they looked to the French origins of Chevrolet’s name for inspiration. They chose the fleur-de-lis, which means “flower of the lily” as it is the French symbol for royalty. Beneath that there are three lines to represent the three Chevrolet brothers. The revised emblem was quickly made by jewelers and installed on the prototype where it has remained on Corvettes ever since.
The actual American flag emblem that was pulled off of the first Corvette for the Motorama show is on display at the National Corvette Museum, on loan from GM.
It has been a long couple of years filled with speculation, rumors, internal leaks, etc. Finally today, January 13th #one13thirteen, the world finally has a complete glimpse of the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray! By the way, YES, WE WILL INSURE THAT!
The engineers, designers, assembly folks have done a fantastic job of keeping enthusiasts on their toes. Marketing launched a fantastic campaign that gave us bits and pieces of information. Finally, we get to see the big picture! General Motors has done an amazing job with this car. They listened to customers at car shows, high performance driving schools, focus groups, etc. They have given us what we asked for!
Below you will find in its entirety the press release, and all of the images from General Motors. We hope that you enjoy! Come see the C7 Corvette at the NCM Bash in April!
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Return of the Stingray: The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
2013-01-13
DETROIT – Chevrolet is redefining modern performance with today’s debut of the all-new Corvette Stingray. And only a Corvette with the perfect balance of technology, design and performance can wear the iconic Stingray designation.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray is the most powerful standard model ever, with an estimated 450 horsepower (335 kW) and 450 lb.-ft. of torque (610 Nm). It is also the most capable standard model ever, able to accelerate from 0-60 in less than four seconds and achieve more than 1g in cornering grip. It is expected to be the most fuel-efficient Corvette, exceeding the EPA-estimated 26 mpg of the current model.
“Like the ’63 Sting Ray, the best Corvettes embodied performance leadership, delivering cutting-edge technologies, breathtaking design and awe-inspiring driving experiences,” said General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. “The all-new Corvette goes farther than ever, thanks to today’s advancements in design, technology and engineering.”
The all-new Corvette Stingray shares only two parts with the previous generation Corvette. It incorporates an all-new frame structure and chassis, a new powertrain and supporting technologies, as well as completely new exterior and interior designs. Highlights include:
An interior that includes real carbon fiber, aluminum and hand-wrapped leather materials, two new seat choices – each featuring a lightweight magnesium frame for exceptional support – and dual eight-inch configurable driver/infotainment screens
Advanced driver technologies, including a five-position Drive Mode Selector that tailors 12 vehicle attributes to the fit the driver’s environment and a new seven-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Matching that anticipates gear selections and matches engine speed for perfect shifts every time
An all-new 6.2L LT1 V-8 engine combines advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management, continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system that delivers more power while using less fuel
Lightweight materials, including a carbon fiber hood and removable roof panel; composite fenders, doors and rear quarter panels; carbon-nano composite underbody panels and a new aluminum frame help shift weight rearward for an optimal 50/50 weight balance that supports a world-class power-to-weight ratio
A sculptured exterior features advanced high-intensity discharge and light-emitting diode lighting and racing-proven aerodynamics that balance low drag for efficiency and performance elements for improved stability and track capability
Track-capable Z51 Performance Package including: an electronic limited-slip differential, dry-sump oiling system, integral brake, differential and transmission cooling, as well as a unique aero package that further improves high-speed stability.
“Stingray is one of the hallowed names in automotive history,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “We knew we couldn’t use the Stingray name unless the new car truly lived up to the legacy. The result is a new Corvette Stingray that breaks from tradition, while remaining instantly recognizable as a Corvette the world over.”
The new Corvette Stingray will be built at GM’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant, which underwent a $131-million upgrade, including approximately $52 million for a new body shop to manufacture the aluminum frame in-house for the first time.
“We believe the Corvette represents the future of modern performance cars because it delivers more power, more driving excitement and better fuel efficiency,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “The result is better performance by every measure. The 2014 Corvette delivers the fastest acceleration, the most cornering grip, the most track capability, the best braking performance and what we expect to be the best fuel economy ever for a standard Corvette.”
The 2014 Corvette Stingray coupe goes on sale in the third quarter of 2013.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
2013 NCRS Winter Regional’s in Florida – We’ll be there!
With the New Year in full swing and we are can’t wait to be attend the fun and festivities in warm and sunny Kissimmee, Florida – January 23rd – January 27th at the 35th Annual Winter NCRS Regional Meet!
NCRS Florida Chapter puts on a great Regional Meet in Old Town, Kissimmee, FL. The weekend is filled with judging of some of the finest Corvettes produced. Most of these cars are preparing for NCRS Nationals this summer.
It is the first of many shows we will be attending in 2013 and look forward to meeting friends and enthusiasts of the Museum and the NCM Insurance Agency! We will be set in the vendor area ready to quote and write you collector car insurance needs on the spot, and will be handing out our newest poster created specifically for the Museum’s Insurance Agency for anyone giving us a moment of their time to explore coverage options.
Attending shows across the U.S. is an awesome opportunity for us to meet our current customers and chat, and gives us the chance to introduce what makes the NCM Insurance Agency unique in collector car coverage. We offer excellent service and premiums, flexible usage, a 9 to 5 work endorsement, agreed value protection, a $2000 automatic spare parts coverage loss, and many other options.
We are Corvette people and proud employees of the National Corvette Museum! Who better to protect your Corvette! We would love to chat with you at the show while you are enjoy the activities – so come on over to the NCM Insurance Agency Booth and say hi!
If you are not attending the show, give us a call anytime at: 877-678-7626. You can also get a quote online at: www.ncminsurance.com or via our iphone/ipad app designed for customers on the go – www.ncminsurance.com/mobile-app
