Alongside the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Corvette has been considered one of America’s best sports cars for generations. The best American alternative to brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini, the Corvette has captured hearts and minds and landed on posters in kids’ rooms for decades. 

As well-known as this car is, would you believe there are still some fun facts you didn’t know? For example, did you know that NASA Astronauts in the 1960s only paid $1.00 for their 1962 Corvette models? Talk about a perk of the job! 

20. Two Million Strong

With more than 2 million vehicles sold in its history, it’s hard to ignore the popularity behind this vehicle. Considering it’s a two-door coupe sports car and not an everyday driver for most Americans, its sales numbers are a testament to its popularity and beloved style. 

19. Corvette C1

The original Corvette was launched in 1953, and this car is as perfect today as it was that year. While models can fetch hundreds of thousands at auctions, the truth is that the nation recognizes this car as the prime Corvette. This speaks directly to its popularity, even among those not interested in cars. 

18. Corvette Songs

The Corvette has been name-dropped in Hollywood time and time again, especially in songs like Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” or the film Corvette Summer, popularizing this vehicle’s cultural significance in Americana. 

17. Affordable Supercar

There is little question that most Americans cannot afford the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari. However, the Corvette has long been attainable for the average American, which directly explains why this car became so popular quickly. While not inexpensive, it costs hundreds of thousands less than Italian supercars and performs just as well. 

16. American V8 Power

Speaking directly to the question as to why the Corvette is America’s car, it’s a symbol of V8 power around the world. Competing directly with supercars from Italy, Germany, and Japan, something about the naturally aspirated V8 engine shows off American engineering prowess. 

15. The New Corvette

The introduction of the C4 Corvette in 1984 was a massive leap forward for the design. At this point, Chevy added a new style, complete with a digital dashboard and six-speed manual transmission, and this Corvette era would be the first to show off the ZR1, the top-performing trim level. 

14. Star of the Show

The Corvette’s original debut occurred during General Motors’ 1953 Motorama, held in New York in January of that year. General Motors immediately saw that the public’s reaction to the vehicle was beyond their expectations, so they immediately began production by the following June, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

13. No Trunk Available

Today, buying a car without any trunk space would be unthinkable. However, the Corvette went without any trunk space for almost 20 years. Between 1963 and 1982, America’s most beloved sports car didn’t offer cargo space in the trunk. There was a tiny cargo area behind the seats, but it wasn’t sizable enough for any meaningful purpose. 

12. Guinness World Record

The Corvette is well-known for being a speed demon on a straightaway, but how about going in reverse? In 2014, a Stingray model drove a mile in reverse at a constant speed of 53 miles per hour, setting a speed record. 

11. Two Original Options

At its launch in 1953, Chevrolet only offered two additional features, such as a heater, for an extra $91. Separately, an AM radio could be added to the Corvette for only $145. 

10. The Corvette Name

Would you believe that the Corvette’s original name was “Opal?” As surprising as this might be, Chevy’s chief photographer changed the name to match the fast class of United States warships sailing around the world protecting the country. 

9. The Lonesome Vette

It’s going to be shocking to many, but there is only one 1983 Chevy Corvette in existence today. Unfortunately, due to some trouble with emissions standards, only one Corvette model rolled off the line in 1983. Instead, Chevy focused on 1984 as they destroyed all but one of the 43 pre-production 1983 models created, including the one on display at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky. 

8. Route 66

This early 1960s TV show paired America’s most famous road with its most famous sports car. “Route 66” starred two 20-something actors traveling cross-country in a Chevrolet Corvette. Chevy loved the show so much that it gave the production a new Corvette for every season. The show even had its own section in a famous Corvette fan club magazine. 

7. Pop-Up Headlights

One of the Corvette’s more iconic features was its pop-up headlights, which lasted for decades. In 1963, two GM design leads, Larry Shinoda and Peter Brock, added this unique element as a design feature, which lasted on all Corvette models until the sixth-generation Corvette was introduced in 2005. 

6. The Coupe 

You would be incorrect if you thought the Chevrolet Corvette was always available as a coupe. This famous car was only available as a convertible for the first 10 years of its life. However, in 1963, 10 years after its debut, the Corvette was finally offered as a coupe and convertible. At this point, the “Sting Ray” badge was first introduced in a production Corvette, which continues today. 

5. 1950s Design

The famous wraparound windshield design trend of the 1950s on vehicles started with the Chevrolet Corvette. While this wouldn’t be the last time the Corvette set the trend, the car helped pioneer this famous windshield design, which gained popularity throughout the 1950s. 

4. Indianapolis 500

As America’s most famous car race (sorry, Daytona 500!), the Corvette has been the pace car 21 times, most recently in 2024. This means the Corvette has paced more than any other car made in America or otherwise at this famous speedway. 

3. Original Logo

As America’s car, the first and original Corvette logo featured the American flag and the checkered flag on its emblem. Unfortunately, you can’t use the American flag on a commercial product, so the logo was changed to the exact logo you see today with the bow-tie emblem, fleur de lis, and the checkered flag. 

2. The First Corvette

In 1953, when the Corvette was first available to the public, it sold for a mere $3,153. When you adjust for inflation in 2025, that’s only $41,525 in today’s money. In other words, this was a steal of a value back then when you know that most Corvette models are double this price tag today. 

1. NASA Astronauts

One truly surprising fun fact that shows just how much of an American icon the Corvette is relates to the 1960s astronauts. With the space race at the height of its battle between the US and Russia, NASA gifted new Corvettes to astronauts, including Alan Shepard. Unfortunately, the astronauts couldn’t accept them for free because of NASA regulations, so they paid $1.00 for a one-year lease. 

 

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