May 04, 2015

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Since its 1953 introduction into the automotive industry, Corvette has been the archetypal American muscle car, an exemplary performance machine with supreme style, the quintessential model for Chevy dealers.

Until 2014, the C6 was the latest embodiment of this image. After a nine month production run, the C6 was discontinued in 2013 and replaced by the C7.

The Corvette C7, the latest in the lineup, is arguably the most perfectly complete Corvette manufactured to date. But it hasn’t forgotten where it came from. This is an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary car.

In fact, the C7 even resurrected the stingray image and branding first seen in 1976. With that historic nod and cutting-edge design, the C7 Stingray (initially spelled Sting Ray) was the most awarded car of 2014.

But, how did the sixth generation Corvette develop into the stunning C7 and how noticeable are those differences?

Very.

This overhaul was initially planned for 2011, but the delay gave Chevrolet’s Research and Design team extra time to finesse the C7, leading to its anticipated and ultimately, much celebrated, release three years later.