White Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Targa from 1979, 5733 cc, 225 HP, max. speed 200 km/h
The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of two-door, two-seater luxury sports cars, manufactured and marketed by GM, under the Chevrolet marque, since 1953.
Over the course of eight generations, indicated sequentially as C1 to C8, the Corvette is noted for its performance; distinctive styling; lightweight fiberglass or composite bodywork and competitive pricing. Since the cessation of Ford and Chrysler’s competitors, the Corvette is the only two-seat sports car produced by a major United States auto manufacturer and serves as Chevrolet’s halo car.
Since its introduction in 1953, the two-seater has steadily moved upmarket. Originally a relatively modest, lightweight 6‑cylinder convertible, subsequent introductions of V8 engines, competitive chassis innovations, and rear mid-engined layout have positioned the Corvette in the supercar class. The first three Corvette generations (1953-1983) employed body-on-frame construction, and since the C4 generation, introduced in 1983 as an early 1984 model, Corvettes have used GM’s unibody Y‑body platform. All Corvettes used front (mid-)engine configuration for seven generations, through 2019, and transitioned to a rear mid-engined layout with the current C8 generation.
Third generation (C3; 1968–1982)
The third-generation Corvette, patterned after the Mako Shark II concept car, was introduced for the 1968 model year and was in production until 1982. C3 coupes featured the first use of T-top removable roof panels. It introduced monikers that were later revived, such as LT-1, ZR-1, Z07, and Collector Edition. In 1978, Corvette’s 25th anniversary was celebrated with a two-tone Silver Anniversary Edition and an Indy Pace Car replica edition of the C3. This was also the first time that a Corvette was used as a Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500.
Engines and chassis components were mostly carried over from the C2, but the body and interior were new. The 350 cu in (5.7 L) engine replaced the old 327 cu in (5.36 L) as the base engine in 1969, but power remained at 300 hp (224 kW). 1969 was the only year for a C3 to optionally offer either a factory-installed side exhaust or a normal rear exit with chrome tips. The all-aluminum ZL1 engine was also new for 1969; the special big-block engine was listed at 430 hp (321 kW), but was reported to produce 560 hp (420 kW) and propelled a ZL1 through the 1/4 mile in 10.89 seconds.
