Corvette ─ Rise of a Sportscar

This book examines how the Corvette measures up to the sports car criteria and makes comparisons with the mainly foreign competition. It asks whether the Corvette was a sports car or a "muscle car: and explores the Corvette sub-culture in the U.S. where the large car was woven into the fabric of society. It follows the evolution of the shape of the car and how this was affected by both time and geography, and it analyzes the social issues such as the craving for fun in both good and bad times and the effects of fuel crises and fuel emissions regulations. The author examines the various styling changes of the cars as they evolved over the decades as well as some of the revolutionary engineering changes that set new standards in the U.S. automotive industry, and explains how the Corvette survived the financial challenges to Chevrolet and General Motors.

Mark Eaton is membership secretary of the Classic Corvette Club UK, and contributes to the club magazine.