![]() ![]() When production began six months later, at an MSRP of US$3,513 ($38,425 in 2022 dollars ), it had evolved into a considerably costlier car than the basic $2,000 roadster Harley Earl originally had in mind. ![]() The result was the hand-built, EX-122 pre-production Corvette prototype, which was first shown to the public at the 1953 General Motors Motorama at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on January 17, 1953. ![]() The secretive effort was code-named "Project Opel" (after GM's German division Opel). The last time Chevrolet offered a 2-door, 2-passenger convertible/roadster body style was in 1938 with the Chevrolet Master. Earl convinced GM that they needed to build an all-American two-seat sports car, and with his Special Projects crew began working on the new car in late 1951. In 1951, Nash Motors began selling an expensive two-seat sports car, the Nash-Healey, that was made in partnership with the Italian designer Pininfarina and British auto engineer Donald Healey, but there were few moderate-priced models. He recognized that GIs returning after serving overseas in the years following World War II were bringing home MGs, Jaguars, and Alfa Romeos. Harley Earl, as head of GM's Styling Section, was an avid fan of sports cars. The most expensive Corvette (C1) to sell in history was sold by Barrett-Jackson in the United States in March 2021 for $825,000 (£591,470). The program was nearly canceled, but Chevrolet decided to make necessary improvements. Reviews were mixed and sales fell far short of expectations through the car's early years. The Corvette was rushed into production for its debut model year to capitalize on the enthusiastic public reaction to the concept vehicle, but expectations for the new model were largely unfulfilled. This generation is commonly referred to as the "solid-axle" generation, as the independent rear suspension did not appear until the 1963 Sting Ray. It was introduced late in the 1953 model year and produced through 1962. The Chevrolet Corvette (C1) is the first generation of the Corvette sports car produced by Chevrolet. ![]()
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