The Corvette turns 60

The Corvette really came into its own in 1957, combining power and good looks. General Motors design chief Harley Earl had tweaked the styling for '56, adding side coves and creating a car that would be viewed as the pinnacle of first-generation Corvette design. The V8 engine grew from 265 to 283 cubic inches, and the newly available Ramjet fuel-injection system increased output to 283 horses, one horse per cubic inch. The first 4-speed manual transmission was also offered midyear. In tests conducted by Road & Track magazine, a 283 "fuelie" with the 4-speed vaulted from zero to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, which was almost unheard of at the time.

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The second-generation Corvettes, the Sting Rays of 1963 to 1967, are revered as the most appealing in the marque's history. The reason is simple: The cars were absolutely stunning. No Corvette was more beautiful than the 1963 split-window coupe. The first coupe in Corvette history, the '63 is also the most collectible, as the split-window design was dropped after one year because of complaints about rear vision. Horsepower from the 327-cubic-inch V8 ranged up to 360 with fuel injection. The '63 'Vette handled better than previous models, thanks in part to a new independent rear suspension. It boasted more creature comforts as well, adding available air conditioning for the first time.

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The C3 generation Shark Corvette was by far the best-selling 'Vette ever produced, mostly because it was in production for so long, from 1968 through 1982. While later generations of the C3 were somewhat watered down, the '69 model was built at the peak of Detroit performance, and the L88 package was king of them all. Meant for racers, L88 included heavy-duty brakes and stiffer suspension settings, and had many creature comforts such as a heater and air conditioning. Under the hood, the 427-cubic-inch V8 engine was officially rated at 430 horsepower, but it really created more than 500 horses. Only 116 L88 1969 'Vettes were built, making them highly collectible today.

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The Corvette has always enjoyed a reputation as America's supercar, but it lacked sophistication compared with the Italian supercars. The ZR-1 hatchback coupe was an attempt to change that. It started under the hood with the new LT5 V8 engine developed with Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. The new engine displaced the same 5.7 liters as the standard overhead valve V8, but featured dual overhead cams with four valves per cylinder, increasing power from 250 to 375 horses. Also added were the Z51 handling package, larger brakes and beefy rear tires. The ZR-1 was produced through 1995 and would remain the ultimate 'Vette until the next decade's Z06.

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With each new Corvette came a new engine designation, and the 2002 Z06's was the LS6. Developed for 2001, the 5.7-liter LS6 V8 added 20 horses for 2002, bringing the total to 405. Based on a lightweight coupe body style, the Z06 blazed from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, more than a half-second quicker than the ZR-1. Handling was aided by a stiffer suspension and grippy Goodyear tires created for the car. Production of the Z06 stopped at the end of 2004, and then restarted in 2006 as part of the C6 lineup. Today, it's one of the best performance values on the road. Even so, it's not king of the Corvette hill.

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In 2009, Chevrolet revived the ZR1 moniker for what would be the fastest Corvette ever built. The ZR1, which is still available, is powered by the LS9 6.2-liter V8, the first supercharged engine in Corvette history. It makes a whopping 638 horsepower, launches the car from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and pushes it to a top speed of 205 mph. These are true supercar numbers. Carbon-fiber body panels cut weight, while aluminum suspension components and a specially tuned version of Magnetic Ride Control aid handling. A Performance Traction Management system was added in 2010 to optimize grip.

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Kirk Bell has served as the associate publisher for Consumer Guide Automotive and editor of Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine. A Midwest native, Bell brings 18 years of automotive journalism experience to MSN, and currently contributes to JDPower.com and Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.