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An iconic sports car: the Corvette

(photo by OC,SHer BEN M: Country Classic Cars, Staunton IL, 05/02/2015)
Can you think of a more universally-known, regularly-seen & available sports car? No matter the generation, it is simply known as Corvette, prompting many to believe it is its own make! But, in reality, it is a model of the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors & has been since its 1953 debut. Corvette is considered the 4th longest continually-used nameplate in the world. The 3 nameplates ahead of Corvette in longevity are Chevrolet Suburban (since 1935), Ford F-series (since 1948) & Toyota Land Cruiser (since 1951). The nameplate technically slated just behind the Corvette is the Mercedes-Benz SL, which debuted in 1954. However, for 1983, only 43 Corvette prototypes were made; quality issues & part delays kept them from ever being sold. All but 1 were destroyed or re-serialized to 1984 models; the lone exception is a museum piece at the National Corvette Museum (Bowling Green KY). So, technically, since the SL has been available every year since 1954 & the Corvette wasn’t available in 1983, the 2 models are tied.