Celebrating the Corvette mystique

From the very first six-cylinder model to the new 638-hp ZR1, few vehicles have enjoyed the consumer loyalty of the Chevrolet Corvette. This year, the Canadian International AutoShow pays tribute to it in the "History Room," with 29 cars that span the model's 56-year history, including some of the rarest available.

PHOTOS: Classic Corvettes

The display, presented by Castrol, is part of the Classics Concourse on the 700 Level of the South Metro Convention Centre. "Corvette! An American Legend" is open during all regular show hours.

Now in its fourth year, the History Room has previously recognized MG, Studebaker and Lamborghini. "Corvette is an extension of the two-seater sports car, but as the kids say today, with major bling," says event supervisor Jon Rosenthall. "They're still available and you can buy them brand new, but they also have a fabulous history and an enthusiastic following."

The first Corvette appeared in 1953, envisioned by GM designer Harley Earl as a low-priced alternative to European sports cars. When a fibreglass concept version became a hit at the Motorama auto show, the company stuck with the relatively new material to keep prices down, and never got around to a planned metal body. The original code name "Opel" was changed to Corvette, in honour of the World War II warship class.

The first-year model is rare, but there will be one at the show, courtesy of GM Heritage. The '53 only came in Polo White with a red interior and a 150-hp "Blue Flame" six-cylinder engine. Sharp-eyed showgoers will notice its unusual doors: Until 1956 and the introduction of wind-up windows, Corvettes didn't have outside handles; you opened the door by reaching in for the inside one. The car didn't sell well and 1955 was almost its last year, but a few dedicated executives kept Chevrolet from dropping it. With new styling and a V8 engine, it was on its way.

The Corvette has gone through six generations, known as C1 through C6, and the display includes an example of the first and last years of each one, up to the 2009 model. There will also be four Indianapolis 500 pace cars, special models commemorating the 40th and 50th years of production, and such specialties as the 1963 Mako Shark and 1969 Manta Ray, both from GM's historic collection.

Many of the cars belong to members of the Corvette Club of Ontario, who will be on hand during show hours – look for their distinctive club shirts – to answer any questions. That includes Norby Dippold of Aurora, who is showing his 1971 C3 – a car that's been a part of the family for 36 years.

"My wife Patty always wanted a Corvette, and she bought this car back in 1973," he says. "I had a 1969 Camaro and when we got married, I sold it and we kept the Corvette. You'll laugh, but my wife bought it off a little old lady. She was moving to Australia and GM wanted too much money to convert it to right-hand drive, so she figured she'd just buy one when she got there instead."

That original owner wanted $6,200; Dippold says the car, with its removable "T-top" roof panels and steel-bumper styling, is now appraised at slightly less than $40,000. The Dippolds drive it regularly in the summer to shows and club events; it's a "numbers-matching" car, meaning that it still has its original 350-cubic-inch (5.7 L) engine and transmission.

Dippold says that the Corvette's enduring popularity is a combination of styling, performance and relative affordability compared to many sports cars. "It's the car for us grey-haired people that you wanted in high school," he says. "The 2005 and 2006 C6 are down to about $30,000 in the U.S., and for a car that can do almost 180 miles per hour, that's good.

"They're fast and they have a mystique ... It's like Ferrari, that everybody recognizes them, but if you're North American, born and bred, the Corvette is what you want."

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