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The main property of any successful product is its ability to ensure a complete set of consumer qualities for the money that they ask for it.

From the report of the Arcus-Dantov Zora on the technical parameters of Corvette Sting Ray Coupe of 1963.

 

For most Americans, Chevrolet Corvette is the same symbol of a country as baseball or apple pie. They grew up with him; Some were lucky, and they had their own Corvette, others could only dream of him. Corvette is an integral part of America, a symbol of freedom, an equally important part of modern American culture than any face, event or place.

 

Corvette counts its story from the first half of the 50s, when the revived love of Americans for sports cars began to turn into a real passion. Until that time, its object was mainly imported cars. The American military personnel who were in Europe during the war fell in love with open sports MG TC, some even brought them with them, returning to their homeland. Behind them on American roads appeared Jaguar XK120, MG TD, Triumph TR2 and Austin-Hely, the design and stylistics of which had their influence on generations of Americans, including the future creators of Corvette. The American industry of that time could not offer anything similar. Until in the early 50s of Harley Earl, the chief of the General Motors Styling Department, Ed Cole, the chief engineer of the Chevrolet and the young designer Bob McClin did not create a plasticine model of a double sports car called the Project Opel. The authorities liked the model, and decided to take a chance. In January 1953, the prototype was shown to the public, already under the name Corvette.

 

The reaction of the public was such that after six months after the factory in Flint, serial production began. Initially, the body of the car was supposed to be made of steel, but then they stopped on fiberglass - it was easier than the production equipment, the bends were easier, and the new material intrigued the new material.

 

In 1953, 300 Corvette cars were produced, they were all white with a red salon. Sales, despite the initial enthusiasm of the public, were slow. In 1954, 3640 cars were produced. In 1955, only 700 were sold.

 

Meanwhile, the competitor - Ford, the Thunderbird O55 model appeared. Then Zora Arkus Dantov entered into business, perhaps the most famous person in the entire long history of Corvette. A passionate lover of racing, he took up the improvement of the dynamic characteristics of the car. He took up the chassis and suspension, and Ed Cole - the engine, creating in 1955 the famous small V8 with a capacity of 240 liters. With. The fate of Corvette was a foregone conclusion.

 

Each generation Corvette reflects its time in the bends of the body or the shape of the rear lights. The first (1953-1962) recalls the golden age of the American automotive industry with massive bumpers and the abundance of chromium. The second (1963-1967), perhaps, best meets the concept of the Muscle Cars.

 

And each left its imprint thanks to the design and technical innovations. For example, Corvette O57 with its engine, which gave one horse force from each cubic inch volume. Or Corvette Coupe O63 with a shared back window. I had to redo the car - the separator worsened the rear review. But judging by how much these cars are now, drivers are ready to endure inconvenience.

 

A few competitors could not stand the competition. Someone stopped production, someone changed the image-Thunderbird, for example, turned into a completely different car. And Corvette after almost half a century since the start of release is still with us, having withstood everything - and fluctuations in the economy, and changes in demand, and changes in the legislation. More these cars have been built more than any other sports cars of this class.

 

Yes, Corvette for most Americans was and remains a dream machine. But the secret of his attractiveness is not only in the psychology of buyers. These are technically perfect, each for its time, cars for the driver, and managing them is indescribable pleasure.

 

According to John Midlbruck, the general manager of the Chevrolet department, Corvette was and remains the flagship of the line of Chevrolet. This car is an exhibition of design and technological achievements of the company. And the fifth generation Corvette, shown by the public in January of this year in Los Angeles and Detroit, is no exception.

 

The creators of the new Corvette are satisfied with their work. Says Dave Hill, the chief engineer of the project: we carefully analyzed all the weaknesses of the previous car. What was good became even better, and what was great became excellent. Now, even adherents of imported models will have to think tightly.

 

The appearance of Corvette O97 does not make sense - everything is clearly visible in the photographs. We can only say that with all changes, the continuity of the style is completely preserved and outwardly the machine turned out to be absolutely recognizable. But inside a number of technical innovations are hidden.

 

The outer panels of the body are made of fiberglass and fixed on the floor and frame. The floor of the car is a sandwich of two panels made of composite material, between which a layer of balm wood is clamped. We tried a lot of synthetic materials, but it turned out that in a combination of such properties as rigidity, lightness and ability to extinguish noise and vibration, there are no equal balm. The seamless metal frame was made by pressing in the liquid, the previous structure was welded and consisted of 14 parts.

 

These measures made it possible to sharply increase the rigidity of the supporting part of the body, which not only reduced vibration, but also improved the control of the car, now when setting up the suspension, it is no longer required to take into account the vibrations of the body.

 

By the way, the CD aerodynamic resistance coefficient is only 0.29 - less than any sports car in the world.

 

The suspension is significantly modernized, many elements of which are made of aluminum, while it was possible to simultaneously improve the controllability and comfort of the car - usually these requirements contradict each other. The suspension is made adjustable in height - this allows you to compensate for the features of an individual car. The wheelbase has been increased by 210 mm and the track is expanded, which additionally increased stability.

 

The car is equipped with a system that allows the driver to choose the rigidity of shock absorbers on the go. In addition to this, the system automatically monitors the irregularities of the road and smoothly regulates the rigidity in the range selected by the driver.

 

The LS1 engine - a classic V -shaped 5.7 liter of an eight Chevrolet - received an aluminum block. The design remained traditional, with the lower location of the camshaft and valves pushers. It is more compact, which is important for Corvette with its low hood, easier and, accordingly, more reliable - engine adjustment is required only after 160 thousand kilometers. Power is brought to 345 liters. With. - This is more than last year's LT1 or LT4. The torque is 475 nm.

 

Up to 60 miles/hour (97.2 km/h) Corvette with a manual box accelerates in 4.72 seconds, and acceleration approaches 1 g. The maximum speed is almost 280 km/h.

 

The layout has changed radically. No, the car is still rear-wheel drive, but the transmission was moved back. This made it possible to significantly increase the space for passengers and double the volume of the compartment, which is called the trunk in ordinary machines - now you can place not one but two bags for golf clubs. And the driver had a platform for his left leg.

 

The brakes of all wheels, of course, disk, there is both ABS and APS; The braking distance of the car at a speed of 100 km/h does not exceed 40 meters.

 

Standard tires for Corvette - Goodyear Eagle F1 GS EMT, front P245/45ZR17, rear P275/40ZR18. You can move on them at a speed of 90 km/h even with a complete loss of pressure. Another feature of the tires is a symmetrical pattern of tread, due to which they can be rearranged.

 

And the tribute of our time is the Pass -Key anti -theft system with the transmitter in the ignition key. No buttons are required to press, just approach the car with the right key - the doors will open, and the light will light inside.

 

For all its sports, Corvette is intended not only for weekends on weekends, but also for everyday drive, and should withstand torn loads.

 

Corvette O97 prototypes passed more than 500,000 km along the roads of two continents. But that's not all. Any manufacturer will agree that the most cruel test for a car is a test drive for a car press. Indeed, the journalist who was pushing to the car is trying to squeeze everything out of it from it (and sometimes in addition to it), then leaves it at idle until the next, and so for several days, or even weeks in a row, is. You can’t imagine the worst test for the car. Therefore, they also carried out imitation of such tests. The creators of the car say that Corvette withstood them with brilliance. I would like to hope that we will someday come to ride it.

 

Mikhail Vasiliev

 
 
 

Source: Magazine Motor