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Corvette: Chevrolet's Supercar
The world’s fascination with the Chevrolet Corvette shows no sign of letting up, nearly 70 years after its launch. Witness the complete history of America’s original sports car, right up to the much-buzzed-about mid-engined Stingray supercar released in 2019.
Through hundreds of rare and unpublished photos from GM’s media and design archives, and in-depth analysis from noted Corvette historian Randy Leffingwell, Chevrolet’s Supercar celebrates America’s legendary sports car across eight decades. All of the production models and special editions are included, as are legendary race versions of the Corvette. Leffingwell leaves no corner unexamined in his coverage of the entire evolution of America’s longest continuously produced nameplate, from Harley Earl’s initial concept to the latest eighth-generation car.
Officially licensed and created in cooperation with General Motors, Chevrolet’s Supercar examines the Corvette’s place in popular culture as well its engineering and design successes. From the inaugural 1953 model to today’s stunning supercar, Leffingwell features all aspects of the most iconic history, racing, period ads, and key designers such as Bill Mitchell, engineers such as the fabled Zora Arkus-Duntov, celebrity ’Vette fans, and more.
Authoritatively written, beautifully illustrated, and spanning nearly seven decades, this is the book no Corvette enthusiast will want to miss—an ultimate history of America’s first and foremost sports car.
Through hundreds of rare and unpublished photos from GM’s media and design archives, and in-depth analysis from noted Corvette historian Randy Leffingwell, Chevrolet’s Supercar celebrates America’s legendary sports car across eight decades. All of the production models and special editions are included, as are legendary race versions of the Corvette. Leffingwell leaves no corner unexamined in his coverage of the entire evolution of America’s longest continuously produced nameplate, from Harley Earl’s initial concept to the latest eighth-generation car.
Officially licensed and created in cooperation with General Motors, Chevrolet’s Supercar examines the Corvette’s place in popular culture as well its engineering and design successes. From the inaugural 1953 model to today’s stunning supercar, Leffingwell features all aspects of the most iconic history, racing, period ads, and key designers such as Bill Mitchell, engineers such as the fabled Zora Arkus-Duntov, celebrity ’Vette fans, and more.
Authoritatively written, beautifully illustrated, and spanning nearly seven decades, this is the book no Corvette enthusiast will want to miss—an ultimate history of America’s first and foremost sports car.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published March 30, 2021
About the author
Randy Leffingwell
158 books52 followers Photographer and writer, Randy Leffingwell, has more than 35 books in print, primarily on Americana subjects. These cover interests and areas as diverse as the American barn and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, California’s wine country and John Deere farm tractors. His awareness of and attraction to moving things goes back as far as he can remember, to the first Dinky Toys and Match Box cars his father and mother gave him. His practical introduction to real sports cars came several years later when his uncle took him to watch a weekend of racing events at Meadowdale International Raceway in suburban Chicago.
Throughout all this time, however, he imagined himself becoming an architect and his life-long admiration of buildings and design began with frequent trips to downtown Chicago. While in undergraduate studies at Kansas University in the architectural engineering sequence, he discovered photography, journalism, and reawakened an earlier passion for writing. He scarcely looked back as he shifted his major studies from architecture, through English, Art History, psychology, and finally to the William Allen White school of Journalism for a BS in photojournalism.
Following graduation from KU, Randy began a successful career as a photojournalist first at the Kansas City TIMES, then joining the staff of the Chicago SUN-TIMES where he remained for nine years. He then worked as associate editor at AutoWeek magazine in Detroit, before being hired by the Los Angeles TIMES as a writer/photographer. He worked for the TIMES for 11 years, covering everything from news stories to personality profiles to food features throughout Italy, film festivals in France and Utah, and live theater in London. It was, he says, a great job and a great place to work.
His latest project is a large history of Harley-Davidson for them. During this project, he photographed 193 motorcycles from the Harley-Davidson Archives Collection and he completed the corresponding text for the book in early April 2007. Release of this 432 page book tentatively is scheduled for early 2008.
Throughout all this time, however, he imagined himself becoming an architect and his life-long admiration of buildings and design began with frequent trips to downtown Chicago. While in undergraduate studies at Kansas University in the architectural engineering sequence, he discovered photography, journalism, and reawakened an earlier passion for writing. He scarcely looked back as he shifted his major studies from architecture, through English, Art History, psychology, and finally to the William Allen White school of Journalism for a BS in photojournalism.
Following graduation from KU, Randy began a successful career as a photojournalist first at the Kansas City TIMES, then joining the staff of the Chicago SUN-TIMES where he remained for nine years. He then worked as associate editor at AutoWeek magazine in Detroit, before being hired by the Los Angeles TIMES as a writer/photographer. He worked for the TIMES for 11 years, covering everything from news stories to personality profiles to food features throughout Italy, film festivals in France and Utah, and live theater in London. It was, he says, a great job and a great place to work.
His latest project is a large history of Harley-Davidson for them. During this project, he photographed 193 motorcycles from the Harley-Davidson Archives Collection and he completed the corresponding text for the book in early April 2007. Release of this 432 page book tentatively is scheduled for early 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 22, 2021
Corvette: Chevrolet's Supercar, by Randy Leffingwell, is another addition to a lengthy list of books about Corvettes. I looked back at some of the ones I am have read and liked and found that this one does indeed add to the discussion, so is worth adding to your library if you're a Corvette lover.
I have only ever owned one Corvette and while I enjoyed it I am not what one would consider a true Corvette fan. So for this book to engage me and keep my interest speaks to both the appeal of the pictures as well as the approach Leffingwell takes. This volume covers the model in all of its many incarnations, not zooming in on one specific aspect or concept like many more narrowly focused books. Yet depth is not sacrificed in achieving this breadth.
This edition will satisfy everyone from the most dedicated Corvette fan to the casual car lover who by extension loves a car like the Corvette. This will also interest both the readers who want some engineering insight as well as the reader interested in public reception and marketing. All in all a very informative book with wonderful pictures, many of which are newly published.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I have only ever owned one Corvette and while I enjoyed it I am not what one would consider a true Corvette fan. So for this book to engage me and keep my interest speaks to both the appeal of the pictures as well as the approach Leffingwell takes. This volume covers the model in all of its many incarnations, not zooming in on one specific aspect or concept like many more narrowly focused books. Yet depth is not sacrificed in achieving this breadth.
This edition will satisfy everyone from the most dedicated Corvette fan to the casual car lover who by extension loves a car like the Corvette. This will also interest both the readers who want some engineering insight as well as the reader interested in public reception and marketing. All in all a very informative book with wonderful pictures, many of which are newly published.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
December 16, 2021
Corvette: Chevrolet's Supercar is basically old material from The author's last couple of books all of which I own, with Materials added to each subsequent edition, this edition despite it's beautiful cover and back cover and yes it is lavishly illustrated and well-written is just a rehash sadly. The only plus is the Added Chapter on the now New Current C8 Corvette (no C8R)as featured on the Cover, If you love Corvettes however Like I do and are a collector and completist I recommend still getting this book just be advised it's another book released with a little bit of new material in last chapter, it is a nice hardcover,despite not having a dustjacket. and For any beginner Corvette reader or book collector or as a gift i'd recommend, I'd also recommend the publisher's book on The C8 Midengine Revolution which has the whole development on the coupe and convertible(no c8R however.) I am still keeping my copy and hope publisher and author will do a whole New book on the Vette.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews