Karosse No. 17
by © Corbis. All Rights Reserved. - © Car Culture/Corbis
1953 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Back End
10 Jul 1985, USA --- The Corvette made its debut in 1953, and is widely considered "America's Sports Car." Its origins date back to the end of World War 2, when returning GI's sang the praises of the lithe sports cars they had seen overseas, such as MGs, Jaguar's, and Alfa Romeo's. GM designer Harley Earl, always quick to sense a trend, convinced GM to create its own original sports car. Earl chose fiberglass for the body, making Chevrolet the first big company to use the new miracle material in a mass production vehicle. --- Image by © Car Culture/Corbis