Corvette, The American Icon, Inspires Passion and Loyalty for Half a Century

It's been said that the ability to inspire passion is the single most significant measure of a vehicle's success. If that's true, then Corvette surely is one of the most successful cars ever. Relatively low volume aside, it remains an icon after 50 years. Uniquely American, it's a symbol of independence, exuberance and driving pleasure.

Certainly, few cars have inspired the passion, loyalty and excitement as Corvette. Corvette's following has inspired thousands of car clubs, an official museum, scores of events, conventions, rallyes, ride and drives, swap meets and even a cross-country cancer fundraising tour, undertaken by a single loyal fan. Corvette has appeared in countless movies, songs, books, magazines, and video games. It's inspired art, cologne, cookies, board games, trinkets, wearables, even its own unique wave, shared by fellow owners as they pass one another on the road. Some decorate their garages or basements to honor Corvette, with signs, banners, posters, spare parts and memorabilia.

The fans, well, they're loyal. Even fanatical. They've memorized VINs, horsepower ratings, part numbers, trim changes and exterior colors. They soak up Corvette information like students cramming for the final.

The events keep its devoted fans busy all summer long. For many, it's evolved from a hobby to a true lifestyle. And the people who live the lifestyle become a loosely knit but tightly connected family. Corvette has inspired lifelong friendships, rekindled each summer at see-you-next-year pilgrimages to Carlisle, Effingham, Bloomington or Bowling Green. Places that mean nothing to those who don't care about Corvette, but everything to those that do. These places, and the events that light them up each year, have sparked romances, even lifelong love, for some of those who visit. Rarely does a year go by when attendees don't celebrate a Corvette marriage amidst a sea of coupes and convertibles, complete with tuxedos, corsages and beaded white dresses. Sometimes the bride and groom exchange vows and rings inside a Corvette, sometimes the wedding party and onlookers follow in a celebratory parade - a blissful blaze of Torch Red, Arctic White and Competition Yellow.

Those who work on Corvette become celebrities in the eyes of those who love the car. They surround them for autographs at the events, they share their stories, they feel compelled to praise and criticize and offer unsolicited advice, they lament selling their '63 split-window coupe all those years ago. Those inside GM long to be asked to work on Corvette, and consider it nothing less than an honor and privilege to do so. Other celebrity-types, ranging from Hollywood actors, rock'n rollers, political mouthpieces, CEOs and astronauts, understand the legacy of Corvette ownership.

The car has inspired a series of one-offs created by dozens of independent tuners who take stock Corvettes and build on them, adding high horsepower engines, high-performance suspensions and various accessories.

One could say Corvette owns the roadways that once made up Route 66. Surely, Tod and Buzz would agree. And today's C5-R more often than not owns the tracks on which it races, giving the fans yet another venue to soak up the lore. Those serious about motoring technique and skill trek to Corvette driving schools.

After 50 years, one thing is clear, people love their Corvettes, and they embrace just about anything that relates to the car. It has survived five decades of fluctuating economies, changing markets, and tightening governmental regulation. And still, it remains a symbol of pure driving pleasure and pure American grit, perseverance, ingenuity and spirit. Through it all, it's retained its M.O. as an accessible dream car. It's not haughty nor stuffy, snobby nor temperamental, it's as down-home, grassroots, heartland American as it gets. That's the appeal of Corvette, and one of the reasons its following has remained so strong.

Sure, it has sophisticated styling, impressive technology, advanced gadgets and expensive materials, but it's never forgotten its roots. No doubt, the cynical will maintain it's just a car. A mingling of composite and other high-tech materials, glass, leather and rubber. And, technically, well, they're right. But those who know better have long realized that Corvette is much more than a car. It's a culture, and once it's in the blood, it flows for life.