Corvette Stingray Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

While some automakers randomly pull a name for a car out of thin air, others take this task seriously, spending a lot of time finding the perfect name for its cars. And Chevrolet did just that with the Corvette. The American sports car has become an icon for everything America stands for with performance-oriented parts and an enthusiast first attitude. While the majority of enthusiasts fall in love with the Corvette because of its rich heritage, gorgeous styling, and performance, its name will give you a new outlook on the car.

After introducing the sports car into the market, its name was still in the air. So hundreds of enthusiasts submitted ideas, but only one of them resonated with Chevrolet. Myron E. Scott, a newspaper photographer submitted the winning name of "Corvette." Scott thought the name Corvette not only sounded good, but also thought that it was fitting since the name was made famous by a class of warships that sailed the seas in World War II. Scott believed the name would appeal to American men, since many of them had served in the war.

The name "Corvette" was first used on ships in the 1670s by the French Navy. The light, small and fast ships would be used as escorts for larger vessels. The Corvette ships were under 100 feet long and only had one gun deck, but were extremely quick and highly maneuverable, which gave the vessels the upper hand against the larger ships. It's easy to see how the ship's characteristics translated to the American sports car. The Corvette may not have the same firepower as its more expensive European rivals, but has always been able to run rings around the competition.

The Corvette, as a car, is sleek, fast and highly maneuverable on the track. As a ship the Corvette was an underdog that was used to protect larger ships; as a car, the Corvette represents everything that's great about American cars. The Corvette has done both jobs admirably.