Corvette Hits 59, Prepares For Big Six-Oh

In 2014, Chevrolet's all-conquering Corvette will turn 60. Naturally, such a milestone cannot go unmarked. 

With the current C6 model preparing for its swansong - the seventh-gen Corvette is on its way - a limited number of 2013 Corvette cars can be specced as 60th Anniversary specials. 

Anniversary packs come with Arctic white paint, Blue Diamond leather interior, the wing from the mighty ZR1, grey brake calipers and a set of '60th' badges.

The Corvette has had a fascinating three-score years, starting as a notoriously underdeveloped roadster in 1953. Despite the Corvette being most well-known for its V8, the first cars rolled off the line with straight sixes.

With a solid rear-axle and a comparatively modest 235 cubes under the bonnet, the Corvette grew in stature over the next few years, with regular re-styles and improvements to the lively basic package.

The shovel nose of the original roadster disappeared in 1956, as did the tail-fins.

For 1957, the Corvette gained the distinction of producing one horsepower for every cubic-inch courtesy of fuel injection on its 283 cubic inch V8.

The Corvette's signature rear-end of four rear lights didn't arrive until 1961 on the duck tail design. The one that really sticks in the hearts and minds of Corvette fans, the Sting Ray, launched in 1963.

The styling and materials slowly morphed into the car we have now, the C6, which arrived in 2005.

Exposed rather than pop-up headlights made their return for the first time in 43 years. There's an LS2 V8 good for 300kW, and the supercharged 6.2 litre ZR1 launched in 2007 with 476kW.