Where did the Chevy Corvette come from? The earliest versions of this iconic American sports car have roots in European models seen by soldiers during World War II. Returning soldiers wanted some of the gorgeous European sports cars, and Chevy answered that desire with the first models of the Corvette.

Most gearheads agree these are the Chevy Corvettes you want to drive.

C8 Chevy Corvette

The current generation of this iconic Chevrolet sports car is easily one of the most glorious cars in the world. This mid-engine Corvette has European names such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Porsche shaking in their proverbial shoes.

The C8 Corvette brings a 495-horsepower LT2 V8 engine to the mix and recently upped the ante with the new Z06 model. This new Z06 version can hit 60 mph in 2.6 seconds and delivers more power than its Stingray sibling.

The C8 is one of the best Chevy Corvettes ever made.

C7 ZR-1 Chevy Corvette

How do you say goodbye to a generation of one of the most glorious cars offered? If you’re Chevrolet, this is done by creating a fitting sendoff to the C7 Corvette, which was the ZR-1 model.

This special version of the final front-engine Corvette uses a 6.2-liter LT5 V8 engine with a 2.6-liter Eaton supercharger to produce an incredible 755 horsepower and a 214-mph top speed.

This version of the Corvette is still the fastest model ever made.

1963 Stingray

If it weren’t for the first-generation model of this iconic sports car, we wouldn’t love the Chevy Corvettes we see today. The 1963 Stingray will always be legendary because it started everything. This car was instantly one of the hottest cars in the market, but not near the end of its lifespan.

When the 1963 Stingray arrived, it brought an imaginative and aggressive design with shark-inspired lines and a split rear window that has become a signature feature of this car. The 360-horsepower V8 was excellent, giving this Corvette plenty of power.

The 1963 Stingray is still considered one of the most beautiful American cars ever made.

1969 ZL-1

The C3 Chevy Corvette offers one of the most iconic shapes in the history of this car. When this generation debuted in 1968, a special ZL-1 model followed in 1969. This car became an instant hit but was only offered for one model year.

The 1969 ZL-1 Corvette was powered by a 7.0-liter big-block all-aluminum engine that was listed at 430 horsepower. Many experts reported this car made much more power than the Chevy listing.

 Regardless of the disagreement, the ZL-1 became one of the rarest Chevy Corvettes ever made. Only two buyers got this car, which cost $4,700 more than the regular 1969 Corvette.

1990 ZR-1

 Most of the models from the C4 generation of the Corvette were disappointing, but one stood out and made gearheads proud. This is the 1990 ZR-1 model. This version was much faster than the standard C4 models, giving us the aggression desired in this sports car.

The 1990 ZR-1 Corvette was powered by a 375-horsepower V8 engine developed with Lotus. At that time, GM owned Lotus, which made the engine tuning amazing.

The 1990 Corvette ZR-1 had a top speed of 180 mph making it one of the fastest sports cars of the 1990s.

If you love these Chevy Corvettes or this iconic car in general, you’ll enjoy this video featuring the new Z06 C8 Corvette.