Description

The Corvette Sting Ray name first appeared in 1963, marking Chevrolet’s introduction of the second-generation (C2) Corvette. This model departed radically from the first generation, featuring a sharper, more aerodynamic body with hidden headlamps, a fastback rear, and a refined chassis with independent front suspension and transverse leaf springs at the rear. The result was a sports car that combined muscular American V-8 performance with handling characteristics that could rival many European contemporaries.

Under the hood, buyers could choose from several small-block 327 cubic-inch V-8 engines, ranging from a smooth 250 horsepower up to the top-end 360-horsepower fuel-injected variant. The Sting Ray’s precise steering, four-wheel disc brakes, and optional close-ratio four-speed gearbox gave it a driver-focused feel. Its distinctive split-window coupe, produced only in 1963, has become an icon of automotive styling, though Chevrolet replaced it in 1964 with a single-piece rear glass to improve visibility.

In 1968, Chevrolet carried the Sting Ray name into the third-generation (C3) Corvette. The styling grew more pronounced: flared fenders, a longer hood, and a “Coke-bottle” profile that emphasized the car’s width and low stance. Early C3 Sting Rays offered a broad range of V-8s—from base small-blocks to big-block 427 and later 454 engines—along with optional performance packages like the L88 and ZL1. Though emissions regulations and fuel shortages in the 1970s tempered power levels, the C3 remained a cultural touchstone for muscle-car enthusiasts.

After a hiatus, the Sting Ray designation returned for the seventh-generation (C7) Corvette in 2014, this time spelled as two words. The C7 Sting Ray blended modern supercar performance with classic Corvette cues: vented front fenders, sculpted rocker panels, and a nod to the original split-window through interior detailing. Powered by the 6.2-liter LT1 V-8, it produced 455 horsepower (460 with performance exhaust) and featured a lightweight aluminum frame, magnetic ride control, and an available paddle-shifted automatic.

Throughout its life, the Sting Ray name has come to signify Chevrolet’s willingness to push design and engineering boundaries. From the pioneering chassis and high-output small-block engines of the C2, to the dramatic styling and powerful big blocks of the C3, and finally to the technological leaps of the C7, the Corvette Sting Ray remains a testament to American sports-car innovation.