Chevy never intended the Corvette to blend into the rest of the lineup. So when it came time to launch the C1 in '53, an appropriate new logo was called upon. The Corvette itself was inspired by European racing culture and the sports cars that competed. This culture gripped servicemen returning from Europe after World War II, and Chevrolet built upon that connection in the new Corvette's emblem. Capitalizing on this, two flags were incorporated into the logo, with one being black-and-white checkered.
The decision was an unmistakable nod to the grassroots racing and competitive spirit that first inspired Chevrolet to develop the all-American sports car in the first place.
The first logo concept, which never actually made its way onto a 'Vette, was drawn up by Robert Bartholomew. It paired that checkered flag with the stars and stripes but GM lawyers quickly shut that down, citing a little-known law prohibiting the commercial use of the American flag. The quick fix was to swap it for a flag which featured two symbols tied to Chevrolet's roots. The first symbol was Chevrolet's bowtie emblem and the other was a fleur-de-lis, to honor founder Louis Chevrolet's French heritage. These crossed flags debuted at the Blue Flame-powered Corvette's 1953 unveiling, forming the basis of the ever-evolving Corvette logo we know today.
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How The Corvette Logo Has Evolved
While the crossed flags never left, they have been reinvented countless times over the years. The earliest models experimented with chevrons and even a patriotic tri-color bar, while later designs altered the flags for a sleeker and wider look. Chevy often celebrated special editions by adding extra details such as anniversary numbers or call-outs for big-block engines and collector models. The fleur-de-lis disappeared in the '80s, but not for long, making a return with the C5 generation in 1997.
Today, the C8-generation Corvette still features the checkered flag and fleur-de-lis, but they have since evolved into an aggressive set of wings, a style which first appeared during the C6 era. Some C8 models will sport an ever-so-slightly different badge, with the bowtie replaced with a "70" to celebrate 70 years of the Corvette. No other Chevrolet has ever worn the Corvette badge, and rightfully so, as no other Chevy is a Corvette. Still, surely marketing teams over the years have been tempted to play about with the emblem, perhaps on cars which share the Corvette's powertrain. But keeping it exclusive to America's favorite sports car seems fitting for such a special nameplate that has endured for generations.
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