Corvette: A muscle car through the years

General Motors is poised to release the 2009 Corvette, what may be the last in a long tradition of Detroit performance cars, endangered by stronger federal fuel economy regulations and limits on carbon dioxide emissions. Before that happens, let's look at how the car has evolved.

2009 Corvette ZR1: The fastest, most powerful automobile ever produced by General Motors will be revealed later this month at the Detroit auto show. The ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph. It's also a great excuse to look at how the Corvette has evolved through the years.

Another view of the ZR1. Corvette's chief engineer, Tadge Juechter, says the 2009 Corvette ZR1 may be the last in a long tradition of Detroit performance cars, endangered by stronger federal fuel economy regulations and limits on carbon dioxide emissions.

789: The 789 is an eye-catching amalgam of styling from Chevrolet's 1957, 1958 and 1959 models. Built on a Corvette C6 platform and powered by a 400-horsepower Chevy V-8, the 789 is hung with carbon fiber body panels that can be ordered in 10,000 color combinations. Made by the custom automaker n2a Motors, the 789 is merely the coolest car on the planet.

1957 Corvette: Mike Sams sits on the chassis of a 1957 Corvette in the basement garage of his Molena home. Sams has been restoring Corvettes since 1991.

1957 Corvette, interior: Check out the bright interior of a 1957 Corvette, which also has fuel injection. This is one of many vehicles on display at the Atlanta Muscle Cars Museum on Franklin Road in Marietta.

1958 Corvette: This car was part of a Classic & Exotic Car Show held in September at First Redeemer Church.

1959 Corvette: Workers have 1959 Corvette on the rack for a "shake down". The car was restored elsewhere and the crew is checking for any problems. Richard Gossett was frustrated at not being able to find good mechanics to work on his classic car, so he started his own garage, Flashback Motorworks in Cumming.

963 Top Sportsman Corvette: Ronnie Davis, one of five most colorful characters in short-track racing in North Georgia, shows off his 1963 Top Sportsman Corvette.

1965 Corvette convertible: Gina Fricks looks over a 1965 Corvette convertible.

327 Corvette Sting Ray: John Eaton of Roswell owns '65 and '67 Corvettes and '67 and '70 Chevelle SuperSports. He's done much of the restoration. This car is a 65 fuel injected 327 Corvette Sting Ray.

1966 Corvette coupe: Zora Duntov with the 1966 Corvette coupe.

1972 Corvette: George and Vicki Hicks in their 1972 Corvette.

1986 Corvette: Carol and Jerry Apicella Jr. sit in the 1986 Corvette in Columbus, Ohio, that they owned twenty years ago. The couple repurchased the car from Denney Motors in Columbus after finding it on the web. Apicella Jr., 46, says the car has aged better than he has.

2003 Chevrolet Corvette 50th Anniversary Coupe.

Corvette Z06: The Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 in Arctic White. The special edition recognizes the contributions of Ron Fellows, Corvette racecar driver, to the remarkable success of the Corvette Racing team in the American Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

Corvette C-6R: The #3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C-6R driven by Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen during the American Le Mans Series Detroit Sports Car Challenge.

Z06 model concept car: Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman admires the 2008 Indianapolis 500 Chevrolet Corvette pace car at the Indianapolis Auto Show in late December. The Z06 concept car runs on E85 ethanol fuel and will be driven by two-time race winner Emerson Fittipaldi to start the race. Another 2008 Corvette will be used during the remainder of the May 25 race.

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2009 Corvette ZR1: The fastest, most powerful automobile ever produced by General Motors will be revealed later this month at the Detroit auto show. The ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to achieve a top speed of at least 200 mph. It's also a great excuse to look at how the Corvette has evolved through the years.

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