With both the press and public alike awarding glowing reviews to the Chevrolet Corvette concept car at the January 1953 Motorama Show, Chevrolet decided to immediately begin production. The first Corvette rolled out of a temporary production facility in Flint, Michigan, in June 1953, creating a very short first year, which partially contributed to the low number of 300 built. For 1954, Chevrolet was more prepared to produce the new sports car with the renovated St. Louis factory churning out 50 Corvettes a day. With the economies of scale behind mass production, a lower sticker price of about $2,800 (compared to about $3,500 in 1953) helped push sales to 3,640 in 1954. With Chevrolet so focused on the assembly plant, innovations to the car itself remained fairly slim, though still showed promise that there was more to come. A new camshaft introduced later in 1954 helped bring horsepower from the 235 CI inline 6-cylinder Blue Flame Six from 150 to 155 HP. Interior door handles were redesigned for easier operation, and the dual stainless-steel exhaust tips were lengthened. Meanwhile, convertible tops were now tan instead of black, and four colors were available rather than just one: Polo White, Sportsman Red, Black and Pennant Blue in the latter half of the production year. Chevrolet engaged a new print ad campaign to promote the sports car, with the headline “First of the Dream Cars to Come True!” referencing back to the Motorama Show where fleets of dreamy GM concept cars were shown. Slowly, but surely, the Corvette began making a name for itself, even if just bringing people into Chevrolet showrooms to look. Finished in red both inside and out, this 1954 Chevrolet Corvette rolls on Firestone wide whitewall tires with red-painted wheels. Up front, the grille stretches from side-to-side and sporty mesh stone guards cover the headlights. Out back, twin chrome exhaust tips exit the body in line with the center bumper section and a clear cover creates an aerodynamically inclined cubby for the license plate. A single, chrome, sideview mirror alerts the driver as to what’s on the left, while the large panoramic front windshield is surrounded by brightly polished metal, sustaining a remarkably, fluidly designed car. The two-seat interior matches the exterior in red and features a white-faced dashboard, bucket seats, an AM radio and a tachometer. Nestled under the hood is a 235 CI Blue Flame inline 6-cylinder engine finished with an automatic transmission.
