2012 Chevrolet Corvette

Talk about a car that needs no introduction. The Chevrolet Corvette has been America's premiere -- and often only -- two-seat sports car for nearly 60 years. Yet it's only with the current generation, known to fans as the "C6," or sixth-generation Corvette, that Chevy's sports car has earned the respect of its international competitors it has sought.

With a choice of three V-8 engines, six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, and plentiful standard and optional features, there's a Corvette for just about anybody. That is, as long as you're willing to overlook a few of the car's flaws. The interior materials, for example, are well below the 2012 Corvette's price tag, although a package to upgrade the interior is available. In today's green-based buying culture, the Corvette's prodigious fuel consumption will make Prius drivers shudder. But for the money, it's hard to beat the Vette's incredible acceleration, cornering and braking performance.

Chevrolet continues its 100th year birthday celebration offering the Chevrolet Centennial Edition appearance trim for both the standard Z06 models and the ZR1. Two additional packages -- the Z07 for the Z06 and the PDE for the ZR1 -- also offer substantial enhancement to the Corvette's performance. Otherwise, the 2012 Chevy Corvette's changes are incremental for the new model year which includes a new steering wheel and available exterior paint.