10 cars that tell the story of America

From Paul Ingrassia's book 'Engines of Change,' the author and car aficionado tells the story of America through automobiles.

2. Chevrolet Corvette

1963 Chevrolet Corvettes Barrett-Jackson Auction Company/Business Wire

When the Corvette debuted in 1953, reviews were lukewarm and sales were low, causing its company to consider pulling it altogether. The car was plucked from obscurity by a General Motors worker, Zora Arkus-Duntov, who supported it and prolonged its life enough to help it hit pop culture. In a letter to Chevrolet executives, Arkus-Duntov proposed aiming advertising for Chevrolet cars towards teenagers and essentially invented the practice of targeting the youth market.

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