The Chevrolet Corvette began life in 1953 with the original C1, a car that captured the imagination of post-war America and forced Ford into a prolonged and costly response.

However, it was the second-generation Corvette - the immortal Sting Ray, produced between 1963 and 1967 - that truly defined the model and cemented its status as one of the most desirable American sports cars ever built.

Designed by Larry Shinoda under the guidance of the legendary Bill Mitchell, the Sting Ray drew inspiration from a fascinating mix of sources, including the Jaguar E-Type, Mitchell’s own Mako Shark concept and the experimental ‘Q Corvette’.

By the late 1950s these ideas had coalesced into the XP-720 programme, which ultimately delivered the dramatic, razor-edged shape that debuted for 1963.

The result was a Corvette that finally matched its performance with styling to rival the best sports cars in the world.

This example is a C2 Sting Ray Convertible, fitted with the desirable 327 cubic inch (...