For 1953 Chevrolet took a chance and introduced the Corvette, the all-American, two-seater sports car, to compete with British and European offerings in this limited but highly prestigious market segment. Unfortunately, this first-generation six-cylinder Corvette was underpowered and lagged in sales. It would start to hit its stride in 1956 and ’57 thanks to efforts from the legendary Zora Arkus-Duntov.

The 1957 Corvettes offered buyers more choices than ever before. New colors, power accessories, creature comforts, and most important, high-horsepower, fuel-injected engines finally made the Corvette “America’s Sports Car.” Of interest was the new fuel-injected Corvette, which was the fastest American car produced that year. The hottest variant produced 283 horsepower from 283 cubic inches of displacement. With one horsepower per cubic inch, it was a remarkable figure for a performance car at the time.

Just 1,040 Corvettes were equipped with the “Fuelie” option for 1957, with only 716 of those, including the example offered here, giving a genuine 283 horsepower. These instant collectibles quickly became favorites of sports-car racers, who recognized that the fuel-injection system provided a precise, surge-free fuel supply during competition. Then as now, the fuel-injected variants are considered by many to represent the ultimate Corvette performance option.

One of the few equipped with the impressive 283/283 fuel-injected V-8 engine, this superb 1957 Corvette has benefitted from a four-year, frame-off restoration completed in 2011 at Rods by Dutch of Fountain Hills, Arizona. The Aztec Copper finish is near perfect and looks exceptional against the Corvette’s beige side coves and matching beige vinyl interior. The 283-cubic-inch engine, which is reportedly original to the car, is mated to a four-speed gearbox, offering the ultimate C1 driving experience.

This 1957 Corvette is an exceptional example of America’s fastest and finest sports car of its time. This rare “Fuelie” presents beautifully and offers its next owner a wonderful opportunity for proper Corvette show judging.