The year 1955 was a turning point in Corvette history, as it marked the first year that the Corvette was graced with its legendary small-block V-8 engine. Gone was the anaemic Blue Flame straight-six of the early models, and with it, Corvette’s abysmal sales figures. More power was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Corvette, and it proved to be a massive hit with customers, finally making it the sports car Chevrolet dreamed it could be.

Like 1955, 1956 was also a big year for the Corvette, as it heralded the car’s first major revision in styling since its inception in 1953. Styling was reminiscent of the original, but it was modernized inside and out with new fenders, chrome-rimmed headlights, integrated taillights, and it’s now iconic side coves. GM engineers also took the time to add a handful of creature comforts, including wind-up windows, an adjustable passenger seat, and external door handles—welcome changes from the relatively spartan earlier models. Furthermore, customers could choose from a host of options and colours to personalize their new Corvette.

Finished in Arctic Blue with Silver coves and a Red interior, this 1956 Corvette is equipped with two highly desirable options: dual four-barrel carburettors and a matching hardtop, in addition to its two-tone paintwork. It was fully restored in 2012 in the United States and was owned by a gentleman in Alabama before being shipped to Germany, where it currently resides. The car is accompanied by a booklet of restoration photographs as well as a manual and a sales brochure.

Considered by many to be one of the most attractive iterations of the first generation of Corvette, the 1956 Corvette is easily recognizable all over the world as America’s sports car. Beautifully restored, it would be a fantastic car for cruising Route 66 or driving around the winding streets of Monaco.