Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov honored in Russia

[Rob]

Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov honored in Russia

By Jerry Burton, AutoWeek Magazine
5/19/2012

Belgian-born Zora Arkus-Duntov was the first chief engineer for the Chevrolet Corvette. But he is a new discovery to Russians, even though he lived in St. Petersburg through his teenage years.

Now Arkus-Duntov, who died in 1996 at age 86, is being honored in his parents' homeland with an exhibit at the Alexander Solzhenitsyn Center for Russian Emigres in Moscow. The exhibit contains photos, videos and other artifacts from the life of the man who turned the Corvette from a two-seat tourer into a high-performance sports car. The exhibit runs through June 10.

Full Story: Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov honored in Russia - Autoweek

 

[catbert]

It's about time the Russians recognized Zora. His mother was the Minister of Culture or something like that in the very early revolutionary administrations. She was the highest ranking woman in government. Despite that, they had to run for their lives to get out of Russia, and later, Europe.

 

[6 Shooter]

Long Live Corvette!

 

[XLR8]

Maybe it's just me but Stalin must be rolling over in his grave... Russia honors this great man for his roll in making this icon of the decadent West what it is today.

I've honored him for a few years now...

Thanks Zora!
Jane Ann

 

[6 Shooter]

He's why we have awesome Vette's today!

:cool

 

[sub006]

AIR he drove, or at least crewed at Le Mans before and after World War II. Zora certainly knew what it took to build a great sports car and drive it.

When GM Styling laid out the prototype '53 Motorama car, they used the "world's fastest production sports car" as a template. That was the Jaguar XK-120. And through 1962, Corvette drivers sat bolt upright, with their legs almost straight out in front of them and the steering wheel close to their chests, just like the 1948 Jag!

Zora was asked what car they should obtain to set the driving position of the new Sting Ray as it was in development. He told them to get a Maserati 3500GT, and as a result, the 1963 Corvette was the first American car with a comfortable, world-class cockpit.