Harley Earl was an automobile design expert at Chevrolet who noticed the influx of small European sports cars into the United States after World War II. He knew there was a market for a two-seat roadster and convinced Chevrolet to introduce their own version: The Chevrolet Corvette car.

In 1953, the first Corvette’s were unveiled. The cars were unique in their construction. Instead of the steel bodies common for the time, the Corvette was actually built from a much lighter material-fiberglass. This innovation, combined with its Earl-designed appearance, however, was still not enough to make the car an overnight success.

At the time, Chevrolet was known for producing inexpensive, but unexciting vehicles. The Corvette, despite its sex styling and innovative construction was “just another Chevy” at heart, and lacked the performance sports car enthusiasts craved. The original Corvettes featured a less-that-impressive V6, a two-speed automatic transmission, and a brake system taken directly from the regular Chevy line. In essence, the original Corvette was a sports car in appearance alone. Sales lagged and there was even talk of discontinuing Earl’s pet project after a few years.

Sales were simply too low. Although the fiberglass design wowed potential buyers and critics within the sports car for sale industry and the appearance of the Corvette was beyond reproach, the car simply lacked the kind of performance those searching for a true sports car expected to find.

Then came Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Russian émigré and engineer who found a home at Chevrolet, and a project in the Corvette. In 1955, Chevrolet introduced its first V8 engine. Arkus-Duntov redesigned the V8 especially for the Corvette and placed the bigger, more powerful motor into the small-bodied car. He also replaced the old two-speed “powerglide” automatic with a 3-speed manual transmission. Suddenly the Corvette was no longer just a pretty face. The Corvette became a legitimate competitor for the other major U.S. sports car, Ford Thunderbird car, and its popularity soared dramatically. Arkus-Duntov is often considered the father of the Corvette due to his line-saving alterations.

Over fifty years later, Corvette remains a leading name is sports cars and is currently offering its sixth generation of products, including a rumored high performance model known as the Blue Demon.

The Corvette is now known as the “poor man’s super car” and is noted for its relative affordability and impressive reliability records.

But before there was a Blue Demon, a Z06, or any of the Corvette C classes that sports car enthusiasts love today, there was Harley Earl and a cute design with a V6 they called the Corvette. Chevrolet embraced the idea of a truly American sports car, and with the help of a Russian émigré, built one of the most popular and lasting sports car labels in the world.

In speaking on the hybrid’s actual composition, the Tahoe’s hood and liftgate are constructed from lightweight aluminum, which helps the hybrid weigh less, which eases strain on the engine. Integrated hybrid car are not light, in fact, they can weigh up to 400 pounds that lightweight hybrids need to be able to handle. Every little bit counts with this vehicle.

The Tahoe Hybrid sports wheels that are specifically designed for low resistance. Considering the lightweight of the car, the tire design is more efficient for a hybrid SUV than regular tires. Stylistically, the hybrid is sleek and fashionable, with colors for the exterior ranging between silver, sport red, black and amber. The Tahoe Hybrid logo has been replaced by a badge on the C-pillars’ liftgate. Overall, the Tahoe Hybrid has the same height and length expectations as any other SUV car with a more timely update.

In considering the interior of the vehicle, the important thing to note is that Chevrolet is a luxury provider, and so anything less than sophisticated and exquisite would be a disappointment. Thankfully, the interior of the vehicle looks just as fantastic as the outside, and the cabin is just as spacious and comfortable as to be expected in a normal Chevrolet Tahoe. Because the vehicle is an SUV, the interior is standard for a gas-powered car, but for a hybrid, it is a bit of an exception.

The comfortable space in the cabin can easily fit up to eight people, which makes using the vehicle for work purposes, as well as for personal errands. After all, the cargo space in the trunk can certainly hold enough groceries for a large family, or even carry lumber and supplies or luggage. It would be ideal for family getaways, long picnics and out-of-town weekend vacations. After all, there would certainly be enough room to carry a picnic basket or camping gear.

Because it is being advertised as a luxury sports utility vehicle, It is sure there is concern as to whether or not the Tahoe Hybrid is still a work truck, capable of doing the labor needed from an SUV. No need to worry, while the interior is cozy and comfortable, there is a ruggedness to the material. In fact, the material of the interior can handle abuse and messes like any other SUV, as well as being able to handle tough and high impact environments that would be found in construction sites. This vehicle is designed to bring comfort to dealing with these heavy duty activities. Thanks to the cargo capacity, it is also quite easy to carry equipment, building materials and tools.

Taking a glance at the front seat, the seats for the driver and passenger are comfortable, cozy and luxurious. These seats are also elevated, giving excellent visibility to the drivers of the SUV. While the dashboard has an instrumentation panel, considering this is a hybrid vehicle, there are additional gauges and meters for measuring the efficiency of the hybrid motor.

In the second row, as there are three rows of seats, the seats have been changed and redesigned to that they can accommodate the location of the hybrid battery pack that is placed beneath these seats. The final and third row is the same as a conventional Chevrolet car with folding seats and that make storage much more accessible.

Like many luxury vehicles, there are several bells and whistles that can be placed throughout the Tahoe Hybrid. While optional, there are packages that include a sophisticated audio system, DVD entertainment systems, navigational programs, as well as a rear camera. This feature tends to be skimmed over, however, the rear camera allows the driver to see on the dashboard screen. Instead of that convenience and comfort, though, some consumers simply prefer the simple pleasures of cup-holders for all. Oddly enough, the simplicity of cup-holders has apparently been overlooked by the competition.