Author Dave McLellan has a lot of insight into the Corvette since he was Chief Engineer from 1975 to 1992.

Retired Corvette engineer upfront and honest

Corvette From the Inside
By Dave McLellan
Bentley, 288 pages, $64.95

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette, so what better time to release a book on one of North America"s most endearing sports cars?

Whether you love it or hate it, this history of the Corvette is an interesting story worth reading.

What makes the book different is the fact author Dave McLellan was Corvette chief engineer from 1975 to 1992.

It"s not often that you find a car volume with this much insight. McLellan"s 33-year career at General Motors gave him an unique opportunity to be part of the Corvette"s inner circle.

The book chronicles the sports car"s early development through to the first production version and then on to the present C5 model.

Throughout the book, McLellan explains why the Corvette emerged the way it did. Always upfront and honest, he admits there were years when the car was far from perfect.

Having spent a lot of time with Corvettes, I found his candid comments to be bang on.

or example, McLellan admits the cheap-looking steering wheel from the ill-fated Chev Vega compact turned up in the Vette in 1976 as a cost- saver.

This is a well-written, easy-to-read book that even those who are not that technically inclined should enjoy. As for Corvette enthusiasts, it"s a must-have.