GM Reveals First Look At Gullwing Chevrolet Corvette Concept

A ‘Vette with panoramic “Apex Vision” and EV tech comes courtesy of GM’s new UK design studio.

While the arrival of the mid-engine C8 generation marked the most drastic change to the Chevrolet Corvette in the model’s 70-plus-year history, a first official look at a futuristic concept suggests that evolution will bring about wilder design.

The project was unveiled to help celebrate the opening of General Motors’ new advanced design studio in Royal Leamington Spa, located around 20 miles from Birmingham. A 30-person team led by Julian Thomson, a seasoned designer known for the Lotus Elise and his time at Ford, Volkswagen and Jaguar, elected to take a blank-slate approach while incorporating iconic design heritage into a “futuristic aesthetic focused on clean forms and muscular shapes,” per GM.

“One of the most unusual and significant aspects of our concept’s design is a feature known as Apex Vision,” said Thomson. “A nod to Corvette’s centerline focus, and inspired by the iconic ‘split window’ 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, this feature emphasizes a singular vertical central spine that is also a structural element, also providing a panoramic view of the road and surroundings.”

The exterior design includes a distinctive division between the upper and lower halves of the vehicle. The upper half captures the Corvette’s classic design elements, but in a futuristic manner—among them the aforementioned “split window” reinterpretation, a feature that adds value in historic collector-grade Corvette examples and is also present on the new C8 ZR1.

The lower half focuses on functional design, “including EV battery technology embedded into the structure and aerodynamics elements designed to channel air efficiently without the need for wings or spoilers,” GM says. However, there are also nods to contemporary ‘Vettes, including the aggro side intakes that help feed the C8’s screaming V8, as well as hidden door handles and several sharp angles, the latter of which contrast with bulbous oversized wheel arches. The most dramatic element, though, has never been seen on a production Corvette: gullwing doors.

“Our advanced design team’s mandate extends well beyond creating production vehicles,” said Michael Simcoe, senior VP of global design. “While they collaborate within our global design network on production and concept vehicle programs, these teams are primarily tasked with imagining what mobility could look like five, 10, and even 20 years into the future and driving innovation for GM.”