Concept – Corvette Stingray
Casey Williams, www.car-data.com
We Corvette enthusiasts are always looking through spy photos, parsing words of GM executives,and reading tarot cards to glean even a glimmer of the Next Vette. I sat near and in the front rowsduring worldwide introductions of the C5- and C6-generation Corvettes. Dreams run crazy around whatthe C7 could be. Will it look like a Corvette? Front- or rear-engine? V8? Quad taillamps? Theybetter not mess it up!
For now, all we can do is dream because GM indefinitely delayed the next generation given all ofits financial troubles. Rest assured, GM will survive and there will be a Next Vette ‘ probablyjust in time for the reality of 35-MPG CAFE standards. Just to prove Chevy designers are thinkingand scheming for the life of their beloved sports car, executives rolled out the Sting Ray Conceptthat will appear in the upcoming Transformers movie alongside the 2011 Chevy Spark and Volt.
‘This futuristic vision of an American performance icon plays the role of ‘Sideswipe’ in Revengeof the Fallen,’ said GM V.P. of Design, Ed Wellburn. ‘This vision concept is part of the freeexploration of future products that I encourage our creative and talented design teams to develop.The Corvette has an amazing design lineage and this Sting Ray concept pays homage to the 1959 StingRay Racer and 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window Coupe. Notice the wide shoulders, sculptedfender forms, side air extractors, piercing nose, and of course, the legendary Split-Window designfeature. There’s even a modern interpretation of the Sting Ray badge and some interestingaircraft-inspired features at the back.’
The Sting Ray is to Corvette what the CTS is to Cadillac: From three miles away, you know theSting Ray is a Corvette, but it is resoundingly from the future. No single feature was completelycopied from the original, but it feels familiar. This is Wellburn’s genius.
Accentuated front and rear fenders were inspired by the C2 (1963-1967) and C3 (1968-1982) Vettes. I would imagine sitting in the driver’s seat would provide a similar view over the hood to the C3. The Split-Window fastback is divine ‘ as are the small fender-mounted headlamps, side air vents,sinister grille, and quad exhausts that exit through the center rear facia. A Corvette shouldalways look mean from a competitor’s rearview mirror. The Sting Ray looks like it will eat schoolbuses with a side of Porsche.
Before this concept should make it to production, Wellburn would have to entertain at least onechange. Since 1963, Corvettes have come with quad taillamps ‘ most handsomely set in concave rearfacias. Some of us are still recovering from losing hidden headlamps during the last re-design.Dispensing with proper taillamps could send us into the weeds. Beyond that, send it to engineeringand start working on the next-gen V8 to go under its long hood ‘ preferably with a light hybridsystem to make Chevy Aveos jealous of its fuel economy while routing Ferraris with performance.
Unlike most movie toys, the Sting Ray was not developed for the silver screen. Apparently, itwas developed in Chevy’s Studio X ‘Skunkworks’. Millions would scarcely have been spent on aconcept car that was not floating ideas for an upcoming production model. When the C7 finallystarts its drive towards Bowling Green, KY assembly lines, it will rely on the direction set bySting Ray. Makes me want to sit on the stage when it is unveiled circa 2015!
