Photo: GM Design / Instagram
A veritable revolution, the C8 Chevrolet Corvette is the eighth generation of 'America's sports car' and the first one with a rear mid-engine configuration since it was introduced more than seven decades ago, in 1953.
Vastly different from the traditional front mid-engine layout inaugurated in 1963, the C8 Chevy Corvette is currently offered with two-door targa top and retractable convertible hardtop body styles, RWD plus eAWD, starting from $68,300 for the base Stingray with 490 hp, from $104,900 for the 655-hp hybrid E-Ray, and from $112,700 for the homologation special Z06 with 670 hp and a flat-plane crankshaft V8. The 'architects' behind the mid-engine Corvette, which existed for decades in rumors, dreams, and whispers but nobody ever thought could be real, were chief engineer Tadge Juechter, design manager Kirk Bennion, and product marketing manager Harlan Charles.
Of course, many more people worked on its creation, and the actual design is credited to Tom Peters. However, as is the case with many other models, a slew of GM designers competed for the honor of getting their vision selected as the prime contender. Better late than never, General Motors' Design Center has now revealed on social media some of the key initial C8 Chevrolet Corvette sketches penned by another of their designers, Vlad Kapitonov – who is now the Advanced Design Manager for Corvette and Chevrolet Exteriors.
He's been with General Motors for almost 23 years already, and back when Chevrolet was developing the C8 generation, he was the Lead Designer for Performance Car Exteriors and Corvette – so he has been involved with the 2020 Corvette Stingray and Stingray Convertible, the Corvette Z06, as well as the Corvette C8-R racecar, among other things – like the Corvette Racing Team brand identity. He's the real deal, and we'd better trust his vision.
These interesting sketches were revealed by GM Design during a General Motors YMAD (youth, modelers, artists, designers) event, where he stopped by the YMAD Live Studio for a sketch demo course in front of the 2024 cohort of students. There, he shared the importance of always keeping the proportions of cars in check and some of his original 'key C8 sketches.'
Obviously, the C8 Stingray and Z06 didn't turn out like that as these renderings show a subtly different rear mid-engine sports car – while the front is more exaggerated but mostly the same as the real C8, the side profile has a few surprises. They start with the larger, concave aftermarket-style wheels, which obviously have a bigger difference in size between the front and rear tracks. Then there are also the much smaller side windows, the additional vents behind the front wheels, plus a smaller double intake ahead of the rear ones.
So, what do you think – would this version have worked even better than the one we actually got?
Of course, many more people worked on its creation, and the actual design is credited to Tom Peters. However, as is the case with many other models, a slew of GM designers competed for the honor of getting their vision selected as the prime contender. Better late than never, General Motors' Design Center has now revealed on social media some of the key initial C8 Chevrolet Corvette sketches penned by another of their designers, Vlad Kapitonov – who is now the Advanced Design Manager for Corvette and Chevrolet Exteriors.
He's been with General Motors for almost 23 years already, and back when Chevrolet was developing the C8 generation, he was the Lead Designer for Performance Car Exteriors and Corvette – so he has been involved with the 2020 Corvette Stingray and Stingray Convertible, the Corvette Z06, as well as the Corvette C8-R racecar, among other things – like the Corvette Racing Team brand identity. He's the real deal, and we'd better trust his vision.
These interesting sketches were revealed by GM Design during a General Motors YMAD (youth, modelers, artists, designers) event, where he stopped by the YMAD Live Studio for a sketch demo course in front of the 2024 cohort of students. There, he shared the importance of always keeping the proportions of cars in check and some of his original 'key C8 sketches.'
Obviously, the C8 Stingray and Z06 didn't turn out like that as these renderings show a subtly different rear mid-engine sports car – while the front is more exaggerated but mostly the same as the real C8, the side profile has a few surprises. They start with the larger, concave aftermarket-style wheels, which obviously have a bigger difference in size between the front and rear tracks. Then there are also the much smaller side windows, the additional vents behind the front wheels, plus a smaller double intake ahead of the rear ones.
So, what do you think – would this version have worked even better than the one we actually got?
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