Photo: Aniket Kamble on Behance
The eighth-generation Corvette was a big moment for Chevrolet as the GM brand took a gamble and turned its iconic long-hooded sports car into a mid-engine sports car.
It was the first time the Vette's engine was placed anywhere but under that vast stretch of metal in front of the driver ever since the model's introduction back in 1953. The dynamic benefits of this layout are no secret to anyone, but that doesn't mean there won't be people disgruntled by the change despite having improved handling and performance.
Well, imagine their reaction if they caught sight of this thing put together by Aniket Kamble: a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray-based SUV. On the upside (from their perspective, at least), the engine would be swapped back to its original place. Everything else about it, though, would make its way in the "downside" column.
But the real question is this: would the jacked-up Corvette sell? I think you don't need to study the market for too long to realize the answer to that is a very strong "yes." Look at Lamborghini: surprising no one, the Urus has just boosted Lambo's sales to an all-time high, showing the so-called risk of diluting the brand's essence with an SUV was all just talk from people who never owned a Lambo and probably never will.
Of course, the Urus isn't just a Lamborghini SUV, but also the most affordable model from the Italian manufacturer. That means the SUV has opened up the brand to the kind of people who wouldn't have afforded a $200k+ exotic car, but have no problem forking that kind of money on something practical enough to be driven daily.
The Corvette Stingray SUV would most definitely be more expensive than the sports car it shares its name with, so the comparison isn't entirely suitable. However, if you're an American customer interested in a truly sporty SUV, what domestic options do you have?
A Tesla Model X? Yes, it's quick, but it's also ugly as sin and not to mention a Tesla. Anything else? The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, or course, but that's more of a muscle-SUV, whereas the Corvette would lean toward a sportier nature. That's about the whole length of the list, so given the market's appetite for SUVs, there would definitely be plenty of room for a Corvette version as well. When it comes to SUVs, the famous line from "Field of Dreams" is truer than ever: "if you build it, they will come (and buy it)."
Well, imagine their reaction if they caught sight of this thing put together by Aniket Kamble: a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray-based SUV. On the upside (from their perspective, at least), the engine would be swapped back to its original place. Everything else about it, though, would make its way in the "downside" column.
But the real question is this: would the jacked-up Corvette sell? I think you don't need to study the market for too long to realize the answer to that is a very strong "yes." Look at Lamborghini: surprising no one, the Urus has just boosted Lambo's sales to an all-time high, showing the so-called risk of diluting the brand's essence with an SUV was all just talk from people who never owned a Lambo and probably never will.
Of course, the Urus isn't just a Lamborghini SUV, but also the most affordable model from the Italian manufacturer. That means the SUV has opened up the brand to the kind of people who wouldn't have afforded a $200k+ exotic car, but have no problem forking that kind of money on something practical enough to be driven daily.
The Corvette Stingray SUV would most definitely be more expensive than the sports car it shares its name with, so the comparison isn't entirely suitable. However, if you're an American customer interested in a truly sporty SUV, what domestic options do you have?
A Tesla Model X? Yes, it's quick, but it's also ugly as sin and not to mention a Tesla. Anything else? The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, or course, but that's more of a muscle-SUV, whereas the Corvette would lean toward a sportier nature. That's about the whole length of the list, so given the market's appetite for SUVs, there would definitely be plenty of room for a Corvette version as well. When it comes to SUVs, the famous line from "Field of Dreams" is truer than ever: "if you build it, they will come (and buy it)."
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