At The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, CA, during Monterey Car Week last week, Chevrolet gave fans a glimpse of the high-performance future with two concept cars—the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo. Designed and fabricated at the Chevrolet Performance Studio in Warren, MI, the pair starred in the last of three concept reveals this year as part of a General Motors design exercise that involved some of its global studios to serve as inspiration for future Corvette design.

“While the shape of a Corvette has always been expressive and forward-looking, each crease and line has its roots in the generations that came before it,” said Phil Zak, Executive Design Director for Chevrolet. “The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo demonstrate our design teams stepping away from the constraints of production vehicles and unleashing their creativity. Through this exercise, we’ve added to Corvette and defined the design direction for Corvette moving forward.”

The Corvette design team worked with Chevrolet performance engineers to create detailed “blueprints” for the chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic features of both the Corvette CX and CX.R VGT. Working with Polyphony Digital, a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Chevrolet will make the concepts available for fans to drive virtually in Gran Turismo 7 later this month, giving audiences a chance to experience the virtual future of Corvette. (Check out this YouTube video for a preview.)

The CX was designed as the ultimate high-performance driving experience on the open road or racetrack. Chevrolet says its forward-lunging nose, the pronounced horizontal “chine” line delineating the upper and lower bodywork, and the dual-element taillights are all signature features of Corvette models past and present.

“The timeless purity of shape and proportions of the CX concept will inspire the design of future production Corvettes,” said Vladimir Kapitonov, Advanced Design Manager, Corvette and Performance.

The long, low, and sleek supercar has a roofline less than 41 in (1041 mm) from the ground. The exterior design, highlighted by the fighter-jet-inspired cockpit canopy, was shaped with the GM Motorsports Aero Group for ultimate performance.

The car’s vacuum fan system draws air through the open-channel bodywork, generating “massive” downforce and directing airflow over the rear diffuser to refine aerodynamic balance in real-time. The front diffuser and rear wing are both active, adjusting in response to the driver’s inputs to generate maximum grip. The concept’s integrated understructure is visible through aero channels in the bodywork, and the suspension A-arms are wing-shaped to enhance airflow and reduce front-end lift.

The CX concept’s electric propulsion system was engineered for ultimate straight-line performance to complement the corner carving enabled by fan-driven downforce and active aero. The all-wheel-drive supercar features four electric motors, one powering each wheel, that together generate more than 2000 hp (1491 kW) with four-wheel torque vectoring for maximum grip and cornering. Its 90-kW·h lithium-ion battery is mounted for a low center of gravity and balanced front-rear weight distribution.

A forward-opening fighter-jet-style canopy automatically raises as users approach.

“The CX interior represents the ultimate expression of a driver-focused cockpit experience,” said Brian Stoeckel, Creative Design Manager, Chevrolet Interiors.

Driver and passenger Inferno Red ballistic textile seats are bolstered to hold occupants in place during high-g cornering maneuvers. The cabin also gets premium silicone leather, milled aluminum, and low-gloss forged carbon-fiber accents.

Major controls are integrated into the steering wheel to keep the driver’s focus on the road ahead. The same is true for the digital windscreen, which can transform into an immersive surround display with real-time performance data.

The design team also created a variant of the Corvette CX concept exclusively for track competition. The CX.R Vision Gran Turismo “is where the legacy of Corvette GT meets the raw edge of the future,” said Magalie Debellis, Design Director, Corvette and Performance.

The concept racecar features the familiar yellow and black color scheme of Corvette GT racecars of the past 25 years. Designers ramped up the aggression for CX.R VGT with more prominent active aero features and a lower ride height for racetrack downforce and grip. Weight was reduced to further emphasize the focus on performance.

The CX.R VGT combines the CX concept’s electric powertrain with the thrill of a high-revving V8 engine. The mid-mounted 2.0-L dual-overhead-cam twin-turbo unit makes up to 900 hp (671 kW) and revs to 15,000 rpm.

Powered by renewable e-fuel, the V8 drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Three electric motors, one for each front wheel plus a third incorporated into the gearbox, provide instant torque for acceleration and contribute to a total system output of 2000 hp.

Inside, the touring-inspired surfaces and materials of the CX were replaced by more functional, high-performance appointments like a dashboard of lightweight raw carbon fiber. The seats have suede-wrapped foam inserts for more grip and support, and more aggressive shoulder and headrest pads provide better head and neck support for the more intense CX.R VGT handling capabilities.

 

California Corvette concept

The CX and CX.R VGT follow the July reveal of the second in a series of three 2025 design studies, with the California Corvette concept developed by GM’s Advanced Design studios in Pasadena.

“We wanted to ensure that this concept was developed through that SoCal lens, but with a global and futuristic outlook,” said Brian Smith, Design Director, GM Advanced Design Pasadena. “Duality of purpose is the basis of this concept’s design strategy. The defining design aspect is the single-piece, front-hinged canopy that enables the entire upper shell to be removed, transforming the concept from an agile, slick sports car to a lightweight, open-air track car.”

The hypercar concept blends iconic Corvette cues with racing-simulator inspiration. Dramatic proportions—wide at the wheels with a narrow, tapered cabin and a narrow cockpit—reflect classic Corvette DNA, while that canopy pushes the design boundaries.

The minimalist interior centers on the driver, with integrated structural elements and performance-focused displays. An augmented-reality HUD enhances high-speed driving with only the most essential data displayed.

Among the concept’s technical specifications and assumptions are a tunneled underbody with a lightweight carbon tub, an active aero spoiler and air brake, and staggered wheels, 21-in fronts and 22-in rears. The “assumed” T-shape prismatic battery pack enables low seating and better airflow around and through the chassis.

The concept is 182.5 in (4669 mm) long, 86 in (2184 mm) wide, and 41.4 in (1051 mm) tall, on a 109-in (2767-mm) wheelbase.

 

UK Studio Corvette concept

In connection with the April opening of GM’s new advanced design studio in Royal Leamington Spa, England, was the reveal of a Corvette advanced design study developed by the team now led by Julian Thomson. With the opening of the new UK studio, GM continues to demonstrate its commitment to Europe as the company scales its Cadillac electric vehicle business there while also preparing to launch Corvette sales in the UK and mainland Europe.

The UK team’s concept subtly incorporates Corvette’s iconic design heritage into a futuristic aesthetic focused on clean forms and muscular shapes. The design draws inspiration from the aviation industry, both in the sculptural and functional elements.

“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.”

The exterior design includes a distinct division between the upper and lower halves of the vehicle. The upper half is meant to capture the Corvette’s classic design elements in a futuristic manner. The lower half focuses on functional, technical design, including EV battery technology embedded into the structure and aerodynamic elements designed to channel air efficiently without the need for wings or spoilers.

The concept is designed with an additive manufacturing body structure for low mass, manufacturing efficiency, part count reduction, and driving agility, combined with a halo roof structure and windshield center spar. The body panels also have an additive-manufactured structure exposed for lightweight authenticity, part integration, and panel count reduction. The full wrap-around side glass delivers Apex Vision on a powered wing-door design.

The concept’s “Aero-Duality” theme focuses on harmonized on-road efficiency and on-track performance. Fan assistance and active ducting redirect air over and through the vehicle.

The on-road portion is handled with flowing forms, functional intakes, and vented surfaces. Air is directed through the vehicle to fill its wake, increasing efficiency and range. For on track, and like an aircraft wing, aero surfaces reconfigure, dorsal fins deploy, and spoiler venting creates aero vectoring to enhance cornering performance. A sculpted underbody, lowered ride height, and fan assistance deliver the ground effects.

Other interesting details are racecar-inspired, package-efficient, pushrod suspension setup, and windshield center-spar augmented display.

The concept is 4669 mm (183.8 in) long, 2178 mm (85.7 in) wide, and 1033 mm (40.6 in) tall, with 22-in front and 23-in rear wheels and a racecar-inspired 127-mm (5-in) seat height.