Chevrolet Concept Cars

1. 1951 Buick LeSabre Concept Car

Body made of aluminum, magnesium, and fiberglass. Under the hood was a supercharged 215 cubic-inch V8

The 1951 Le Sabre is a legendary concept car that marked a significant milestone in automotive design and technology, showcasing innovations that were way ahead of its time. Created by General Motors and chiefly designed by the renowned automotive designer Harley Earl, this concept car was a glimpse into the future, combining jet-age design elements with groundbreaking technology.

The Le Sabre was inspired by the burgeoning jet age, embodying the fascination with aviation and jet aircraft that dominated the era. Its design featured sleek, aerodynamic lines, a jet plane-like cockpit, and tail fins that hinted at the tail sections of contemporary fighter jets. The car's appearance was futuristic, integrating aircraft-inspired elements such as a wrap-around windshield, flush wheel covers, and a jet-like nose with a prominent air intake.

The Le Sabre was not just a design marvel; it was also a technological tour de force. It boasted a lightweight aluminum body, a moisture-sensitive convertible top that would automatically close when it started raining, and hidden headlamps that would rotate into position when needed. The car was powered by a supercharged 215 cubic inch V8 engine capable of running on both gasoline and methanol, a nod to the versatility seen in aviation fuels.

While the Le Sabre was never intended for production, its influence on automotive design and technology was profound. It served as a testbed for new ideas, many of which found their way into GM's production cars throughout the 1950s and beyond. The car's innovative styling cues, such as its tail fins and low-profile design, became hallmarks of the 1950s automotive design language, echoing the era's fascination with speed and flight.

2. 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (Concept)

“That car was a 2000-pound car with a stock Corvette engine in it... with terrible Corvette type brakes.

What do you do with a prototype Corvette racecar once corporate management issued a company-wide ban on motorsports activities? 

In 1959 chief stylist Bill Mitchell made his own version of the Corvette using his own funds and it was separate from his work at GM. The result was a stylish roadster that went on to define what the Corvette C2 would be from 1963 through 1967.

The first Sting Ray was actually built on a stylish prototype Corvette known as the SS which was built for the 1957-running of the Sebring 12 Hours. This featured a potent custom chassis from which Bill Mitchell could build from. With the AMA ban on manufacturer racing, Bill Mitchell took up the project personally.

The first appearance of the car was at Road America in June of 1959 but the car retired with brake failure. John Fitch who helped develop the original SS was behind the wheel. Later in the season the car was raced by Dick Thompson who eventually won the C Modified National Championship.

He said “That car was a 2000-pound car with a stock Corvette engine in it and, of course, it had the usual terrible Corvette type brakes on it. Those brakes were nothing more then sedan brakes with fancy linings and they didn’t work.” Zora said he didn’t use disc brakes because none were manufactured in America.

3. 1954 Corvette Nomad Motorama Showcar

The Nomad was decidedly a sporty wagon way ahead of its time. Two doors, Corvette looks. We love it.

The 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Nomad was a concept car built by General Motors and introduced at the 1954 General Motors Motorama in New York City. The Nomad was decidedly a sporty wagon way ahead of its time. The experimental Corvette Nomad made its debut along with the 1954 Corvette Hardtop and 1954 Corvette Corvair. Just like the Corvette Hardtop and Corvair, the Corvette Nomad concept vehicle looked like the 1953 Corvette that was a experimental show car at the 1953 Motorama. General Motors produced 5 of the 1954 Chevy Nomads for the auto show circuit, only 3 are known to exist. The Chevrolet Design Studio would created a forward thinking and forward looking design for the 1954 Nomad, including round headlamps mounted on gently curving fenders, a trademark Corvette grille and a forward sloping B-pillar.

Some have referred to the 1953 and 1954 Motorama as the birth place of the American Sports car. The 1954 Chevrolet Nomad Sport Station Wagon made a great impact on the attending public at the 1954 Motorama. So much so that Harley Earl ordered the Chevrolet Design Studio to apply the name and looks to a 1955 Chevrolet Station Wagon. The name Nomad would become classic over the next 50 years as thousands would be restored by old car buffs that grew up in the 1950s and 1960s.

The two-door Nomad differed from other station wagons of the era by having unique styling more reminiscent of a hardtop than of a standard station wagon. Chevrolet shared this body with its sister Pontiac, which marketed their version as the Pontiac Safari. While considered to be a milestone vehicle design, General Motors discontinued the original Nomad at the end of the 1957 model year due to low sales and the introduction of a new body for 1958.

For the 1958 model year, Chevrolet moved the Nomad name to its top-line four-door station wagon. Chevrolet continued to use the Nomad name until the end of the 1961 model year, when all Chevrolet station wagons adopted the names of the regular sedan models. The Nomad returned again in 1964 and 1965 as a two-door mid-sized Chevelle 300 station wagon.

4. 1990 CERV III

The last of Chevy's mid-engine dream machines.The prototype was a 650hp tech-fest and a monster.

CERV stands for Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle. The CERVIII is one of the most advanced concepts ever created. Never before has so much working technology crammed into one car for performance purposes. The cost to develop a car like the CERVIII would be astronomical.

Coming from a long line of mid-engine Corvette prototypes, the CERVIII was the final attempt towards a mid-mounted engine. Inspiration for the car's design came from the Corvette Indy which was released four years earlier than the CERVIII. Unlike this prototype, the Indy was more of a display model, incapable of being driven.

The body of the CERVIII is made of carbon fibre, nomex and kevlar, reinforced with aluminum honeycomb. This material forms a one-piece composite unit. Highlighting the structure is an exceptionally low drag at 0.277 Cd.

Powering the car is a Lotus-tuned 5.7-liter V8. Mahle pistons, stonger connecting rods and twin Garett Turbochargers help the engine achieve 650 horsepower. This engine combined with the low-drag body give CERVIII a calculated top speed of 225 mph! Power is transferred to all four wheels though a viscous-coupling system. This system helps achieve maximum traction by varying the torque to the front and rear wheels. No doubt this setup is influenced by the Porsche 959.

It is interesting to note that of all the mid-engine prototypes made, the CERV III was the closest to production. Marketing plays a major role in decisions such as these and the Corvette has little room for major change. Like all the other mid-engine corvettes, the CERV III has never made it past the prototype phase. However, the styling cues were not lost. It was the 4th Generation Camaro that inherited the huge-by-wide front glass, rear hatch glass and rear wing, and while the CERV III had a removable targa-type roof panel, the Camaro was available with a t-roof.

5. 1964 GM-X Stiletto

An advanced car with styling influenced by aerospace design. Had aircraft steering and monitoring system.

"With dreams of flying cars as the ultimate inspiration, General Motors designers in the ‘60s used every trick possible to make their creations appear as though they were floating – long, straight bodies, wheels pushed in and hidden away, large fins and lights that looked like rockets. As William L. Mitchell took the reins of GM Design, he brought a more high-tech approach, with simpler surfaces, a more restrained use of chrome and a general sense of elegant simplicity.

Drawn with fresh fastback proportions, the GM-X had a long and thick body with clean surfaces and sharp edges. An iron-shaped matte black graphic was applied on the bonnet, leading to its large, pointy nose cone, which sticks out like a rocket. During the show visitors would see the GM-X mounted on brackets, appearing to hover in the air, underlining its futuristic aspirations. The front fenders' leading edge flowed seamlessly into the window. The same theme was applied at the rear, with the sharp edges of the rear fenders arching over the rear glass to form the roof's rear edge.

Designed way before the Lancia Stratos, the steeply raked windshield peaked along the centerline and wrapped around all the way to the side, eliminating the need for a conventional A-pillar. It featured no wipers either, as the glass was coated to be water-repellent. The GM-X had no doors at all. It looked amazing but wasn't without its problems. To get in, passengers had to climb through the rear hatch and pass between the aircraft-style bucket seats.

Once seated, the driver was faced by an accumulation of clocks and meters looking as impressive as the cockpit of a Concorde. A total of 31 indicator lights, 29 toggle switches and four control levers were spread between the dash and the roof console, while an aircraft-inspired handle replaced the steering wheel. You could also find automatic climate control, ultrasonic obstacle sensors, rear view cameras, and a three-way speaker for inside/outside communication. The latter doesn't sound very useful but it gives you chance to shout at bad drivers.

6. 1963 Chevrolet Testudo

One of Bertone’s most significant prototypes. Highly innovative technical and aesthetic solutions.

The Testudo, a one-off show car styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro during his five-year stint at Bertone, is actually based on the chassis and running gear of the Corvair Monza. The story goes that Bill Mitchell, a famous GM designer who penned the Tri-Five Chevrolet, the 1966-67 Buick Riviera and the original Corvette Sting Ray (to name a few), wanted to investigate the possibility of promoting the Corvair in Europe with a locally-styled variant and proceeded to supply two European design houses, Bertone and Pininfarina, with a Corvair chassis.

Giugiaro was lead designer at Bertone at the time and he took the project under his wing and subsequently penned one of the seminal creations of his career. The Corvair Monza chassis was shortened and strengthened but no modifications were made to the drivetrain, which means this sumptuous creation still houses an 81 hp air-cooled, flat-six over the rear axle, hooked up to a four-speed manual transmission.

Named after the latin word for “turtle”, the Testudo features a sharp crease around the waistline that essentially divides the top from the bottom, mimicking the look of a turtle. And that’s without mentioning its rounded turtle-shell-esque roof.

Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3, 1963, the Testudo is said to have influenced a great number of designers over the years. It’s believed to have caught the eye of Ferrucio Lamborghini, beginning a long and prosperous relationship between him and Nuccio Bertone. You’ll also see part of its design in later Bertone creations like the Lamborghini Miura and the Alfa-Romeo Montreal.

7. 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne Concept Car

Eschewed conventional design. Served as a precursor to styling that became popular in coming decade.

Chevrolet's landmark Biscayne show car debuted during the famous Motorama show in 1955. It was a car unlike any found in the driveways and freeways of America's burgeoning suburbs. Instead of towering tailfins and acres of chrome trim, the Biscayne had a minimalist appearance, with a trim silhouette, wide stance, and minimal bright work. The only recognizable styling trait of the day was the wraparound, "stratospheric" windshield.

More significant, however, was the Biscayne's influence on future Chevrolet styling. Indeed, the Biscayne show car looks like the result of a Star Trek transporter malfunction that combined the DNA of a '57 Corvette and a '62 Corvair sedan. The Corvette-signature cover is there, but backwards, and the front fender vent/turn-signal pod looks like the taillight trim from a Vette. The overall shape of the vehicle was an undeniably early peek at the Corvair.

Like many show cars of the 1950s, the Biscayne was more of a styling exercise than a speedway runner. While the car had a front-mounted drivetrain and interesting features, such as swivel front seats, most of the conventional components of an operational automobile were appearance-only items. There were no side windows, and the power window switches were dummies-the same goes for the instruments. In fact, apart from some motors and servos to open the doors on the show floor, there was effectively no electrical system. Heck, it didn't even appear to have a conventional car battery or fuel tank.

Regardless of its operational status, the Biscayne was one of the most influential concept vehicles produced by Chevrolet. It eschewed conventional design, serving as a precursor to styling that would become prevalent in the coming decade.

8. 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Mako Shark II

Truly a Bill Mitchell inspired car with the narrow waist or coke-bottle shape and pronounced fenders.

The Mako Shark II was a radical concept that shaped Stingray years later. While showcasing distinct design cues, the Mako Shark contained many notable features for 1965. It had a one-piece front-end that hinged forward for access to the engine bay, a removable hardtop, knock-off aluminum wheels and a big-block 427.

It also featured numerous features that were more theoretical than feasible. This includes retractable rear bumpers could extend outwards to protect the bodywork while parked. At the rear, a large wing which was adjustable from the driver’s seat to ensure high speed stability.

After the debut of this car at the 1965 Paris Auto Show, Chevrolet received an overwhelming number of requests to have it produced. In 1967, the ‘Sting Ray’ became the ‘Stingray’, which was updated to reflect the styling cues of the Mako Shark II.

GM also transformed the Mako Shark II into the Manta Ray included the addition of a front spoiler was added, changes to the grille and the “side pipe” exhausts were redesigned. The rear design changed, too, with a flying buttress-style appearance replacing a series of horizontal slats behind the rear window. The “new” Manta Ray also received a ZL-1 427-cubic-inch big-block V-8 engine.

There is always some confusion about the Mako Shark II based on different photos. There were, in fact, two primary versions of the Mako Shark II and then the Manta Ray version. So three basic versions with quite a few re-paints and minor changes over the years!

9. 1962 Corvair Monza GT

looked like nothing else: smooth, well-formed, and ultra-clean. Shape and detailing were vintage period GM, yet also somewhat Italian.

The Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT (XP-777) was a mid-engined experimental prototype automobile built in 1962 based on the early model Chevrolet Corvair series. As it was essentially a concept car, the Monza GT did not enter production.

In response to consumer advocate Ralph Nader's Unsafe at Any Speed, Chevrolet began developing a front-engine, front-wheel drive version of the Corvair; GM design chief Bill Mitchell repurposed the project by moving the transaxle to the rear, resulting in a mid-engine Corvair derivative. Like the earlier design, the GT doors swung upward and were a front-hinged canopy that extended into the B section; the rear engine cover was also hinged at the rear. The engine was a standard 145 cu (2,380 cc), 102 hp (76 kW) Chevrolet Turbo-Air 6 engine with two carburetors.

Besides its streamlined appearance, the Monza GT had innovative features, including magnesium alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes, and 4-wand fixed seats with adjustable pedals. These features would eventually turn up in production cars years later.

The Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT coupe toured together in early 1963 with the related Monza SS (Super Spyder, XP-797), styled as a roofless version of the GT, making a further public appearance at the New York International Auto Show. The Monza GT and SS ended up as concepts only, tied partly to the fortunes of the Corvair, which fell after the vehicle had been declared unsafe by pioneering consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Mitchell remarked in 1985 that he "wanted something more exotic, so I built the one where the hatch came up (the Monza GT), and it's still a beautiful car, but it was heavy. Then I built the open job (the Monza SS).

The 1963 Corvette GS-II was derived from the mid-engine chassis of the Monza GT, again by Winchell's team. The GS referred to the Zora Arkus-Duntov-led Corvette Grand Sport program of 1962; two examples were built: GS-IIa, which was powered by a 327-cu.in. V8 and GS-IIb used a lightweight chassis and reportedly achieved 198 mph (319 km/h) at Jim Hall's Rattlesnake Raceway test track.

10. 2003 Chevrolet SS Concept

A contemporary sedan painted with a blazing hot red color. One of the best concepts of the decade.

The 2003 Chevrolet SS concept showcases a new generation of Chevy muscle, with dynamic design, race-proven technology and balanced performance. A modern interpretation of Chevrolet’s Super Sport heritage, the Chevy SS is a contemporary four-door family sedan turned sports car. It packs rear-wheel drive with a high-technology version of the legendary small-block V-8, and high-performance suspension and brakes to match.

The Chevy SS, a product of GM Design’s Los Angeles studio, exudes power and performance at first glance with its intense, Victory Red exterior and a reflective Cromax glass finish. The design is fluid with a short front overhang, long dash-to-axle and wide, muscular fenders providing an aggressive stance.

Powerful wheel arches house 21-inch front and 22-inch rear aluminum wheels with BF Goodrich performance tires. The package also includes side gills, sporty round taillamps, through-fascia dual exhaust and a brushed stainless steel panel surrounding the taillamps.

Underneath the hood is the latest evolution of Chevy’s race-proven small-block V-8. The car’s longitudinal all-aluminum 6.0-liter V-8 engine pumps 430 horsepower and 430 lbs.-ft. of torque. The engine is paired with a Hydra-Matic 4L65-E four-speed, rear-wheel-drive, electronically controlled automatic transmission. It also could be equipped with the fuel-saving Displacement on Demand technology, debuting on somein 2004 on some 2005 GM models, which shuts down half of the cylinders during most driving conditions and automatically and seamlessly reactivates them for more demanding conditions, such as brisk acceleration or load hauling.

With their power and speed, these cars gave Americans a sense of freedom and rebellion against the ordinary, at a price tag that many could afford. The Chevy SS truly is mobile entertainment for performance enthusiasts of all generations, Nesbitt said.