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Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) today gave car enthusiasts and racing fans another, yet another glimpse of the high-performance future. Two Corvette concept cars, the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. If these promotional events proceed at the pace of previous events and press releases, they could outnumber the sales of the production C9 Corvette when it appears.*
“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. It is aspirational, it is cultural, it is the reason people want to come and work at Chevrolet,” 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.”
Marketing Babble Alert – Talking points of the Corvette Concepts
- “The CX concept design starts with quintessential Corvette hallmarks. The 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 proportions are long, low, and sleek, with a roofline less than 41 inches high.
- “Aggressively futuristic, yet unquestionably a Corvette, the CX concept shows what an uncompromised future sports car can be. The athletic exterior design, highlighted by the fighter-jet-inspired cockpit canopy, isn’t just about looking powerful – it was shaped in collaboration with the GM Motorsports Aero Group. Every angle was designed with ultimate performance in mind.
- “The innovations continue underneath the skin with the Vacuum Fan System. Built-in fans draw air through the open-channel bodywork, generating massive downforce and adjusting the airflow over the rear diffuser to refine aerodynamic balance in real-time. The front diffuser and rear wing are both active, adjusting automatically in response to the driver’s inputs to generate maximum grip. The integrated understructure of the CX concept is visible through the 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 propulsion system was chosen to provide maximum design freedom, plus ultimate straight-line performance to complement the corner carving enabled by fan-driven downforce and active aero.
- “The CX concept is an all-wheel-drive electric supercar with a propulsion system worthy of the Corvette name. Four motors, one powering each wheel, generate more than 2,000 horsepower, with four-wheel torque vectoring for maximum grip and cornering performance. The 90-kWh lithium-ion battery is mounted in the chassis for a low center of gravity and ideal front-rear weight distribution. On the inside, every aspect of the CX concept was designed to provide an unmatched driving experience. The forward-opening fighter-jet-style canopy automatically raises as you approach. Driver and passenger settle into seating finished in Inferno Red ballistic textile, bolstered to help hold occupants in place during high-g cornering maneuvers. Premium silicone leather, milled aluminum, and low-gloss forged carbon fiber accents give an elevated feel to the driver-focused cabin,” Chevrolet said.
The CX.R Vision Gran Turismo
- “For more than 25 years, the Corvette road car program has been accompanied by a championship-caliber Corvette Racing competition program. This close relationship between road car and racecar isn’t just a source of pride for Corvette fans – it helps further the technical learnings that can be shared across both realms. True to Chevrolet’s performance DNA, the design team created a Corvette CX concept exclusively for track competition. The CX.R Vision Gran Turismo imagines the future of Corvette GT racing – and future gamers will be able to drive in Gran Turismo 7.
- “The CX.R VGT racecar embodies Corvette’s history while looking to the future of automotive performance. The familiar yellow and black color scheme honors the Corvette GT racecars of the past 25 years. Designers took CX’s athletic exterior and ramped up the aggression for CX.R VGT with more prominent active aero features and a lower ride height for racetrack-dominating downforce and grip. Weight has been reduced across the car to further emphasize the all-out focus on performance.
- “Inside, the touring-inspired surfaces and materials of CX have been replaced by functional, high-performance appointments. The dashboard consists of lightweight raw carbon fiber weave, and the seating uses suede-wrapped foam inserts for grip and support where the driver needs it. The seats themselves have larger, much more aggressive shoulder and headrest pads to provide the head and neck support necessary with the intense handling capabilities CX.R VGT could deliver,” Chevrolet said.
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In partnership with Chevrolet performance engineers, the Corvette design team created detailed blueprints for the chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic features of both the CX and CX.R VGT concepts. Working with Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Chevrolet will make both the roadgoing CX and the CX.R VGT race-car concepts available for fans to drive virtually in Gran Turismo 7 later this month,
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
More C9 Corvette Concepts Seen in California
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Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) today gave car enthusiasts and racing fans another, yet another glimpse of the high-performance future. Two Corvette concept cars, the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. If these promotional events proceed at the pace of previous events and press releases, they could outnumber the sales of the production C9 Corvette when it appears.*
“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. It is aspirational, it is cultural, it is the reason people want to come and work at Chevrolet,” 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.”
Marketing Babble Alert – Talking points of the Corvette Concepts
The CX.R Vision Gran Turismo
Click for more.
In partnership with Chevrolet performance engineers, the Corvette design team created detailed blueprints for the chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic features of both the CX and CX.R VGT concepts. Working with Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Chevrolet will make both the roadgoing CX and the CX.R VGT race-car concepts available for fans to drive virtually in Gran Turismo 7 later this month,
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.