Exciting Corvette Street and Racing Concepts Debut at Monterey

There has been little debate about the fact that the mid-engine C8 Corvette, in its various forms, offers supercar performance that competes with the best in the world, no matter the price. Still, some Corvette fans long for past models’ smoother, more organic shapes. Chevrolet turned those desires into reality and impressed Corvette and performance car enthusiasts alike with the CX concept displayed at The Quail gathering in Monterey, CA. Taking it further, they also showed a racing version of the same vehicle, which looks ready to compete in the GT3 circuit. Twin Falls Chevrolet provides more details on these two exciting Corvette concepts. 

The CX maintains the overall proportions of the current Corvette while enveloping everything with bold, yet flowing, muscular curves. “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 shaped the design direction for Corvette moving forward.” 

Confirming the statement about ‘stepping away from the constraints of production vehicles,’ it’s easy to notice the absence of side mirrors, turn signals, or side marker lights, as well as the questionable effectiveness of the tiny LED headlights. Plus, the wheel wells almost seem attached to the tires themselves. Entering the vehicle by extending and lifting the entire upper canopy to the front bumper also appears to be an idea that is unlikely to go beyond the concept car stage. 

One may also notice the lack of intake for engine breathing, and that is because this vehicle runs on non-breathing motors. Four of them, to be exact, with one powering each wheel, contributing to a total of 2,000 horsepower. The individual motors enable independent torque vectoring for all four wheels. As is typical for EVs, the 90-kWh lithium battery is located in the chassis floor, providing both a low center of gravity and optimal front/rear weight distribution.  

Although not necessary for engine breathing, significant attention is given to airflow around and through the vehicle. This includes the Vacuum Fan system, which draws air through the bodywork upward to generate and control downforce, reducing the reliance on a large rear wing. However, the integrated wing and front diffuser are actively adjusted to meet constantly changing downforce requirements. 

All driver and other system information is projected across the lower portion of the windshield, which is a distinct production possibility, and primary controls are integrated into the steering wheel. The concept interior is shown in “Inferno Red ballistic textile” with low-gloss forged carbon fiber and milled-aluminum accents.  

The CX.R envisions a version of the CX for GT3 racing, building on Corvette racing’s long-standing success. This mode features a hybrid drivetrain with a mid-mounted 2.0-liter dual-overhead-cam twin-turbo V8 that delivers up to 900 horsepower and revs to 15,000 rpm. Similar to the revived Acura NSX, it has two electric motors up front designed for torque vectoring, along with a third motor in the rear for increased overall power. This significantly different but GT3-compliant drivetrain is also expected to produce around 2,000 horsepower. As expected, the CX.R has a stripped-down interior with considerable weight savings and racing safety elements throughout the vehicle.  

While it is clear that, should Chevrolet choose the CX concept as the basis for the next Corvette, those “production constraints” will dictate plenty of changes before they are available for a Twin Falls Chevrolet test drive. On the other hand, gamers will be able to experience both the CX and the CX.R through Grand Turismo 7, thanks to detailed blueprints of the chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic systems being provided to Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment.