If you think the C8 Corvette’s mid-engine layout was revolutionary, brace yourself for what GM’s new UK design studio just cooked up. The British-designed Corvette concept shown today looks like it escaped from the year 2040, sporting gullwing doors, split windshields front and rear, and a hypercar-worthy profile that would make Aston Martin and McLaren owners do a double-take. It’s the first of three global design concepts for the Corvette nameplate that GM will reveal this year, potentially dropping hints about the eventual C9 generation that’s still a few years away.
Designed at GM’s brand-new advanced design studio in Royal Leamington Spa (about 20 miles from Birmingham), this concept isn’t meant to directly preview a production model. Instead, it represents a “blank page” approach to reimagining America’s sports car through European eyes. The studio is headed by Julian Thomson – the design wizard behind the original Lotus Elise, who also shepherded the Range Rover Evoque from concept to reality and later led Jaguar’s design department. If you’re going to put someone in charge of reimagining an icon, you could do a lot worse.
Split Down the Middle
The UK concept’s most immediately striking feature is what GM calls “Apex Vision” – a nod to the split-window 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, but reversed. Instead of splitting the rear glass, this concept features a central spine running up the middle of the windshield, extending from the hood all the way back to the tail. This isn’t just a visual flourish; it’s a structural element that strengthens the body while providing a panoramic view of the road ahead.
The design team took a two-tiered approach to the car’s body. The upper half is cleaner and more traditionally Corvette-like, with peaked fenders reminiscent of the 1965 Mako Shark concept (which previewed the C3). Meanwhile, the lower half is all business, focusing on aerodynamics with massive air channels carved into the sides that direct airflow through the body rather than around it.
This approach eliminates the need for ungainly wings and spoilers during normal driving, letting the clean lines speak for themselves. But when track duty calls, the concept can deploy dorsal fins and reconfigure its aero surfaces for maximum downforce, similar to how modern hypercars transform at speed.
Gullwing Doors to the Future
While the C8 embraced European supercar proportions, this UK concept goes all-in with dramatic gullwing doors that provide access to a minimalist cabin. When opened, they reveal a nearly spaceship-like interior where the seats appear to be molded directly into the vehicle’s structure. The steering wheel takes the form of a rectangular yoke, similar to what we’ve seen in recent concepts from other manufacturers, and the augmented windshield center spar presumably includes a driver display.
The concept’s dimensions emphasize its exotic character. At just 40.7 inches tall (1033mm), it’s approximately 8 inches shorter than the current C8, yet it stretches 85.8 inches (2178mm) wide – nearly 10 inches broader than today’s car. The overall length of 183.8 inches (4669mm) is roughly the same as the current model, but the proportions are far more dramatic. The specification sheet even lists the seat height at just 127mm (5 inches) from the ground – proper race car territory.
Electric Dreams
While GM’s press materials don’t explicitly call this an EV, they strongly hint at it, mentioning “EV battery technology embedded into the structure.” This suggests the battery pack is an integral, structural component rather than simply a slab fitted into the floor, a direction many EV manufacturers are beginning to explore. The integrated approach could contribute to the extremely low ride height and seat position, as there wouldn’t be a thick battery pack elevating the entire chassis.
The concept also features a race car-inspired pushrod suspension setup, which helps maintain a low hood line by repositioning the springs and dampers inboard. The wheels measure 22 inches up front and 23 inches in the rear, fitting the hypercar aesthetic.
Perhaps most intriguingly, the concept includes “fan assistance” for its aerodynamics – likely similar to the ground-effect fan system pioneered by the Brabham BT46B Formula 1 car and more recently featured on the Gordon Murray T.50 supercar. This technology uses a powered fan to actively extract air from beneath the car, creating a vacuum effect that sucks the vehicle to the road for incredible cornering grip.
Advanced Manufacturing
The concept’s body structure is described as “additive manufactured” – the industrial term for 3D printing – which allows for incredibly complex shapes that would be difficult or impossible to produce using traditional methods. This approach reduces part count, potentially increasing rigidity while reducing weight. The doors feature full wrap-around side glass that ties into the Apex Vision concept, maximizing visibility while maintaining structural integrity.
One of Three
This British-designed concept is just the first of three Corvette design studies GM plans to reveal this year, each exploring different interpretations of what the nameplate could become. According to reports, the third version might debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, potentially offering clues about the C9 Corvette expected around 2028.
The studio also teased an upcoming GMC concept that appears to feature a boxy, rectilinear design with distinctive lighting signatures. This second concept, developed in partnership with GMC’s design team in Detroit, is slated for reveal later in 2025.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Chevrolet (General Motors)
Model: Corvette Advanced Design Concept
Design Origin: GM UK Advanced Design Studio, Royal Leamington Spa
Designer: Julian Thomson (Design Director)
Height: 1033mm (40.7 inches)
Width: 2178mm (85.8 inches)
Length: 4669mm (183.8 inches)
Seat Height: 127mm (5 inches)
Wheels: 22-inch front, 23-inch rear
Doors: Powered gullwing design
Special Features: “Apex Vision” central spine windshield, additive manufactured body structure, active aerodynamics with deployable dorsal fins, fan-assisted ground effects, pushrod suspension
Powertrain: Electric (implied, with battery integrated into structure)
Production Intent: None (pure design study)
Pricing & Availability
As a pure design concept with no production intent, this British-designed Corvette won’t be making its way to showrooms. However, elements of its design language and technological innovations could influence the eventual C9 Corvette expected around 2028, particularly if GM continues its push toward electrification.
Recap
GM Corvette Concept C9
GM’s new UK design studio has reimagined the Corvette as a low-slung, gullwing-doored electric hypercar with a split “Apex Vision” windshield, fan-assisted aerodynamics, and 3D-printed body structure – the first of three global concepts that could hint at the C9’s direction.
