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Here's the story:
Illustrated Corvette Series No. 72 - 1986 Indy Corvette Concept Car
"Designing the Next Vette"
The
lead time needed to design a car can be considerable. Many times,
designers start the next generation of a design shortly after a new
design is released for production. This was the case with the Corvette
Indy concept car. With rave reviews coming in for the new C4 Corvette,
it was time to think ahead – way ahead.
In the early '80s, Chevrolet engineers worked on a 2.65-liter Indy car
engine with twin intercooled turbos. The engine was never seriously
raced, but its development stimulated many of the Corvette team
designers. Also, computer chips and electronics were making in-roads in
production cars. GM's Design Vice President, Chuck Jordan, wanted these
new technologies to be integrated into the design of the
next-generation Corvette.
Jordan began with a rendering from staff designer Tom Peters. The
design hearkened back to the Italian-like shapes from the Bill Mitchell
era. Jordan took the Peters rendering and stuffed as much technology as
he could into the sleek new shape.
The "Indy" name was used because the new car would have a 5.7-liter,
32-valve street version of the Indy-car racing engine. Corvette
prototypes have had a long history of using mid-engine layouts, and the
Corvette Indy was no exception. Other proposed "gee-whiz" features
included active suspension, drive-by-wire steering, all-wheel drive,
ETAK navigation system, and four-wheel steering.
To take the rendering to the next stage, Jordan commissioned Cecomp of
Italy to build a full-size clay model of the Chevrolet III studio
design. At this point, the high-tech specifications were just ideas on
paper. It was the 3-dimensional, full-size model that would take the
design to the next level of a running prototype.
The overall shape of the Corvette Indy was bigger than a production
Corvette in every way except the height. The Corvette Indy was 7 inches
shorter than a stock Corvette, but 10.4 inches longer and 8 inches
wider. The wheelbase was 1.7 inches longer, with the front track 4.5
inches wider and rear track 5.4 inches wider that a stock Corvette.
When viewed by it's self, the car looks large. However, when looked at
next to a production Corvette, it looks very small due to its low
height. The mid-engine drivetrain layout mandates a cab-forward shape.
Deep air intakes behind the doors and the inverted rear spoiler are
similar to many LeMans-type racers of that time. The upper rear spoiler
shape would later be used on the '93 Camaro.
Clay prototypes are usually about 25 percent too much and have to be
scaled back. The Corvette Indy successfully impressed GM officials,
because by the end of '86 the first of two running Corvette Indy cars
was delivered, with the second car being completed in '87. The running
prototypes then became the starting point for the 1990 CERV III
engineering study.
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