Rebranded Corvette C9: UK Design Studio Transforms Iconic Sports Car into Electric Hypercar with Gullwing Doors
The British-based design studio of General Motors (GM) has unveiled a groundbreaking Corvette concept, marking a significant departure from traditional Corvette models and signalling a bold new direction for the iconic sports car.
The electric Corvette concept, showcased in 2025, boasts a sleek design with gullwing doors that provide access to a nearly spaceship-like interior. The upper half of the car's body is cleaner and more traditionally Corvette-like, while the lower half focuses on aerodynamics, emphasising its exotic character with a height of 40.7 inches, width of 85.8 inches, and overall length of 183.8 inches.
One of the concept's most striking features is "Apex Vision," a central spine running up the middle of the windshield. The concept's doors feature full wrap-around side glass that ties into the Apex Vision concept, maximising visibility while maintaining structural integrity.
The steering wheel takes the form of a rectangular yoke, similar to what we've seen in recent concepts from other manufacturers. The concept also includes "fan assistance" for its aerodynamics, using a powered fan to actively extract air from beneath the car for improved cornering grip.
The concept's body structure is "additive manufactured," allowing for complex shapes and potentially increasing rigidity while reducing weight. The concept strongly hints at being electric, with EV battery technology embedded into the structure.
The Corvette concept designed by GM's UK studio is intended to reimagine America's sports car through European eyes. Julian Thomson, who designed the original Lotus Elise and led Jaguar's design department, heads the design studio.
This is the first of three Corvette design studies GM plans to reveal this year, with the third version potentially debuting at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. The studio is also developing a GMC concept with a boxy, rectilinear design and distinctive lighting signatures, set to be revealed later in 2025.
The innovations and design features in the Corvette concept are likely to influence the upcoming C9 generation Corvette expected around 2028. The C9 is likely to incorporate electrification, perhaps fully electric or hybrid systems inspired by this UK concept, following industry trends and the Corvette E-Ray's hybrid precedent.
Design cues and engineering breakthroughs from the concept may shape the C9’s aesthetics and aerodynamic features, introducing a more globalized and performance-focused design ethos influenced by European hypercar standards. The concept serves as a preview or testbed for technology and styling that could trickle into the C9, possibly setting a new benchmark for Corvette in terms of performance, efficiency, and design innovation aligned with a 2028 launch timeline.
In essence, the British-designed 2025 Corvette concept is a sleek electric hypercar prototype that redefines Corvette’s identity for the EV age. This concept marks a pivotal step toward transforming Corvette into a next-generation electric supercar.
- The electric Corvette concept, designed by GM's UK studio and showcasing in 2025, was a sleek electric hypercar prototype, setting a new direction for the sports car industry.
- The concept, boasting a design influenced by European hypercar standards, featured unique engineering breakthroughs, such as additive manufactured body structure and aerodynamic fan assistance.
- The sleek design with gullwing doors and Apex Vision concept offered improved visibility and structural integrity, transforming the traditional Corvette model into a nearly spaceship-like interior.
- The lithium-ion EV battery technology embedded into the concept's structure signaled an industry trend for electrification in the upcoming C9 generation Corvette, expected around 2028.
