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|  | | December 11 2010 09:24:20 AM EST | |
| Sting Ray III - The California Corvette - had old school vette fans reacting badly to its smaller size and softer lines. But, Chuck Jordan was seeing the future and wanted Corvette to be there.
Behind the design lurked weight-saving ideas and carbon fiber build pieces. Hmmm.
In 1989, Jordan staged an internal competition between 3 GM studios to style the C5. His favorite was this roadster by GM's new-at-the-time SoCal Advanced Concept Center. A 7" longer wheelbase and 3" wider track [vs C4] gave this Corvette a purposeful stance. The bob-tail and cabin-forward windscreen added to the down-low feel.
1st fitted with a V-6, by its 1992 Detroit Auto Show debut, the car was LT-1 V8 equipped.
In the end, Sting Ray III's design was deemed too similar to Camaro (also penned in California), and elements of all three design proposals were blended into the final look of the C5.
But as always through his career, even with Sting Ray III, Chuck Jordan knew where he was going with his design leadership. |
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