- The Corvette renderings pull straight from the C2 and C3 era.
- A designer working for Jaguar made it during his free time.
- Chevy has every reason to admire this and few to ever build it.
Many European carmakers have spent the past few years raiding their own back catalogues, and the results keep arriving. The Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 and the genuinely fabulous Renault 5 E-Tech, which we reviewed recently, are two ends of that spectrum. So the question almost asks itself: should Chevrolet do the same with the Corvette?
With the Corvette having moved to a mid-engined layout for the C8, it’s highly unlikely Chevrolet would revert to a front-engined design and launch a new model as an homage to the C2 and C3 generations. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Jaguar Exterior Design Manager Jason Battersby from imagining what such a creation could look like. This is a personal project done in his free time, with no connection to his work at Jaguar.
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The similarities between this and the original C2 Corvette Stingray are obvious. Like the classic model, this one has a long hood, complete with an aggressive bulge running through the center. It also uses slender, pop-up headlights and has familiar front quarter panels and wheel arches.
Illustrations JB Design/Instagram
The rear of the homage looks particularly stunning. It doesn’t have the same iconic split rear window as the C2, but it has two air vents running from the roof and down the decklid, in a similar shape. Parts of the rear somewhat remind us of the Ferrari Roma, particularly the simple horizontal LED taillights.
New Meets Old
Battersby, who first created this modernized C2 and C3 mishmash back in 2023 right after leaving Audi’s design team, has also crafted an intricate carbon-fiber diffuser and exhaust surrounds for the car. Other key elements include a large set of silver-and-black wheels, a carbon-fiber front splitter, and carbon fins positioned behind the front wheels.
Illustrations JB Design/Instagram
While it wouldn’t make sense for Chevrolet to build a high-volume tribute to old Corvettes like this, it could perhaps justify it by building a limited number of models, which we’re sure would appeal to both young and old Corvette buyers. The catch is cost. Developing it would be expensive, and the sticker that followed could easily climb past the reach of even the most committed enthusiasts and collectors.
