Chevrolet Debuts Wild ‘California Corvette’ Concept With Hinged Windshield

If the C8-gen Chevrolet Corvette in its mid-engine layout seemed like a design departure, get a load of this concept. Looking like a four-wheeled reimaging of the Tron universe’s Light Cycle, this is the second in a series of three Corvette design concepts to debut in 2025—the first being an era-blending gullwing creation from General Motors’ Royal Leamington Spa design studio in the U.K. In contrast, this entirely futuristic vehicle comes from the minds at GM’s Advanced Design studios in Pasadena.

“Our Advanced Design teams are dedicated to shaping the future, driving innovation, and exploring what’s possible,” said Bryan Nesbitt, vice president of global design. “The California Corvette concept is another example of forward-thinking design. We invited multiple GM studios to envision Corvette-inspired hypercars—the first of which was revealed by our UK studio in March. The California team has now delivered a complementary study that honors Corvette’s legendary performance, while infusing it with their own distinctive vision.”

“Southern California has been at the heart of automotive and design culture for a century, and GM has had a deep design presence here for nearly 40 years. We wanted to ensure that this concept was developed through that SoCal lens, but with a global and futuristic outlook. Duality of purpose is the basis of this concept’s design strategy,” added Brian Smith, design director, GM Advanced Design Pasadena.

The tunneled carbon fiber underbody, active spoiler, air brake and large 21-inch front/22-inch rear wheels are the stuff of today’s hypercars. But the single-piece front-hinged canopy, which enables transitions from roadgoing use to open-air track racing, is a feature yet implemented on any consumer automobile. The California Corvette is also envisioned with a T-shape prismatic battery pack to accommodate low seating and better airflow around and through the chassis. The minimalist interior features an augmented-reality HUD that enhances high-speed driving by only displaying the “most essential data,” per Chevrolet.

The UK’s concept was more recognizable as a Corvette, but Pasadena’s interpretation is by far more fantastically futuristic. Needless to say, we’re eagerly awaiting the third and final Corvette concept of 2025.