1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupe

In the early 1960s, when many manufacturers were switching to a unitary chassis, the fiberglass-bodied Corvette was a popular subject for Europe's coachbuilders. At the 1963 Paris Auto Show, Pininfarina launched this Corvette-based, steel-bodied Rondine Coupe commissioned by Chevrolet. The car featured a 327 cubic-inch, 360 hp V8 with a 4-speed transmission and power brakes. This historically significant prototype has been stored and persevered at the Pininfarina Museum in Italy for almost 45 years and has been shown only on very few occasions. It was finally sold earlier in 2008. 2008 was its first appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

For the 1963 season, the famous Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina prepared this unique coupe based on the new Corvette Sting Ray. It was penned by U.S.-born designer Tom Tjaarda while working for Pininfarina. This dramatic design incorporates such elements as an increased front overhang with a prominent sloping nose to give the car an even longer appearance. Its large wrap-around windscreen and white leather upholstery give the car's greenhouse a particularly bright appearance. While it's 'pinched' rear deck, with the rear fenders kicked up over the wheel arches, is similar to a Fiat of the late 1960s. This fabulous one-off Corvette was retained by Pininfarina for over 40 years and displayed in their lobby.

The 1963 Sting Ray was penned by GM stylist Larry Shinoda under the guise of Bill Mitchell and introduced all-new styling and engineering that was destined to become an instant classic. Included in the classic appearance was a serious car mechanically and the first use of the sting ray name to describe the car. A coupe was available for the first time, which offered a body structure fully 90% stiffer than the previous year's roadster spawning many show cars and one-off customs like the Rondine. This, too, was the first Corvette with an independent rear suspension. Zora Arkus-Duntov was quoted to have said, 'For the first time I now have a Corvette I can be proud to drive in Europe.'