1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT Concept Coupe

An important part of GM Design history is represented by the Corvair Monza GT. Developed under the leadership of GM Design chief Bill Mitchell, this stunning concept was the work of Larry Shinoda, whose accomplishments as the designer of the Sting Ray Corvette are well documented.

Riding on a wheelbase 16 inches shorter than a standard Corvair, the Monza GT's rear-engine was rotated 180-degrees from its standard position to create a true mid-engine car. With doors that opened forward like a canopy from the base of the windshield to the 'B' pillars, and a rear-opening engine cover, the low 42-inch GT coupe established new benchmarks for contemporary design.

Powered by a turbocharged, 145 cubic-inch, horizontally-opposed, aluminum six-cylinder engine, the GT delivered 'go' that backed up its 'show.'

First presented to the public at the 1963 New York Auto Show, the Monza GT occupies a special place in concept car history.

Chevrolet's air-cooled, rear-engine Corvair reached production for 1960 as GM's answer to the growing popularity of small, inexpensive imports, including the similarly laid-out Volkswagen Beetle. Mitchell was excited by the design possibilities offered by the Corvair's component set. With no big lump of an engine or bulky radiator up front, it enabled the designer's dream of very low, sleek, aerodynamic front ends.

To explore the possibilities of Corvair-based sports cars, he created a gorgeous pair of concepts named for Italy's famed Monza racing circuit. The silver Monza GT coupe's unique features included rectangular concealed headlamps and a one-piece canopy that pivoted upward for access to its matching silver interior.

Developed in 1962, both slippery shapes reflected substantial wind-tunnel testing. Among other innovations, these concepts pioneered the tall, voluptuous fenders that made the 1968 Corvette such a stand-out design. And they offered the potential of a future expansion of the Corvair line to include a low-cost alternative to the Corvette.

'I wanted something more exotic,' Mitchell told historian David Crippen in 1985, 'so I built the one where the hatch came up....and it's still a beautiful car, but it was heavy. Then I built the open job. GM just couldn't see putting that out....but it went around to shows everywhere.'