GM’s wild Corvette CX study shows a jet-style roof and fan-assisted downforce, plus a hybrid CX.R for Gran Turismo 7.
General Motors pulled the wraps off the Corvette CX concept during Monterey Car Week, unveiling the most radical design study in a yearlong series of one-off Corvettes created by GM studios around the world. The latest effort, developed by the Chevrolet Performance Studio in Warren, Michigan, pairs a fighter-jet-style lift-off roof with a quad-motor electric powertrain rated at more than 2,000 horsepower and an airflow “fan car” system intended to suction the body to the track.
GM said the CX follows earlier design exercises from its U.K. and California teams and, like those, is not slated for production. Instead, the concepts are meant to test ideas and help shape future iterations of America’s sports car. The brief for the Warren team: deliver maximum driver excitement on road or track while preserving unmistakable Corvette cues.
The CX leans heavily into aerospace themes. Its power-operated canopy rises as the driver approaches, revealing a two-seat cockpit trimmed in Inferno Red. At just 41 inches from ground to roof, the body sits nearly nine inches lower than a standard C8 Stingray. Designers retained brand signatures — a pointy, forward-thrusting nose, a crisp “chine” line separating upper and lower body surfaces, and four taillamps — to keep the silhouette recognizably Corvette despite the dramatic proportions.
Inside, the cabin is intentionally sparse. A yoke-style steering wheel carries a small central display and hard keys, while the windshield serves as a sweeping head-up screen for performance data. Much of the structure is intentionally exposed; wing-shaped control arms and other elements are visible beneath sci-fi bodywork to emphasize the car’s experimental nature.
Propulsion is fully electric. Four motors drive all wheels, drawing energy from a 90-kWh battery integrated into the chassis. Underneath, large air channels feed a massive rear diffuser, complemented by a deployable rear wing. To ramp up grip, the CX employs an integrated fan system that pulls air through the body and out the tail, producing suction-based downforce more commonly associated with purpose-built “fan car” racers.
Alongside the roadgoing study, GM also revealed the CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, a virtual race variant created to mark 25 years of Corvette competition. The CX.R features a lower ride height, additional aero — including an oversized rear wing — and a black-and-yellow livery similar to Corvette’s long-running factory scheme. Unlike the CX, the CX.R combines a mid-mounted, high-revving twin-turbo 2.0-liter V-8 with hybrid assistance. GM says the engine’s 15,000-rpm redline and a combined system output that can reach 2,000 horsepower are designed for digital competition.
Both the CX and the CX.R will be drivable in the Gran Turismo 7 video game later this month, giving enthusiasts a chance to sample the ideas virtually. While GM did not discuss specifications beyond the concepts’ core technology, executives emphasized that the global studio program is a feeder for future Corvette design and engineering.
For now, the CX stands as a rolling wish list: jet-inspired access, extreme aero, visible structure and electric torque stacked in a shape that still reads Corvette at a glance. Whether any one element reaches showrooms remains to be seen, but the message from Monterey was clear — the bow-tie brand is exploring bold territory for its performance flagship.
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