The Chevrolet Corvette C2 Stingray Coupé is seen by many as one of the most beautiful cars ever. It is now being prepared ‘for eternity’ by two big names from the car design world.
Under the umbrella of a new brand, AVA, none other than Ian Callum and Peter Brock are joining forces. Of course we know Ian Callum as a designer of cars such as the Aston Martin DB7, Vanquish and DB9, the Jaguar F-Type and the latest Jaguar XK. Someone who can put a sports car on paper. Peter Brock may need a more extensive introduction. Brock is a former General Motors and Shelby American designer, as well as the only living designer who worked on the Chevrolet Corvette C2. In fact, Brock was the one who, at the age of 19, drew up the basic sketch that ultimately resulted in the Stingray’s design. The now 84-year-old can really be seen as the man behind this iconic Corvette.
So now the two have found each other and are working together to modernize that Corvette. The name AVA stands for ‘ad vitam aeternam’, Latin for something like ‘for eternity’ or ‘eternal life’. That is where the essence of this project lies: preparing the Corvette C2 Stingray Coupé (photos 3 and 4) for eternity. How could it be different; that includes an electric powertrain. According to AVA a ‘1,200 to 2,000 hp’ powertrain. So then. Still, that’s not all that happens when you put two top designers on a project. Of course, the body of the Stingray will also be adapted. Sacrilege, perhaps, but given Brock’s history, it’s easy to forgive him. According to Brock, his original sketch from the late 1950s was not carried through in some respects in the final design of the Stingray. He is now happy to rectify this together with Callum.
On a first dark image (which we have been able to make quite clear thanks to some tinkering in Photoshop) we see what can be expected approximately. The adjustments are subtle, but partly due to the ‘cleaning’ of the body and apparently moving the bumpers, the Stingray gets a somewhat different look. It can also be seen on retro versions of the wheels that were originally underneath. In a sketch (see below) on which either Brock or Callum has been working, we can see roughly what needs to be changed.
Now we have to wait and see when AVA fully unveils their ‘Hyperclassic’ baptized creation. In any case, it promises to be something special. In any case, AVA has already reported that only a limited edition will be built. Incidentally, this is certainly not the last that we can expect from AVA. It is reported that a team has been set up for AVA, consisting of people who previously worked for Lotus, McLaren and Williams, among others. So bright minds.