prototypes
What’s a prototype?
1951 How it all began
1952 Corvette EX-122
1954 Corvette Corvair Motorama showcar
1954 Corvette Hardtop Motorama Showcar
1954 Corvette Nomad Motorama Showcar
1955 Corvette Biscayne Show Car
1956 Harlow Curtis SR-2 Lookalike
1956 Corvette Impala Show Car
1956 Corvette SR-2 Sebring Racer
1952 EX-122 Concept Car
1957 Q Corvette
1957 Corvette SS Show Car
1957 Corvette SS XP-64
1958 XP-700
1959 Stingray Racer XP-87
1959 Corvette Stingray
1961 Corvette Mako Shark XP-755
1962 C2 Prototype XP-720
1962 Four Seat Stingray Corvette XP-720 2+2
1963 Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupe
1963 Corvette Grand Sport
1963 Wedge Corvette Split Windshield
1964 World’s Fair Styling Study
1964 Clay model for '66 update
1964 Grand Sport GS-II(b)
1964 CERV II
1964 Pontiac Banshee XP-833
1964 Corvette XP-819 Rear Engine
1965 Corvette Mako Shark XP-830
1966 Mid Engine Styling Proposal
1967 Astro I
1968 Corvette Astro-Vette
1968 Astro II-XP-880 mid engine
1969 Astro III
1969 Manta Ray
1969 Mid Engine XP-882
1970 Scirocco Showcar
1970 Corvette XP-882
1973 Corvette 2 rotor XP-897-GT
1973 Reynolds XP-895
1973 Corvette 4 rotor XP-882
Aerovette
1973 Corvette XP-898
1974 Mulsanne Showcar
1976 Corvette XP-882
1979 Turbo Corvette
1978 Corvette Astro-Vette
1980 Turbo Corvette
1982 4th Generation Concepts
1984 Bertone Ramarro
1985 Corvette Indy
1986 GTP Corvette
1987 Corvette Geneve
1989 Corvette DR-1
1989 Corvette ZR-2
1990 Corvette Conan ZR-12 V12
1990 CERV III
1990 Bertone Nivola
1991 ZR-1 Snake Skinner
1992 Stingray III
2001 Corvette Tiger Shark
2003 Corvette Italdesign Moray
2009 Sideswipe

1963 Corvette Rondine


1963 Corvette Rondine
The Corvette Rondine show car was built by Pininfarina on a production 1963 Sting Ray chassis. Two rooflines were tried: an inward slanting rear window with the roof cut off at the B-pillar (below) and a sloping rear window (above).

The car was designed by Tom Tjaarda, the Michigan native who had worked for Italian carrozzerie since 1959. At a time when many manufacturers switched to a unitary chassis construction, the fiberglass bodied Corvette was a popular subject for Europe's coachbuilders. Pininfarina was one of them and at the 1963 Paris Motorshow they launched the featured Rondine Coupe. The Rondine sports a very elegant shape of which various cues were later found on the Fiat 124 Spyder.

Still owned by Pininfarina, the unique Corvette is seen here at the 2005 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este where the Italian coachbuilder's 75th anniversary was celebrated.

$1,600,000 2008 Barrett-Jackson Auction Scottsdale AZ

The one and only 1963 Chevrolet Corvette "Rondine" Edition. Built for the 1963 Paris Auto Show by world renowned design house Pininfarina, and commissioned by Chevrolet. Features a 327cid/360hp V8 with a 4-speed and power brakes.

This historically significant prototype motorcar has been stored and preserved at the Pininfarina Museum since new, and is being offered for the first, and most likely last time ever. On the well-known Chevrolet Corvette chassis, Pininfarina has realized this special coupe displaying sports characteristics. The body style is based upon the idea of maximum simplicity and functionality, and features a remarkable outline owing to the lightness of its sections. The limited use of chrome stresses sober elegance of design and harmony of the whole. The front part, designed to obtain an outstanding penetration into air, slopes forward along a smooth curve, from where the fenders originate, slightly projecting with respect to hood configuration. Centrally in the front end, an opening is provided, acting as air intake, decorated by means of a thin chrome horizontal bars grille. The fixed front double headlights provided with removable shielding built into the body, grants perfect continuity in the car front part and excellent night visibility. The front bumper, made of chromed steel with extremely thin section, consists of two especially designed elements, limiting the radiator grille at both sides. The side panel features a sharp angle originating from the radiator grille, running along the front fender, the side and finally dying into the crest of the rear fender, thus giving the car a peculiar slender appearance. The rear end features a new and interesting "swallow tail" arrangement. Rear fenders, in fact, project with respect to the car main central structure. The turnout is a broken line plan view, resulting in a remarkable lightness of tail appearance. Built in the rear fenders are the horizontal, specially designed, stoplights. The petrol filler box lid has been replaced by a quick release cap. The roof, originating from a wide double curved windshield, is quite thin and light and rests on a typical rear element, having "roll bar" shape and function. Side windows can be lowered completely. The luggage compartment is located inside and below the rear window. The car interior, habitability and comfort of the original model has remained unchanged and is made out of elastic leather. The seats, comfortable and wrap-around, are provided in the back with an opening assuring continuous aeration.






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