Chevrolet Corvette CX Concept First Look: A Glimpse Into the Future

We’ve already seen visions of what a future Chevrolet Corvette might look like from design teams in the U.K. and California, but now it’s Detroit’s turn. More precisely, Warren, Michigan—home to the iconic General Motors Design Center—has unveiled the Chevrolet Corvette CX Concept, offering the most authentic and closest-to-home glimpse yet at the next generation of Chevy’s flagship sports car.

Is This the C9?

Not quite. Chevrolet confirms that this isn’t the next-generation Corvette, which will carry the internal code ‘C9’ when it debuts in a few years. Instead, the Chevrolet Corvette CX is strictly a concept—though company insiders admit it will have a ‘heavy influence’ on the C9’s design. The name ‘CX’ was chosen deliberately to push designers beyond the immediate next generation, encouraging them to envision ideas that could shape the eventual C10, the Corvette that will follow the current C8’s successor.

While the Chevrolet Corvette CX Concept echoes several design cues from the two earlier overseas concepts, Chevrolet insists that’s largely coincidental. Each design team developed its vision independently before later collaborating to refine the trio into a more unified direction.

And yes, despite the exotic hardware you’ll read about, it remains very much a Chevrolet. An internal proposal to spin Corvette into its own sub-brand with multiple models has been shelved. Instead, Chevy stresses that these concepts are designed to ‘elevate the Corvette name within the Chevrolet brand.

2,000 HP, 4 Motors

Like the earlier California Corvette Concept, the CX is envisioned as an EV. (The first design, from the U.K., carried no special name and wasn’t tied to any specific powertrain.) This concept is said to pack four electric motors—one at each wheel—for all-wheel drive, active torque vectoring, and a staggering combined output of 2,000 horsepower. Of course, those numbers are purely theoretical, just like the car itself. Power would come from a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery mounted low in the chassis to optimize weight distribution and center of gravity.

Chevrolet envisions the battery pack housed within an all-carbon-fiber chassis, engineered with aerodynamics in mind—drawing inspiration from cars like the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Large underbody ducts channel airflow, aided by a fan system that pulls the car toward the ground, similar to the McMurtry Spéirling. Aerodynamic enhancements also include an active front splitter and rear wing, the latter revealing more of the taillights when deployed.

Moreover, all the aerodynamic features are fully functional. The Warren team worked closely with GM’s Motorsports Aero Group in Charlotte, North Carolina, to validate the ducts, wings, and fans, as well as the control-arm suspension. The suspension components are exposed and sculpted with wing-like profiles to further enhance airflow.

Canopies, Yokes, and HUDs, Oh My!

Like the California concept, the Chevrolet Corvette CX swaps traditional doors for a massive single-piece canopy that integrates the windshield, roof, and hood, tilting forward for entry. Unlike the California design, the canopy is fixed in place, partly because the entire windshield doubles as a head-up display (HUD). Embedded invisible pixels can project everything from gauges to navigation data—think Tom Cruise’s BMW i8 spy car in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, but in real life. Chevrolet notes the technology is still in prototype form, yet it’s no longer purely science fiction.

Driver and passenger sit in fixed carbon-fiber seats integrated into the chassis, similar to those in many high-end supercars, though the upper backrests and headrests are adjustable. For the driver, both the steering wheel and pedals can be repositioned for optimal comfort.

The Chevrolet Corvette CX replaces the traditional steering wheel with a yoke, featuring a mix of touchscreen and physical controls at its center. This setup allows the driver to access critical functions without looking, while other features can be managed via the touchscreen when the car is stationary.

The striking red interior, crafted from a ‘ballistic textile,’ makes a bold statement, deliberately paired with the silver exterior to honor the 1959 Chevrolet Sting Ray Concept. Accents of milled aluminum, low-gloss carbon fiber, and synthetic leather provide contrast and balance to the vibrant red.

It’s (Kind of) Real

Unlike the previous two concepts, the Chevrolet Corvette CX exists beyond digital renderings. A physical concept car was revealed today at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Car Week, accompanied by a racing version set to appear soon in the Gran Turismo video game franchise.

Meet the CX.R Vision Gran Turismo

Warren didn’t stop at the concept car—they also created a racing version called the CX.R Vision Gran Turismo. Players of Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation will be able to download and race it virtually later this month.

Given current battery limitations in racing, the CX.R concept takes a hybrid approach. Beneath the rear glass sits a ‘small-displacement’ 2.0-liter twin-turbo DOHC V-8, paired with an electric motor in the eight-speed gearbox and two additional motors on the front axle, each driving a wheel. Together, the system produces the same 2,000 horsepower as the Chevrolet Corvette CX Concept, but runs on renewable fuel instead of conventional gasoline. The V-8 alone is said to generate 900 hp and revs up to 15,000 rpm.

Racing enhancements include a lower ride height, a large fixed rear wing, optimized aerodynamics, and race-tuned suspension. Inside, the cabin is stripped out, featuring a roll cage, racing seats, and harnesses. Overall weight is reduced compared to the theoretical Chevrolet Corvette CX Concept. As for turning theory into reality—here’s hoping this concept paves the way toward the production C9. How about it, Chevrolet?