This 1990 Corvette concept car should’ve made it to the production line but never did
- This concept supercar was loved by the public and the press
- However, it still never made it into production
- The reason was that it was too expensive for its time
Published on Nov 01, 2024 at 12:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Nov 01, 2024 at 12:29 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Although the first true rear mid-engine Corvette didn’t come till 2020, this 1990 CERV III concept car was the closest to becoming a series production car.
This concept car made its debut three decades before the C8 was launched.
The history of the Corvette brand has spanned over 70 years becoming one of the most legendary names in the entire automotive industry.
Throughout its history, a lot of impressive concepts and prototypes were created but never made it into production.
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The Corvette that never made it into production
Today, we remember one such concept car that remained relevant more than three decades after its public debut.
The CERV III concept car originated from the Corvette Indy.
The Indy showcased Chevy’s latest technology, a futuristic design language, and the upcoming twin-turbo V8 CART (IndyCar) race engine.
It was a tremendous hit with the press and the public.
So much so that Chevrolet greenlight further development of the project.
Hence, two additional cars were built: a fully functional test mule for Corvette and a static model.
1990 CERV III concept car
In the end, the Indy project morphed into the CERV III.
The CERV III Corvette was meant to amaze the crowd again at the 1990 Detroit Auto Show.
And looking at the supercar, you can tell it received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from both the public and the press.
We have seen many Corvette concept cars, but this one actually came close to production.
GM explored the idea of turning the CERV III into a limited-production supercar.
However, the supercar would’ve cost $300,000 to $400,000.
It was a far cry from the starting price of a base Corvette ($32,000) or the high-performance ZR-1 ($58,000) at that time.
Due to global financial turmoil, there was a loss of interest in expensive supercars.
Hence the CERV III never made it into production, but it remains one of the best concepts that Chevrolet has ever developed.
Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
