Chevrolet Corvette CX concept unleashed

The 2028 Chevrolet Corvette C9 has inched closer following the reveal of the wild Chevrolet CX and Chevrolet CX.R Vision Gran Turismo at the Pebble Beach car-fest in Northern California.

Making their debut at the prestigious ‘The Quail’ gathering of exotics, the pair of wild new concepts have both been ruled out for production, but are said to directly inspire future Corvette design language.

Following on from the hypercar-baiting Corvette C9 concept designed by GM's UK-based stylists and released back in April, the pair of CX concepts are the work of the American car giant's Michigan-based design studio.

To spice up the looks of its next-gen C9 Corvette, GM execs pitched the UK and Michigan-based stylists, plus another design centre in California all against each another in a bid to push creativity.

Each team then came up with their own concept independently but then worked together to refine them before their unveil.

Claimed to "elevate the Corvette name within the Chevrolet brand", the latest concept for the next American supercar is an EV powered by a quad-motor set-up that produces more than 2000bhp (1481kW).

Feeding those hungry motors - that are capable of advanced active torque vectoring - is a 90kWh lithium-ion battery that is reported to be mounted low in the chassis for an optimum weight distribution and ultra-low centre of gravity.

Based around an all-carbon fibre monocoque, the CX has over-sized air ducts combined with a fan system that's designed to provide Ground Effect aerodynamics that sucks the car closer to the ground for greater downforce.

An active front splitter and moveable rear spoiler both work in unison to increase downforce without adding speed- and range-sapping drag.

All the concept's advanced air bending features are said to be real and fully functional, with all the aero validated by GM Motorsports' racing division.

What is less realistic is the way you get into the new CX. Instead of a pair of regular apertures, scissor, or gullwing doors there's a one-piece canopy. This sees the windscreen, roof and front bonnet arc forward in one piece.

New tech within includes a head-up display that embeds pixels within the glass to replace the instrument cluster and infotainment. Chevrolet says to expect the tech to reappear soon as it's already at the prototype stage.

Mirroring hypercars like the LaFerrari, the CX comes with fixed carbon-fibre seats that form part of the chassis. Only the upper backrest and headrest are adjustable and the steering wheel and pedal box move towards the driver.

Speaking of the tiller, instead of a round wheel there's a yoke-style controller that combines both a touchscreen and features physical controls.

The crimson red cabin and the silver paint are both intended to pay tribute to the original 1959 Chevrolet Sting Ray Concept.

While the physical Chevrolet CX was unwrapped at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the more extreme CX.R Vision Gran Turismo will be available to download on the Sony PlayStation game later this month.

Even though the CX is all-electric, the race version comes with petrol power in the form of a wild a 2.0-litre twin-turbo V8 hybrid combined with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and three e-motors.

Total output matches the EV's 2000bhp (1491kW), with the combustion engine alone capable of revving to 15,000rpm and producing more than 670kW.

Providing more downforce is reworked aero including a lower ride height and a huge, fixed rear wing. A race-spec suspension, stripped-out cabin, roll cage and race seats mean the CX.R is ready for virtual hot-lapping.

There's no timeline for when bosses will choose which stylistic direction to travel with the C9, it's thought we might see a close-to-production concept as soon as the second half of 2026, ahead of its 2028 debut.

It's likely both all-electric and a petrol-electric hybrid power will be offered with the next-gen Corvette.

The current C8 Corvette is the first mid-engined example of the breed and the first to go on-sale in Australia. There are three models offered, the Stingray, E-Ray hybrid and the race-inspired ZO6.

Overseas, Chevrolet also offers the ZR1 and has just rolled out the ZR1X.

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