1985 Corvette Indy Concept
The cancellation of the mid-engine Aerovette program in the late 1970’s caused many Corvette engineers to “dig in their heels” and continue development of a mid-engine Corvette. Just a year after the introduction of the fourth-generation Corvette in 1984, Corvette engineers began development of another mid-engine Corvette Prototype which they believed would be a possible successor to the fourth-generation (C4) corvette. They named the first of these cars the Corvette Indy Concept.
The first of these cars was the 1985 Corvette Indy Concept vehicle. It was developed as a “pushmobile,” meaning that it was a non-functioning, full-size clay mockup that was developed to test market interest in the concept. The car featured the same mid-engine configuration that Zora Arkus-Duntov had always envisioned for the Corvette program. Finished in a silver paint scheme, the Corvette Indy Concept was first unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 1986. The car itself had a dramatic, swept-back profile. It featured a short snout an elongated rear-end.
While the design was well-received, its dramatic posture was definitely a departure from all Corvettes that had preceded it. However, if you look closely, you’ll note that the car’s overall aesthetic was reminiscent of the fourth-generation Camaro that debuted in 1993. It also featured a wheel concept which evolved into the OEM “turbine” wheels found on the late-model C4 Corvettes beginning in 1991.
