Jaws
1961 Mako Shark, Corvette concept car leading the way to future designs.
The XP-755 concept car, also known as the Mako Shark, was designed by Larry Shinoda under the direction of General Motors Styling and Design head Bill Mitchell. With the 1963 Corvette C2 design locked down, in 1961 as a concept for future Chevrolet Corvette the groundwork for the XP-755 was laid down. Building on the design of the 1958 XP-700 "double bubble", the XP-755 added design elements of the soon to be released C2 Corvette. In keeping with the name, the streamlining, pointed snout, and other detailing was partly inspired by the sleek, fast-moving shortfin mako shark. The '61 Corvette tail was given two additional tail lights (six total) for the concept car. The concept was also inspired by Bill Mitchell's 1959 Stingray racer XP-87 which also influenced the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.
The Mako Shark debuted at the New York Coliseum at the 1962 6th International Automobile Show,[1] and the car was a success on the auto show circuit. With many of the Mako's design elements making into production on future Corvettes, it was successful in building hype for the forthcoming next generation of Corvette.[2]
Like many show cars, the Mako Shark underwent styling and detail changes over time. The hood and front facia were modified and the interior was updated. The car also lost the distinctive "double-bubble" canopy. The car was retroactively dubbed the Mako Shark I when the Mako Shark II debuted. The car now resides in the GM Heritage Collection.
An apocryphal story has it that Mitchell had an actual mako shark mounted on the wall in his office, and ordered his team to paint the car to match the distinctive blue-gray upper surface blending into the white underside of the fish. After numerous attempts to match the shark's color scheme failed, the team hit upon the idea of kidnapping the fish one night, painting it to match their best efforts on the car, and returning it to the office. Mitchell never realized the difference and pronounced himself pleased with the team's duplication of nature's handiwork on the car.
Bill Mitchell's design brief for the XP-830 was as follows:
"a narrow, slim, center section and coupe body, a tapered tail, an all-of-a-piece blending of the upper and lower portions of the body through the center (avoiding the look of a roof added to a body), and prominent wheels with their protective fenders distinctly separate from the main body, yet grafted organically to it."
This concept influenced the redesigned C3 Corvette of 1968. Chevrolet created two of them - only one of which was fully functional. The non-running show car sported futuristic details, such as square section side pipes and a squared-off steering wheel. This car debuted at the 1965 New York Auto Show. The second running show-car made its debut at the 1965 Paris Motor Show with more conventional steering wheel and exhaust. The car did have a retractable rear spoiler, and a square section bumper that could be extended for added protection. The Mako Shark II was powered by a 427 Mark IV engine, which became available on production Corvette models. The paint scheme was similar to the original Mako Shark, with blue/gray on top fading into silver/white at the rockers.
In 1965, the Mako Shark II was also on display 1964/5 New York World's Fair in the General Motors Futurama Pavilion.
After the show car made the rounds on the show circuit, it was returned to GM where it was dismantled.[8] The running car would be given a reprieve and return to the show car circuit in modified form.
Jaws
1961 Mako Shark, Corvette concept car leading the way to future designs.
The XP-755 concept car, also known as the Mako Shark, was designed by Larry Shinoda under the direction of General Motors Styling and Design head Bill Mitchell. With the 1963 Corvette C2 design locked down, in 1961 as a concept for future Chevrolet Corvette the groundwork for the XP-755 was laid down. Building on the design of the 1958 XP-700 "double bubble", the XP-755 added design elements of the soon to be released C2 Corvette. In keeping with the name, the streamlining, pointed snout, and other detailing was partly inspired by the sleek, fast-moving shortfin mako shark. The '61 Corvette tail was given two additional tail lights (six total) for the concept car. The concept was also inspired by Bill Mitchell's 1959 Stingray racer XP-87 which also influenced the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.
The Mako Shark debuted at the New York Coliseum at the 1962 6th International Automobile Show,[1] and the car was a success on the auto show circuit. With many of the Mako's design elements making into production on future Corvettes, it was successful in building hype for the forthcoming next generation of Corvette.[2]
Like many show cars, the Mako Shark underwent styling and detail changes over time. The hood and front facia were modified and the interior was updated. The car also lost the distinctive "double-bubble" canopy. The car was retroactively dubbed the Mako Shark I when the Mako Shark II debuted. The car now resides in the GM Heritage Collection.
An apocryphal story has it that Mitchell had an actual mako shark mounted on the wall in his office, and ordered his team to paint the car to match the distinctive blue-gray upper surface blending into the white underside of the fish. After numerous attempts to match the shark's color scheme failed, the team hit upon the idea of kidnapping the fish one night, painting it to match their best efforts on the car, and returning it to the office. Mitchell never realized the difference and pronounced himself pleased with the team's duplication of nature's handiwork on the car.
Bill Mitchell's design brief for the XP-830 was as follows:
"a narrow, slim, center section and coupe body, a tapered tail, an all-of-a-piece blending of the upper and lower portions of the body through the center (avoiding the look of a roof added to a body), and prominent wheels with their protective fenders distinctly separate from the main body, yet grafted organically to it."
This concept influenced the redesigned C3 Corvette of 1968. Chevrolet created two of them - only one of which was fully functional. The non-running show car sported futuristic details, such as square section side pipes and a squared-off steering wheel. This car debuted at the 1965 New York Auto Show. The second running show-car made its debut at the 1965 Paris Motor Show with more conventional steering wheel and exhaust. The car did have a retractable rear spoiler, and a square section bumper that could be extended for added protection. The Mako Shark II was powered by a 427 Mark IV engine, which became available on production Corvette models. The paint scheme was similar to the original Mako Shark, with blue/gray on top fading into silver/white at the rockers.
In 1965, the Mako Shark II was also on display 1964/5 New York World's Fair in the General Motors Futurama Pavilion.
After the show car made the rounds on the show circuit, it was returned to GM where it was dismantled.[8] The running car would be given a reprieve and return to the show car circuit in modified form.