Chevrolet to Echo Corvette Design Across Future Line-Up
General Motors’ design chief confirms upcoming Chevrolet models will adopt key Corvette styling cues, with the 2016 Volt, Malibu and Cruze set to show the first results.
General Motors will draw on the Chevrolet Corvette’s styling for its next generation of mainstream models, with design boss Ed Welburn confirming that the taut hood, sectioning and hexagonal taillights from the C7 Stingray will influence the 2016 Volt, Malibu and Cruze.
Welburn said the change marks a deliberate move to connect Chevrolet’s volume cars with its most recognisable performance models. “I always look at the hood of the Corvette and the sectioning, the way it’s taut, very lean, very sporty. That will be a part of really everything we do for Chevrolet,” he told Automotive News. The aim is to create a subtle but clear link across the range, rather than simply copying the Corvette’s more dramatic features.
The shift will be most visible in details such as the shape of the bonnet and the rear lights. The hexagonal taillight motif, a point of debate among Corvette enthusiasts, will be referenced in other Chevrolet models. Welburn said he expects these elements to be well received by buyers of more mainstream cars, even if they proved divisive among purists.
First models to show the new design
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt will be the first production car to show the new approach when it debuts at the Detroit auto show in January 2015. While early teaser images do not reveal much, GM has confirmed Corvette-inspired cues will be present. The next-generation Malibu and Cruze, both due to follow, will also carry the new design language.
- 2016 Chevrolet Volt: Plug-in hybrid, debuts January 2015, first to show subtle Corvette cues
- Next Malibu: Midsize saloon, to adopt taut hood and rear light motifs
- Next Cruze: Compact, will share form vocabulary with Corvette
Chevrolet’s strategy: linking sports cars and saloons
Historically, Chevrolet’s everyday models have been visually distinct from its sports cars. Welburn acknowledged that the company had not previously capitalised on the Corvette and Camaro’s brand strength in its mainstream line-up. The new strategy is intended to inject more excitement into the range and reinforce Chevrolet’s American performance image.
Chevrolet global chief Alan Batey has also stated that the brand wants to push for “stunning design” across the board. The company’s leadership is now using the success of the Corvette and Camaro as a foundation for the next generation of Chevrolets, aiming for a more cohesive family look.
What buyers can expect
For buyers, the changes will mean that even Chevrolet’s most affordable models will carry echoes of the brand’s flagship sports car. The move is not only about style; it is intended to give the range a more upmarket and unified presence in showrooms and on the road.
The company has not announced any plans to alter the mechanical specification of its mainstream models as part of this design-led shift. The focus is on exterior styling, with the first examples reaching showrooms from 2015 onwards.
