The 1963 Split-Window Coupe is viewed as one of the most beautiful designs to ever come out of General Motors, and perhaps one of the most stunning Corvette designs of all time. So, it’s natural that even 60 years later, designers and dreamers try to tap into the energy of that iconic design.
But before we get into the C8 rendering, let’s talk about the 1963 C2 that inspired it. Just how popular (and polarizing) is the iconic 1963 Corvette? Well, just this week a 2020 article on the ’63 from our own Scott Kolecki was reposted on our Facebook page, and this was the response.
And since this screenshot was taken, the post is now up to 36,000 likes, 1000 comments, and 2100 shares, with 389,702 people reached. Yikes!
Here’s an illustration of how polarizing the 1963 Split-Window still is to this day, with just a brief sample of comments from the 1000+ we received.
So, given the dynamic of that revolutionary 1963 Split-Window design, what do you think about this rendering on a C8? And would you buy it? The Corvette rear end has been a touchy subject, ever since GM abandoned the round taillights and went with more of a “Camaro-inspired” design on the C7. Purists were hoping for a more traditional design on the C8 but got an evolved version of what was on the C7.
Perhaps this design can appease both camps?
I could be in the minority, but I like it. For one, the hump of the bottom hatch seems to accentuate and work better with the taillights, and the classic split design works with the angular C8. Here is an unmolested C8 rear so you can get a quick visual comparison.
The burning questions are, do you like it, does it look better than the actual C8, and would you buy it?
The video that inspired this piece is below, and the first 3 minutes give a great history of the impressionable 1963 Split-Window, with the C8 rendition and commentary following. As you can see, our Facebook page has lively discussions and is the place to be for Corvette content, I would love to see you there! Douglas B.
