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Description

Aerovette
This is pretty much what happens when a Ferrari 512BB Boxer, Bricklin SV-1, and a Corvette C3 collides together
but in all, it's a Chevy, and of course, it's a Corvette, which now resides in the National Corvette Museum
The Chevrolet Aerovette is a concept car created by the Chevrolet division of General Motors, beginning life
as Experimental Project 882 (XP-882). It has a mid-engine configuration using a transverse mounting of its
V8 engine. Zora Arkus-Duntov's engineers originally built two XP-882s during 1969, but John DeLorean,
Chevrolet's general manager, canceled the program because it was impractical and costly. But when Ford
announced plans to sell the DeTomaso Pantera through Lincoln-Mercury dealers, DeLorean ordered one
XP-882 cleaned up for display at the 1970 New York Auto Show.
In 1972, DeLorean authorized further work on the XP-882 chassis and gave it a new project code, XP-895.
A near-identical body in aluminum alloy that resembled the XP-895 was constructed, and became the
"Reynolds Aluminum Car." Two of the Chevrolet Vega 2-rotor engines were joined together as a 4-rotor,
420 horsepower (310 kW) engine, which was used to power XP-895. The XP-895 was first shown in late
1973. Another Corvette concept, XP-897GT, also appeared in 1973, which used a 2-rotor engine.
However, with the energy crisis of the time, GM scrapped its rotary development work and all plans
for a Wankel-powered car. The XP-897GT 2-rotor Concept was sold to Tom Falconer and fitted with a
Mazda 13B rotary engine in 1997.
In 1976, the 4-rotor engine was replaced by a 400 cu in (6,600 cc) Chevy V8, and the concept car
was named Aerovette and approved for production for 1980. The Aerovette featured double folding
gullwing doors. The production car would use a 350 cu in (5,700 cc) V-8, and priced between
$15000-$18000. However, after chief supporters Duntov, Bill Mitchell, and Ed Cole had retired
from General Motors, David R. McLellan decided that a front/mid-engine car would be more
economical to build and would have better performance, and canceled the Aerovette program.
Contemporary import mid engine cars had poor sales in the United States compared to the Datsun 240Z,
which ultimately determined the Aerovette's fate, further contributing to termination of production
plans. God if they had produced it, this would have been a true American supercar to rival all the
Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Maseratis, and Aston Martins. Also, I would love to drive it on the
Golden Gate Bridge on San Francisco on a sunny Friday morning between 9-11 AM. Now that would
be one lovely moment with an
All done in pen and took 4 hours to do.

Description

Aerovette
This is pretty much what happens when a Ferrari 512BB Boxer, Bricklin SV-1, and a Corvette C3 collides together
but in all, it's a Chevy, and of course, it's a Corvette, which now resides in the National Corvette Museum
The Chevrolet Aerovette is a concept car created by the Chevrolet division of General Motors, beginning life
as Experimental Project 882 (XP-882). It has a mid-engine configuration using a transverse mounting of its
V8 engine. Zora Arkus-Duntov's engineers originally built two XP-882s during 1969, but John DeLorean,
Chevrolet's general manager, canceled the program because it was impractical and costly. But when Ford
announced plans to sell the DeTomaso Pantera through Lincoln-Mercury dealers, DeLorean ordered one
XP-882 cleaned up for display at the 1970 New York Auto Show.
In 1972, DeLorean authorized further work on the XP-882 chassis and gave it a new project code, XP-895.
A near-identical body in aluminum alloy that resembled the XP-895 was constructed, and became the
"Reynolds Aluminum Car." Two of the Chevrolet Vega 2-rotor engines were joined together as a 4-rotor,
420 horsepower (310 kW) engine, which was used to power XP-895. The XP-895 was first shown in late
1973. Another Corvette concept, XP-897GT, also appeared in 1973, which used a 2-rotor engine.
However, with the energy crisis of the time, GM scrapped its rotary development work and all plans
for a Wankel-powered car. The XP-897GT 2-rotor Concept was sold to Tom Falconer and fitted with a
Mazda 13B rotary engine in 1997.
In 1976, the 4-rotor engine was replaced by a 400 cu in (6,600 cc) Chevy V8, and the concept car
was named Aerovette and approved for production for 1980. The Aerovette featured double folding
gullwing doors. The production car would use a 350 cu in (5,700 cc) V-8, and priced between
$15000-$18000. However, after chief supporters Duntov, Bill Mitchell, and Ed Cole had retired
from General Motors, David R. McLellan decided that a front/mid-engine car would be more
economical to build and would have better performance, and canceled the Aerovette program.
Contemporary import mid engine cars had poor sales in the United States compared to the Datsun 240Z,
which ultimately determined the Aerovette's fate, further contributing to termination of production
plans. God if they had produced it, this would have been a true American supercar to rival all the
Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Maseratis, and Aston Martins. Also, I would love to drive it on the
Golden Gate Bridge on San Francisco on a sunny Friday morning between 9-11 AM. Now that would
be one lovely moment with an
All done in pen and took 4 hours to do.