Chevrolet has spent decades playing it relatively safe with the Corvette, staying true to the original model’s roots by offering old-school V8 performance, sharp looks, and all for a good chunk less than most European competition.
However, in recent years, Chevrolet has stirred the pot by launching electrified models, and it seems it’s not done with adding more controversy to the nameplate. New body styles for the Corvette are right around the corner, with both a sedan and an SUV in the works. Interestingly, though, this isn’t the first time that Chevrolet has experimented with a 4-door Corvette. You might not have heard of the original ‘Corvette America’, and you almost certainly haven’t seen one – but why?
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Chevrolet
Founded in 1903, Chevrolet is one of America’s oldest remaining legacy automakers. Acquired by General Motors in 1918, Chevrolet is the core GM brand responsible for the bulk of GM’s US sales. As a mass-market manufacturer, Chevrolet competes in multiple key segments, primarily the SUV and truck segments, but also sports cars and mainstream sedans and hatchbacks (until recently). Core models for the brand include the Silverado, Colorado, Suburban, Camaro, and Corvette.
- Founded
- November 3, 1911
- Founder
- Louis Chevrolet, Arthur Chevrolet, William C. Durant
- Headquarters
- Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Owned By
- General Motors
- Current CEO
- Mary Barra
CarBuzz has sourced all specifications and statistics directly from Honda. If any other authoritative sources have been used, they will be listed separately at the foot of the article.
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Chevrolet Looked To Exploit A Gap In The Sports Car Market
The 1970s was a strange time for the automotive scene. Soaring oil prices meant gas was more expensive than ever, and insurance costs were swelling too, which meant owning and running a performance car was becoming tougher and tougher for average working folk. Furthermore, the government was constantly introducing new strict emissions regulations, which meant the new sports and muscle cars launched in the ’70s were woefully underpowered when compared to the ’60s models they were replacing.
These rising costs and the reduced appeal of big capacity V8 cars meant American manufacturers were suffering, as many drivers instead opted for smaller imported cars, such as the Honda Civic and Accord. So, American manufacturers had a crisis on their hands – they could no longer make compelling performance cars, but how else do they win back the buying public? One company, called the California Custom Coach company, felt they had the answer, and that answer was a four-door Chevrolet Corvette.
Seeing as the Corvette at the time could not offer the same exhilarating performance of its ’60s counterparts, they decided to broaden the appeal of America’s favorite sports car by elongating the platform, and doubling the number of seats and doors. On paper, this was quite a smart idea, as surely the comparative lack of performance could be forgiven if the Corvette was to be a practical family car? On top of that, running costs wouldn’t matter too much either, as a four-door Corvette meant you only needed one car, instead of a daily driver and the ‘Vette for weekends.
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GM Planned To Manufacture 40 C3 Corvette Sedans
While the idea for this practical Corvette did spawn at GM’s headquarters, the production was tasked to the California Coach Company – probably because GM didn’t want to be associated with the model if it was deemed an instant failure. Great foresight on GM’s behalf, as the ‘Corvette America’ wasn’t exactly a sales success.
Initially, plans were for 40 of these Corvette Americas to be developed, and the process was fairly simple in theory. Get a 1979 C3 Corvette, elongate the wheelbase by 30 inches, add some extra doors and seats in, and then tie it all back together – genius! Mechanically, the Corvette America would remain all C3, with the same 350 cubic-inch small block V8 under the hood. Sure, performance would be dampened, but the four-door model wasn’t excessively heavier, checking in at around 500 pounds heftier than its two-door sibling.
The Four-Door C3 Corvette Failed Early On
Why Did The Corvette America Fail?
- At $35,000, it was far too expensive
- Performance was woeful – this was one of the slowest Corvettes ever produced
- There was really no demand for a four-door Corvette
The story of GM’s Corvette America is a short-lived one, as the four-door sports car was simply not viable for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it had to cost in the region of $35,000, which was ludicrous money at the time. To put that into perspective, $35,000 in 1980 was enough to go out and buy two brand-new C3 Corvettes, and still have a chunk of change left over to tick some tasty options.
Next was what resided under the hood. Chevy’s small-block V8 was kicking out just 195 horsepower at the time, which translated through to a 9.1-second 0 to 60 mph time, and a woeful top speed of just 101 mph, making this the slowest Corvette ever produced. Couple the wild costs with the lackluster performance, and it’s easy to see why there was just no demand for the Corvette America. Estimates suggest that less than 10 cars were ever made, with just a small number of those known to exist today.
In recent years, one survivor was offered for sale by NBS Auto Showroom, at an eye-watering $214,884. It’s not known whether the car sold or not, but that price certainly makes the original sticker price look a little more reasonable. Still, is $214,884 a reasonable price for this fascinating and unique chapter in Corvette history?
Chevrolet Is Set To Revisit The Idea Of A Four-Door Corvette
For the first time in almost 50 years, Chevrolet is once again looking to reignite its four-door story, and this time the brand is taking it a little more seriously. While no official reveal has happened yet, we can be quite sure that Chevy isn’t just going to stick 500 lbs of fiberglass into the middle of a 2024 Corvette Stingray.
No, instead, Chevrolet is looking to launch both a 4-door Corvette Sedan and a Corvette SUV – here’s a quick peak at what we already know.
2025 Corvette SUV
At first, it might seem crazy that Chevrolet is developing a Corvette SUV, but, when you think a little harder, it’s actually crazy that it’s taken this long for the company to develop one. Aston Martin has the DBX, Porsche has the Cayenne, Ford has the Mustang Mach-E … need we go on? The simple fact is that performance SUVs are a real cash cow, and by adding an iconic nameplate such as ‘Corvette’ into the mix, Chevy could have a real winner on its hands.
While it will undoubtedly upset traditional enthusiasts, think about this – if a Corvette SUV can add millions of dollars into Chevy’s pockets, then surely the brand will be free to develop more wild and wacky Corvettes for their more typical fan base? It certainly worked for other manufacturers, such as Lamborghini and Aston Martin. It’s not all bad news for gearhead fans either, as it’s expected that the model will debut with gas powertrains, and likely eight cylinders, too.
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2025 Corvette Sedan
Rumor has it that the up-and-coming Chevrolet Corvette Sedan might boast electric power. While the thought of a four-door, electrically motivated Corvette would have seemed blasphemous in the past, it almost makes sense now. Chevy has already developed a hybrid Corvette, so why not follow in the Mustang Mach-E’s footsteps and add some more doors while you’re there, too? For now, Chevrolet is keeping its cards close to its chest with regard to the Corvette Sedan.
If they make it to production, both these four-door Corvettes should be far more cohesive products than the infamous C3-based Corvette America.
Sources: GM, Chevrolet, Hagerty