2017 Caprice-The Return of the RWD B-Body!

I started out wanting to recreate the luxury of the original Chevrolet Caprices, the mid 1960s models. Once I started pushing the pixels around on a brand new Impala I was surprised to see how easily I could turn it into a modern-day late 1980s/90s Caprice. I'd love to see a domestic model with a rear wheel drive-based powertrain, although these days there would have to be an all wheel drive hybrid model.

Happy New Year, 2015

Carving a bit of time recently and resurrecting applications... This is the  1958 Thunderbird Sedan Delivery I wish I could deliver my art in. Porthole windows from the '57 2-seater would have been used in the pillars in the rear for some carryover panache.

Chevy could use a new Kingswood Estate in its Impala lineup.

Cadillac was showing much smaller dreamcars in the Fifties, including a coupe and convertible pair, the  La Espada and El Camino from '54. Perhaps they were also mulling over offering the über Brougham as the tight 2+2 featured I illustrated above...

Silent Sportscar: 2015 Corvett-E

My 2015 Corvett-E, the hybrid sportscar of the future

Rarely do I try to "improve" or "fix" production cars with my chops. I really just try to bring my own taste to the cars I Photoshop. An exception these days is the new C7 Corvette. Every time I Photoshop one I AM trying to fix it, lol. There are some nice things about it and some ghastly things about it. The problems I see range from the small, ie too many black vents, louvers, and crap, to the large, ie, that rising beltline, rear quarter window and awkwardly shaped rear hatch glass. I still don't care for the taillights either, but I've done several renderings with the proper quad circular units, so I've let that go, lol.

For this latest rendering, I created a plug-in range-extended Corvette coupe, the Corvett-E. Yes, a very powerful Volt-type powertrain for GM's halo sportscar! To that end I was able to delete all but one set of body vents, and I toned down that front venter gash with body color and chrome. Extruded and polished aluminum rocker panels point to the new alloy "tub" used for the batteries. The body is a mix of carbonfiber and aluminum for light weight. Note the "gas cap" has been moved to the front fender, is now a wonderful polished aluminum, and covers the charging unit outlet. Instead of the quad circular taillights I prefer, I've modified the current ones covering them with bright grilles, "hiding" the lights in a very Bill Mitchell-esque way. These fine chromed louvers exactly match the new front fender vent trim.

The Caprice is Back

Beginning with Chevrolet's new SS sedan, I've changed GM's latest Australian import into the new American Caprice. I really think it's a great name, one that can be used as a top-line sedan again, even this performance-based sport sedan.

At first, I just wanted to change the dated looking SS front end with a new Impala-inspired grille, but then I saw other things I wanted to change. The C pillar now has an extended window graphic behind the rear doors, similar to the Cruz (and the fabulous historic Vauxhall Carlton). There's now a small pseudo 3rd window behind the doors creating a larger appearing glass area and a straight beltline instead of the faux BMW "Hoffmeister Kink" on the production model. I finished it off with a 21st century color-shifting pearlescent version of Chevy's classic Evening Orchid and the interior would come in a variety of 1960s Blaine Jenkins-inspired fabrics and leathers and upholstery styles on the 4 standard Recaro buckets. Blaine is a retired GM car designer with a long career in interior designs for both concept cars and production vehicles. He is a Facebook Friend introduced to me online by the Palm Springs Automobilist. The first '65 Caprice sedan interior, Cadillac level fabrics and design, was Blaine's work.

I illustrated this newest Caprice with the Smoked Amethyst wheels, rocker panels, and trim of the optional two-tone Classic package. Several other period-inspired two-tones would be available, all in this color-shifting pearlescent paint technology.

2015 Camaro Type LT—The Hatchback Returns

I would like to see the Camaro be repackaged. I'd like to see it slightly smaller, much lighter, feature better visibility, and offer more room inside and in the trunk. I've given it a sleek hatchback as well. My Type LT, an old Camaro model name, now stands for "Luggage & Touring" and would offer optional fitted luggage as well as several different luggage area treatments/hardware for various sports activities. The Camaro was a hatchback for decades, so it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for today's buyers! I've placed it along the shoreline of my town, lol.

Repost: 21st Century Chevy Bel Air

This was chopped several years ago and was my idea for a top-end Chevrolet rear wheel drive luxury 4-seat coupe. I created it from a Mercedes Benz CL coupe and I used the quad taillights Bel Airs were known for. I also gave it a flying buttress roofline, evocative of the mid-Sixties Chevelle coupes, and of course,it  was a long-standing Corvette styling cue, too. The rocker panel brushed aluminum trim has faux "vents" in front of the rear wheels, an homage to the great little details Harley Earl was known for.

Corvette C7 4-door Corsa, Second Version

This was actually the first C7 4-door I created, but I posted the second, more refined, version first. This rendering shows the rear 3/4 view and the cool sliding glass roof/rear window I created for it. The glass panels are approximately 9-10 inches wide from windshield header to rear spoiler and at the push of a button would slide back over themselves, resting on top of each other, leaving the entire interior open to the sun- or moonlight.

• The first 4-door Corvette Corsa I posted, here.

2014 Corvette Corsa: Panamera Competitor

The new Corvette Stingray is proving to be a fun car to chop. I've made a couple of shorter V6 versions, and here is the larger version with four doors. I gave it the name of Corsa in honor of the Corvair's uplevel trim in '65 and '66. Corvette Corsa has a nice ring to it, too. I really wasn't sure if this extension was going to work, it could so easily have turned into a freak show, lol, but I think I've pulled it off. I actually love the way this car looks. The windows are a bit taller, as is the roof, to balance the rest of the car and I can just imagine slinking into the rear bucket seats and having my driver bring me to town.

Please check out the Autoextremist.com this week. His On the Table page is featuring many of my cars this week. As always, a huge thanks to Peter DeLorenzo for his kind words and the awesome audience he allows me to tap into. Link, here.

New Malibu Facelifted for '14

Sleeker Malibu might be an easier sell next to Ford's svelte new Fusion.

2014 Chevrolet Malibu sedan—At first, all I wanted to do with the new 'Bu was change the grille. I wanted to do away with the now-dated dual openings but didn't want to give it the new Impala's Camaro-like grille. The first thing I did was unify the openings and then I started leaning the ensemble forward and backward. I settled on this Mercedes-like proud front grille and hood shape. The opening textures would remain simple eggcrates and meshes as this upscale version sports. Then when I saw the way the new front end seemed defiant, almost leaning into the wind, the rest of the car seemed to want to be more aero. I gave it a 6-window greenhouse and introduced a few slight arcs to the fenders. I also dialed back the almost bug-like rear lights and cut-back trunk lid. That's the production car's biggest flaw in my opinion, the design of the rear of the car. I filled out the corners and sliced the taillights into a clean, modern shape. I also changed the contours of the rear bumper.

While no raving beauty—this is really a tall platform—I think my Malibu would stand up quite well with the Fusion and Altima and Camry. The new grille treatment would work on smaller as well as larger cars, too.

2013 Impala Coupe-Sixties Inspired

All the planets have aligned in the past couple of days to give me time to do some chops. Finally! Above, the Impala 2-door coupe. Even with the vastly different proportions from the 1960s platforms, I've tried to give my coupe the feel of the '65-'68 fastbacks. I also emphasized the rear fender swage line. I think it recalls the '58's rear shoulder line now, the first year of the Impala. I added rocker panel trim to the rear quarters to try to make the rear overhang appear longer, another nod to the past.

2014 Corvette Stingray; Alternate Styling B

For my second take on the C7, I decided to keep the idea of a rear quarter window, but I reshaped it into a much simpler graphic. By bringing this new side window to a point, I referenced the Corvette supercar prototype from the 1970s, the mid-engined 4-Rotor.At the back  I created a set of aluminum-ringed quad circular taillight and replaced the new "V" crossed flags emblem with a "proper" set of flags from '72 'Vette. I cut down on the visual height of the bodysides by using another '70s styling trick: Argent colored rocker panels.The cool new Stingray logo has been moved to the B pillar when it's noticeable every time you open the door. Then in a nod to Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, I gave Welburn's oversized (and now body-colored) side vents dual chrome strakes. It's a minor point, but I made the glass roof and rear window graphic read as one large tinted panel by glazing over the "baskethandle" instead of painting it body color. I think it unifies and simplies the C7's shapes and details.

2014 Corvette Stingray split-window

The Split-Window is Back! For my take on the new C7 Corvette Stingray I went backwards in time a bit. To begin with I restored its traditional four round taillights. I gave it a much more traditional greenhouse rather than the new car's first time and rather forced rear quarter windows. I also added a thin central paint-colored spine to the hatchglass, following the existing indented roof panel. I also edited the side vents so they'd fit better with the last several generations. Detail changes include moving the new Stingray logo to the B pillar and flattened out the new "winged" crossed flags. That newest touch just smacks of the Firebird's past logos an odd touch with the new car's Camaro-like taillights.I don't think the 'Vette needs to have any "Chevrolet" cues other than perhaps similar LED lighting details, road wheels, steering wheel and Sat/Navs.

For a second C7 "facelift" click here.

2014 Malibu Maxx: Reimagined Hatchback Coupe

 I think it's time to bring back a high-style 3-door hatchback to the intermediate class. Clickable thumbnail enlarges to almost full-screen, as always.

The cool 5-door Malibu Maxx hasn't been in the Chevy lineup for almost 5 years. It was produced on the 6th generation 'Bu platform from 2003-08. For this chop, I decided the Maxx could be updated into a very glassy 3-door hatchback with a very glassy roof. The original Maxx had a stationary glass roof over the backseat, so this 3 door just extends that glass panel over the front seat, too. For the profile, I looked WAY back to the 1970s Chevy Monza, an Italianate body hung over a slightly modified Vega platform. The louvered B pillar and "pointed" greenhouse evoke that cool Monza in a way Chevy never has.

Barracuda, Mustang, Wildcat—and Some Cars, Too

The Parade of Early Chops Continues

This first generation Plymouth Barracuda S has had it's C pillar swept back and rear window made slightly smaller in this vintage "reimagination." I also added some chrome trim to the rear fender bumper bulge to tie it in with the actual bumper, and changed a few other details here and there.

 

Utilizing the same "winding road" background as the Barracuda S above, I've illlustrated one way an image can be manipulated in Photoshop. This small Mercury Monterey would have been a compact hybrid sedan aimed at the Chinese Domestic Market.

Chevrolet's affordable alternative to BMW's X6 Sports Activity Vehicle, the Berlinetta would have used the Equinox's platform with a 4-place bucket seat interior and powered rear fastback hatch.

Out-of-this-world, Ford Futura  4-place mid-engined hybrid sports coupe would have been introduced at the hottest nightclub of the season.

One of my many Mustang notchback chops. I really wish Ford offered the Mustang in its original three bodystyles, notchback, fastback, and convertible.

I believe there is a market for 3-door crossovers, one that is not being filled at the moment. Two large side doors would make entering and exiting so much easier for many people. I see so a lot of these vehicles being driven with just one or two people aboard. I don't think the slightly more awkward entry to the backseats would be that much of a drawback. 

Rife with areas I would change if I chopped this today, this Wildcat would be Buick's entry into the luxury 2-seat market, an updated Reatta in a way, but with performance all wheel drive. Reprising the classic Wildcat moniker is a no-brainer—meow!

Fireball Red, Black Ice, Golden Ochre, & Silver Cyan

Crude Renderings in Radiant Colors—Some of my Early Chops

Corolla SR6 was a nod to the rear wheel drive Corolla Lifttbacks of the '70s and early '80s.

Lucerne GS could have been GM's Banker's Hot Rod bor Buick buyers..

Severe Audi A6C coupe was inspired by the elegant large Italian coupes of the '70s by Fiat and Lancia.

An alternative to Mazda's 4-door RX8, this 2-door RX7 coupe would have been shorter and more of a focused driver's car, equipped in fairly austere trim to save weight for better balance and handling..

Blocky Cougar XR7 was a take off on Maestro Giugiaro's bright orange Mustang concept from several years ago. What I lacked in technique at this point, I made up for in brashness, lol.

Ferrari's smallest and most basic sports car, the H330's short-wheelbase, carbon fiber structure and body panels, would have been the lightest hybrid on the market.

 

Chevrolet Bel Air—a 2+2 rear-wheel drive V6 hybrid sport coupe. Consider this the big brother to the Camaro.

2013 Chevrolet Impala sedan. Maybe.

2013 Impala—The next large Chevy sedan will be based on the same architecture as the new Cadillac XTS. I've created a Chevy version of that car, and I'm guessing it's pretty close to the real deal. I've used classic Impala logos and wheels, as well as very 1961-like Chevy lettering on the hood. Compared with the XTS, I've simplified the bodysides and given it a late-model Impala greenhouse, as well as smoothing out the trunk shape.

Update: This chop is now more than a year old. The new Impala is out and I'm happy to say it looks much better than this! I was surprised to see the "twin grille" finally tossed, but happy about it.

Volt Coupe: Controversial Beltline Trim Enlarged

2012 Volt Coupe by Chevrolet. Expanding the controversial black painted belt line, the Coupe extends this trim to the taillights, effectively isolating the Volt's roof from the bodysides creating a "floating" C pillar. Evocative of GM's '59-'61 "Vista" wraparound 4 door hardtop roofline? Bright work is expanded on the lower belt line as well. Wheels are enlarged but use the Volt's aero-tuned wheel design for maximum efficiency. Larger chromed nameplate is positioned to emphasize the Volt's inset door design and argent-colored composite rocker panels. Click on image to enlarge, as always.

An earlier chop of mine went the other direction with the black belt line panel, deleting it, Volt sedan left, Cruze right. I also straightened out the rocker panel trim, adding a dark section to the doors, and running a chrome strip along the top.

Shades of the Pacer and Citation?

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Z11 3-door pillarless hatchback—Um, that would be the AMC Pacer and the Chevy Citation, not the Edsel Pacer and Citation! Not readily apparent in this view is the fact that the passenger door on my 3-door Cruze would be 4-inches wider than the driver's door, just like the AMC Pacer. This would be a marketing decision to help counteract Hyundai's new Veloster, which has two doors on the passenger side and only one on the driver's side. The Chevy Citation reference is in the name, Z11 for the sports model illustrated. Chevy's first foray into front-wheel drive, the 1980 X-body Citation came in an X11 sport configuration, but since Chevy now has the Corvette ZR1 and the soon-to-be-released Camaro ZL1, I thought the "Z" precursor was more relevant to Chevy's 21st century than "X." Also note Chevy's now-traditional twin grille has been eliminated for a smoother appearance, slightly lowering the hood in the process. Original photo was the concept car of the upcoming Cruze 5-door hatchback.