The Chevy Chevelle nameplate was produced between the 1964 and 1977 model years, with three generations coming and going in that time. Finding success in NASCAR and as a hotrod for enthusiasts, the Chevelle is unfortunately no longer part of the Chevrolet lineup – but what if it was? What might it look like? Now, GM Design is answering that question with the following rendering.
Coming to us from the official GM Design Instagram feed (@generalmotorsdesign), this modernized Chevy Chevelle concept was created by Brian Malczewski, Lead Exterior Designer at General Motors, in 2014. The look is definitely aggressive, but also somewhat futuristic, with a touch of elegance to it as well.
The front end bears a striking resemblance to the new Chevy Blazer crossover, with a large lower intake section divided by a thin upper bar holding the Chevrolet Bow Tie logo front and center. The dividing bar leads the eye towards the corners of the fascia, with ultra-thin lighting elements pulled towards the corners, bookended by amber corner lamps. Further lighting bits are found in the lower corners of the bumper, outlined by black surrounds.
The profile view shows off enormous wheels, which fill the wheel wells with a flush fit. The side styling lines are done with a gentle, curving flow, as opposed to hard angular styling features. There’s also no door handles, while the layout appears to incorporate cab-back proportions that emphasize the Chevy Chevelle’s sportiness. The shoulder line gives the design a forward-leaning rake (visually speaking), while the window line is a continuation of styling elements that start ahead of the windshield. The roofline is also very low.
Naturally, the release of this concept image does not confirm the impending debut of a new Chevy Chevelle. Nevertheless, the design is quite attractive, and while the highly stylized features are not exactly “production friendly,” they do provide a nice framework for future Chevrolet models.
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Comments
That looks great… The Chevelle nameplate will always have a special place in my heart, loved my 67 396 4 speed car I had as a teenager, wish I still had that car today. Hard to keep it running, but still to me one of the best looking GM cars of all time.
I would like to see what the designers could do with the 1967 body lines minus the wide body. I own a1967 SS L78 car and the shape is untouchable.
Too bad they did’t release this vehicle a few years ago as a Charger competitor.
Chevy needs a sports sedan after the demise of the SS. This would look fantastic (but I won’t get my hopes up)
GM has a coupe no one buys now and they has a sport sedan no one bought then.
I love these cars but there is other products with a better return.
Even the Dodge and Fords are not selling like they should be.
We the enthusiast are a dying breed.
yep… it is sad to see. The market reflects whatever choices us consumers make. So if we want more enthusiasts cars, we gotta be the people who vote with our money. If you love Corvettes, put your money on one. If you love Camaros put your money on one. Etc.
C8.R,
Are we? Are we a dying breed or are gm and other carmakers simply failing to build cars that elicit passion? When was the last time you saw a design you couldn’t stop looking at? There are cars that are 40 or 50 years old that I still admire and never tire of seeing. There’s pretty much nothing from today that ignites the same flame within. You mention the Charger/Challenger and they do sell but neither is drop dead gorgeous. They’re just fast and sort of bad-ass but not eye catching.
I’m not sure if enthusiasts died or are simply bored and disengaged. If nothing is stunning, if everything is just a bland silver blob, one would naturally then select the most practical blob. Right? I think that’s what’s happening. People bought beautiful cars because they fell in love with them and thus overlooked their impracticality. I’ve seen nothing new in years that fired up that “gotta have it” emotion Bob Lutz spoke of.
I had the occasion to drive for a few hours on the interstate last weekend and everything I saw was utterly forgettable looking. It was quite sad because in years past I enjoyed driving and studying the lines and shapes of the many beautiful cars. This day just solidified for me how different it is today. If only we could reincarnate Bill Mitchell….
We are and there are several reasons.
Much of the market is getting priced out.
It used to be all vehicles were RWD and it was easy and cheap to drop a V8 in nearly anything from a Sunbeam Alpine to Impala and offer a high performance model for just a little more.
Today automakers hav3 had to. Uild specific performance platforms as most models are FWD today. This has given us much better GT coupes but also the higher price. Add in the added complexities due to mpg and emissions even simple upgrades are more costly,
Now even revisiting the older cars many are priced out as even rusted out Chevelles are $15k and most kids can’t afford them. But they will pay the $1200 for the Cell Phone or video game.
Even with that said you still can pick up lightly used Camaro and Firebirds with low pampered miles for $7000 still little interest.
Most buy FWD cars to get to work and back and care very little even washing them let along fixing it up.
There has been growth in the truck and Jeep segments.
I work in the performance market area. We have seen the customer base get older and the shift to off road and had to make adjustments for it.
Car shows and races are also getting an older base. I go to a cruise in today most folks go home before dark. In the prime we closed places down.
Attendance at most racing is down, ratings are down and many series are scrambling to fine more income.
This could turn around but the trend is away from performance.
Even not suppliers and vendors are scrambling to address the EV market as we all see where this is going. It will be adapt or die as the ICE market will shrink. Even Lamborghini announced this week no new ICE just hybrids and then EV starting in 2024.
35 years ago For $2000 you could buy about any muscle car in good condition. Then we had the 5.0 Mustang craze that you could buy and race cheap. Now we have little to base that on.
Just this week the RPM act to protect racing from the EPA hit the House floor. Years ago there would have been an outcry on the cover of every auto magazine. Today not even a word on their web sites.
We do see some youth entering but not enough to replace those we lose.
If there was more demand there would be more performance if there was money to be made. There is just not enough demand. GM went Brike building great vehicles under the performance division. Ford killed the SVO division as there was no money. FCA is making money on a very old platform that if they updated would increase in price. But yet they had to find a company to merge with to save their brand for now.
Times are changing and I expect to see performance under EV to grow as it will be cheaper to make but it will not be the same performance we had.
Too many on the web base their thought on what they think more than what is really going on. When companies like Edelbrock sell out that is telling. Crane Cams is gone again. Many others were sold and closed.
I see the cold hard business side of this and it is in for a major change.
I beg to differ, your stance is the muscle car disappears as time goes, you forgot about pickups and SUVs that make V8/rwd cars for a reasonable price possible well into the 21st century.
The E/V thing don’t spell the end of ICE (depending on who’s in office) just as imports, fwd and EPA regulations didn’t kill them In the ’80s.
I’d said in another thread that an rwd sedan needs to replace Malibu that mimics Camaro as Challenger mimics Charger. GM can get it done.
You are welcome to your opinion but the future is much different and for different reasons,
Times are much different now and the economics are more than ever in play at the mfgs.
The auto companies are dying. Regulations and add costs are killing them slowly. When you see only a couple companies on solid financial ground and many struggling it is a big warning sign.
Chrysler has merged 3 times and Ford is a financial mess even selling millions of high profit trucks. Honda has had to join GM to get the EV platform they could not fund on their own.
We will see more mergers and partnerships as most companies are strapped.
The companies have reach a point in development to where they can make EV cars that will be acceptable in the coming years over a 20 year transition. They will be cheaper to build, sell and more profitable going into the future. It matters little anymore who gets elected.
The automakers can a
Do reconfigure the EV platforms to do more models at lower volumes to offer more diverse products.
ICE will be around for a while yet but the transition will continue to EV as ICE will require Hybrids and their cost will continue to climb.
I have been through all the this the end deals before and to be honest my industry never blinked. We continued to grow and prosper. Today it is different
Today I see one of my piston suppliers Mahle working to build two of their own 3 cylinder Turbo engine to supply the Hybrid market to off set their. Loss of OE sales and to help smaller mfgs that can’ afford their own hybrid.
Other suppliers are also digging in to find their place in the future as many items they make will sell in smaller volumes or just wil, be gone.
The best chance you have at a RWD sedan and coupe will be EV. Or hybrid at best. The EV will be cheaper.
To really understand this you have to stop looking at where we are at today but where this will be in 10-20 years.
When you see Companies like Lamborghini announce they are going to all hybrid and EV by 2024 that is something that needs to be paid attention too.
I am a gear head with gas in my veins but I have seen enough to know this is not just a bump in the road. This is going to be the biggest thing since we transitioned from the horse. At times early on it will not be easy or cheap but as we go that will flip. Right now where I work and myself are looking to where we will fit in and continue our serving the industry.
I love the fun cars like the Challenger and the Raptor but neither are doing anything yo save FCA or Ford financially.
The harsh truth is everyday vehicles people can afford and use daily are what pay the bills. Boring yes but that is what moves the markets. The public in general are brainwashed that you can’t drive RWD in the snow and most now demand FWD. They want good mpg and 5 star crash ratings over HP for the mass market.
Yes reality sucks but not all will be bad. We will get some cool cars even as EV models. They will be fast even if they are not even a performance model. In the end more will be able to afford a new car. Also American MFG will be better able to compete as they can now address. The RHD markets and niche markets at lower cost. Going global will make the more able to compete.
Companies like Hyundai thrive not because they build the best or fastest cars. They thrive because they make a decent car that cost less than most of the others and they are strong in the Asian global market. That volume makes a difference in development cost.
Hey we had six Chevelles in our family. One GMC Sprint SP, one 70 Monte Carlo and at present one Malibu. I get these. Cars but I get the market too. M
My fathers Chevelles were as much a truck as family car. You could stack plywood on the roof with no damage. The truck could hold a bike or bricks. My Bu today would have a damaged roof and I have to unbox items for the trunk opening. Though a big trunk not everything fits the opening.
This is right on the money. Consolidation is the way of all mature industries.
The sad truth is that when young people don’t chomp at the bit to get a driver’s license, the long term health of car manufacturers is seriously in doubt.
One of my nephews is 20 or 21, still doesn’t have his license, and doesn’t live in Manhatten!
Me? I couldn’t wait to start driving.
Times, they are a changin’!
Also you have to take account what FCA is doing with Charger is having an appeal with its mainstream car, because it’s a “family car” don’t have to be boring. Yhe SS failure is partly to do with 3 other full-size sedans on sale, the salvation of the Holden contract and little/no investment in development or advertising.
Wish em well for E/V stuff but unless it’s going to be a Cadillac I see no direct E/V picking up where the Malibu left off or a performance Chevy anytime soon.
They appear to have gotten the C8 right but that’s the only thing lower case gm has gotten right in a long long time. They might want to work on design defect issues and customer satisfaction too.
Please do an awesome Chevelle to replace Impala, Malibu, maybe Camaro. Build it from the ground up with ICE (2.0T base and 6.2L V8 hot), PHEV (it better crush the Volt’s 53 mile range), and EV (300-600 mile range). Could Chevelle be the name of the “low roof EV” destined to be a Chevy by 2025 (or sooner I hope)?
Ernest & N400:
Why? No one bought the SS.
Very few bought the same car when it was called Pontiac G8.
Such vehlcles are going to be “Niche” market for the foreseeable future, if they exist at all. The only reason the FCA cars are still around is that their underpinnings are older than any College student alive today.
Why? Because except for the Corvette and Camaro, Chevy could use more cars that don’t look like crap.
The Charger and Challenger actually do sell pretty well though, considering.
And of course, those platforms are paid for many times over.
Looks a lot like a Camaro !
With a Chevy Cruze front end.
They wont build it since it would sell like hotcakes and is desired, Mary likes to build vehicles that nobody wants, like EVs!
People want “command seating” and that’s why SUVs sell, and sedans and coupes don’t.
The sales statistics don’t back your claims.
The first Mustang II sold 340k units. The new Mustangs haven’t sold like that in decades, and it’s the best selling sports car in the world.
If they decide to revive the Chevelle they need to stick close to original heritage. It’s a muscle car. Not some tacky futuristic thing. Don’t ruin it like dodge ruined the dart
You all are right on so many levels regarding enthusiast and car making and design. I too am used to the classics and yes they were definite head turners and they were eyecatchers I even now at 49 still look at classic cars wishing that I had one from back in the day and I would take one of those cars without a thought because they are classic they’re beautiful and they’re fast they’re vintage there’s something to look at that cars today don’t have. No one has the audacity the idealistic ism to make a car that is superb and different and unique that will one day make people gas that I want that car like they did back in the 60s and 70s.
A car like the classics that we have today from the past one never be built will never be admired like the cars were in the past ever and that’s a sad shame that nobody has any concept of designing a car that will hold to the name anymore
I had a 66 Chevelle Super Sport 396,360 HP.Problem was i had the only white chevelle around the area.Sheriffs department knew it too.I miss that Chevelle.
C8.R,
All of those are valid points. I think we’re talking about slightly different things though. I think car buyers abandoned coupes and then sedans because none of them were really good-looking anymore. My point was if everything is dull and bland looking, a buyer might as well go with the most practical of the boring blobs. Thus, the CUV wins.
Of course I don’t know but I suspect if carmakers built some drop dead gorgeous coupes and sedans again they might revive the segment. And then to your point, that might revive the aftermarket performance market. I just wish someone would try. I would’ve loved it if Cadillac had built the Elmiraj.
Even the companies that are still in the coupe market don’t build truly beautiful coupes. I am a BMW guy, although gm was my first love, but none of the new BMWs are that appealing visually. The new 4-Series, which I should be in love with and well on my way to acquiring looks weird for the sake of being weird and not stunning at all. I look at it and lose my desire for a new BMW. Ferrari still does beautiful but who can afford a Ferrari. In 1970, gm gave buyers an affordable car every bit as beautiful as a contemporary Ferrari with their Italianesque new Firebird. I, and many others, still love that design. I lay the crisis at the feet of Mike Simcoe and his peers.
I’ll ruffle feathers with this but the new Corvette is not especially good looking. The ‘63 was and still is. The 1968 could be a sculpture in a museum but the C8 is just a disjointed mess. I don’t think there’s a waiting list for a C8 because of Simcoe’s skill. The engineering is selling it, not the design. So I think we have a dearth of beautiful cars which is why cars stopped selling.
The 1968 to 1972 Chevelle was a plain ole’ mid-sized Chevy that wasn’t exotic or expensive but Mitchell and his team made it gorgeous and as Keats said, “a thing of beauty is a joy forever” so it’s still loved and collected today.
I would argue that people (in general) just aren’t that passionate about cars and are buying what is the most convenient for them.
I think car shopping has become much more like shopping for a refrigerator.
To a point Nate this is true.
The trouble is with smaller FWD coupes and sedans they are very limited to what they can do anymore.
Years past you want to haul a ten speed just toss it in the trunk and shut the lid. Now bike racks or disassembly.
We had a TBird and it was a great car but it w as a pain to get in and out of. Now today a Mustang back seat is worse as my head hits the glass.
Also if it is a RWD sedan or coupe it is no longer based on a low priced family car. The Camaro a specific built RWD coupe not a car based on a Xbox platform turned to a F Body.
There is a number of things in play much more than styling alone.
That is the problem there is not one single simple reason for the dec,one but a combination of a number of thing doing all the damage.
Many flock to the Jeep. It is far from stylish but it is different affordable and can do more than one thing. People overlook the styling, horrible hide and handling to be different and able to drop the top. It also is cheap and easy to restyle as your own.
CI The Camaro is not bad looking but sales are down. Mustang sales are a blip of what they once were but no sin in styling,
Now the purgatory of styling was the 80’s.
I have always been a fan of Mitchell and loved most of his designs. But Bill was not limited by aero and smaller cars.
Bill is quoted as saying “ It’s hard to do a small car. It’s like tailoring for a dwarf .”.
What he said here is true as with much of today’s vehicles there is so little canvas as if you do too much it is over done. The 2 box CUV is the most difficult. I like the Blazer but many are just bla.
Buick has done a good Mitchell like job with the creased fender lines.
I owned a 68 SS I know the lines well.
The C8 has several things in play. One it had to be mid engined. Two it still had to look like a Corvette. They did that. It is much an extension of a C7 that was very popular but it had to open new ground to deal with the engine move.
As it is if you order one now it is going to be like Sept 2022 before you will see it according to those who ordered in the forums. If not for the delays the C8 may have been the best selling Vette to date,.
Engineering is nothing special other than the price of a mid engine.
If I were to aim the lack of design I would target the Nox and Malibu. Both are weak and very plain. The present full size truck while not horrible I feel is not the best they have done.
Why do I not own a Camaro? One the one I want is very expensive.. I hauls nothing. To me a ZL1 looks great but I need utility before 0-60 so I own a truck.
Years ago $2700 could get you a performance car and that was in reach of many people. Today nearing $60,000 the market drops off. Even at $40,000 for a limited use car that drops off.
A lot of Camaro buyers are in trucks with lifts and all the trimming. They have their V8 2 or 4×4 and better resale with utility. Years ago the same guy could buy a cheap truck and a Camaro for a price similar to the value of one vehicle today.
I just got back from a large Cruise in and it is really sad as there are few people under 50 there.
There is one gathering in the area for imports and they are younger but a much smaller group.
I always hope to see more youth but they seldom show. If they do they are few in number.
GM has a disease: they can’t stop designing cars with crap visibility. The Camaro is a GREAT chassis, but it’s outsold by the Challenger and Mustang. Outward visibility is a big reason why.
Thus is just more of the same.
I call that Bob Lutz design language, high belt-lines, and lower roofs drive me nuts, they look good from a distance, but not at all practical got the customer The new T1 pickups have the same problem, the cowl is too high, and front visibility took a big step back from 2019 on. I think GM wanted to add so much capability and needed more cooling so they raised the hood to fit more radiator, I do not like the look, and in my 2020 HD you cannot see the road in front of you for at least 20′ the hood is so high, also you open the hood, and the engine is way down in there, the only reason I can think of that they raised the hood so high is cooling? anyone else know why they did that?
Build the car, just name it a rainbow ss cuz that isn’t a Chevelle. I have a Chevelle.
It’s a disgrace to the iconic chevelle name.Its the ugliest car I have ever seen.
Chevy needs to fire their design team. Especially after the new Camaro, Blazer, and HD Silverado. Some of the ugliest vehicles ever. And this Chevelle concept looks like another ugly version of the Camaro. Fire the idiots that design these things and fire the idiots that approve them.
According to his LinkedIn, he worked on the Camaro and Corvette also.
I read reasons why we’re old and no one boight them, and performance is out…
Nah… big GM and little gm screwed themselves with no advertising or not enough advertising. Advertising performance cars takes potential truck and SUV buyers in a heavily and crowded competitive truck and SUV market.
Not many people can afford $45k near 500 hp performance car sitting next to the family $45k- $75k SUV while the big $55k pick up sits outside in driveway.
If you buy a performance car, trucks don’t sell. That’s gm’s bread and butter. Corvettes make gm so much money, the margins are huge, not Camaros and SS’s, margins are very thin, thus no advertising, selling on the history of the Camaro and Chevelle doesn’t make huge margins. To a point, that time has passed and the Camaro just doesn’t compete with the other pony cars in Numbers Only, 455hp is huge but still not enough to compete with 472 hp, these numbers. Who cares if the Camaro is a better built performance performer if gm gm doesn’t advertise… Dodge has Vin Diesel, Ford has John Cena’s voice, and crickets from gm…
The younger crowd is looking toward smaller foreign cars with huge turbos and thirty something buyers and older (self) still admire and appreciate performance cars (i still own my modified 99 Camaro SS). So maybe there is truth to not enough older buyers to justify gm making performance cars since we are the dying breed for US made performance cars…
But IMO, big GM and little gm failed their products to compete in the truck and SUV markets…
They didn’t get it right with the Camaro and they didn’t get it right with this modern Chevelle.
Call it the “Camarabu” because that’s what it looks like. Pretty weak.
What was the reason GM quit building the Cruze? I liked it and was surprised when they stopped making them.
Because GM often kills cars right after they get it right!
😉
Sales were down some, small cars aren’t profitable if built in our market, and that plant was huge and needed massive sales to justify itself.
As far as existing platforms as much as I love the alpha, I’d vote for the omega platform and make it 6 seats with 3 seats in front and back sedan
What the problem is, is none of the young can take on the kind of debt that upgrade your ride costs. The rent is outrageous , utilities are disgustingly high, school is out of this world, everything is too expensive…..add a kid or two and you have no money….oh let’s not forget the cost of insurance,tickets and the like. And gas ,,, well we are at nearly $ 5.00 for 9/10 a gallon so…..you cant get blood from a turnip..gone are the days when you had some spending money in your pocket to spend on your ride
Ci2Eye ,
You took the words right out of my mouth! I took one look at this concept car and thought, “oh god! Once again popping out some soace age crap!” The chevelle was a beautiful beast! When I think of chevelle, I think of AMERICAN MUSCLE! They just dont make cars like that anymore. I would love to see the return of those incredible beast’s but I think they have become a thing of the past
I agree it looks like a Camaro. Make something like the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye or Hellcat period. Maybe GM could get the same sales results.
Be bold don’t be afraid you want to bring back the Chevelle put some power and performance in it so I will think about buying one!
Would NOT be a fan looks not even close to a Chevelle
Sorry just saying
I like the look of it, but that’s partly because of it’s slammed look with a tight greenhouse. Much like the Camaro. This car would get hammered by whiny auto “journalists” for not having huge windows to look out of, even if it would ruin the look of the design.
It’ll be slammed not because of the look, but because the look doesn’t sell.
The Camaro has the best chassis of the modern muscle cars, and the worst sales. In cabin visibility is a big contributor to its poor sales.
Congratulations. Looks like a 2005 Honda accord coupe.
…or is it a 2011 malibu?
All these airport rental cars look alike these days 🤷♂️
I was looking at some upvote/downvote counts on posts in this thread. Seems a lot of posts that list facts we don’t want to hear get down votes.
Point out that the SS didn’t or the Camaro doesn’t sell well? Expect down votes despite that those facts are irrefutably true.
Point out that the car buying models of the past aren’t the car buying models of the future, expect down votes despite all the evidence that this is irrefutably true. (Lyft, Uber and Zipcar didn’t exist, now they do).
I find this odd. I may not like a fact, but a fact is a fact.
It’s like a lot if use down vote 2+2=4!
Even worse, if you just mention that you think the Camaro is kind of ugly people will really flip out.
Chevy is gonna bring back the chEVelle. They want a performance replacement for the Camaro after 2024… Alpha is dead and the market isn’t there for two chevrolet performance coupes. But a four door performance sedan that’s ALL ELECTRIC… well… read between the letters: chEVelle.
Have owned an GM vehicle since 1975 but my current GM a 2012 Buick Lacrosse will probably be my last. Hondas and Toyotas are my future vehicles.
Really need to bring this beast to life..
That’s not true the Corvette and charger are the two best selling cars in America. I think if you bring the Chevelle back with 700 hp but built of the 1969 frame it will be sold out like the Corvette for the next 3 years. Gm needs ss monte Carlo and cutlass, Chevelle to compete with dodge, also ford can bring back the Shelby falcon 4 door . Truthfully Gm has all the cards with hummer H2 they could bring a gas hybrid H2, I want to leave with this last opinion gm messed up the ss trailblazer it was SRT8 jeep Cherokee competition they turned it into a compass.