Automakers traditionally reveal new car designs at auto shows. The events, staged in large convention centers in a handful of cities between early fall and spring, are open first to the media and then to the general public.
Automakers reveal new car designs there, as well as “concept cars” — usually empty shells of cars, without working parts, built as design studies that may, or may not, inform future car designs, depending on how the press and the public react at auto shows.
A handful of photographs now have the automotive press wondering if GM has thrown the whole idea out.
The photos, oddly enough, come from a movie set. A sleek, silver mystery car snapped on the set of the upcoming film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (or perhaps Rise of the Fallen, depending on who you ask) has set the web abuzz.
Jalopnik published the first photos. “We’re now told,” they write, that the car “is a Corvette concept.” Based on an email tip, Jalopnik says the photo may be “a 2010 (or 2012) Corvette.” They continue, “We’re starting to think GM’s decided the auto show scene isn’t where they’re going to capture the next generation of car lovers. Instead, they’ve decided — why not take the show to the people by way of the silver screen?” They acknowledge, “we’re speculating here — but the idea itself may actually make some sense.” In a later post, Jalopnik runs two more photos of the mystery ‘vette.
Edmunds Inside Line asks, “Could GM really be unveiling a new concept car in a film, rather than at an auto show? It certainly would be effective in garnering wide publicity.”
Autoblog picks up the speculation. “Do we officially know that these are Corvettes of some sort?” they ask. “No, but the fender shapes, split rear window, and the port aft of the front wheel are familial styling cues that seal the deal. We’re dying to know if this is just a movie creation or a concept that’s in the pipeline to be revealed publicly at some future time.”
Even the film press is trying its hand at predicting GM’s moves. Slashfilm reports, “a new set photo from jalopnik reveals a mystery Corvette concept car. The car is surrounded by Autobots [those are the good guys, for any readers who might have missed out on Saturday morning cartoons of the 80’s] which leads us to believe this new car is also a good guy in alternative mode.”
Count us as extremely skeptical. The first Jalopnik report noted that many of the cars used in the movie were being sourced from Foose Design, home of Chip Foose, star of TV’s Overhaulin’. The man makes his living building unusual one-off designs of existing cars. The car seems more likely to be an old Corvette wearing a Foose-designed skin for Hollywood. It’s a pretty car — Foose is good — but the 2012 ‘Vette? We doubt it.
Besides, if you could buy an Autobot, wouldn’t you want Ironhide?
Source: US News
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