Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo: The Future Of Speed
The name Chaparral is associated with lots of iconic racecars that were, more often than not, very advanced: from the 2C and its massive rear wing that could be adjusted with a pedal under the driver's left foot to the massive use of fiberglass by Jim Hall (chief engineer and owner of Chaparral), these cars used technologies that would not be used by their competitors until decades later. The most recognised of their creations was the 2J, a science project that raced in Can-Am. It featured a skirt around the car’s perimeter, and two fans that sucked the air from underneath the car. This gave it enormous traction, regardless of speed. Engineers speculated that, in theory, the 2J could suck itself to a ceiling.
At the Los Angeles Auto Show Chevrolet wanted to honour its partnership with Chaparral (and announce its involvement in Sony’s Vision GT program) by presenting a completely bonkers vehicle: the Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo, which comes from the future.
Since the car is really low, the driver has to lie down in it, with their leg splayed. The chassis is made of composite materials, and the bodywork is very aerodynamic.
For propulsion, Chevy did not bother with a lowly piston engine: power comes from a laser-powered reactor. According to the ‘’science’’ behind this project, a shockwave is sent from the back of the vehicle, which propels it forward. It can supposedly go from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.5 seconds, and will eventually hit 363 km/h.
Since we probably won’t see this engine in a Corvette anytime soon, we will have to fire up Gran Turismo to drive it, since the car will be available as part of the Vision GT program.