It was a cold November morning in 1957 when William L. “Bill” Mitchell, heir apparent to General Motors’ industry-dominating design team, strode unexpectedly and atypically alone into the automaker’s basement Research B styling studio. Just back from the Turin, Italy, motor show, Mitchell was thinking how great a second-generation Corvette could look if it borrowed some themes he had seen on the streamlined Italian sports cars at the show.
But Mitchell faced a seemingly impenetrable barrier: On June 6 of that year, the all-powerful Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) had forbidden American automakers from participating in any performance or motorsports activities—which included the building, selling, or advertising of performance-oriented products.
This ban was a delayed response to the horrific crash at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, which had killed 77 people and injured as many more. The strong-willed Mitchell—a brilliant designer and racing and performance enthusiast soon to replace the legendary Harley Earl as GM’s styling chief—was told the AMA prohibition meant Chevrolet’s still-struggling Corvette would be removed from the lineup. In response, he reportedly said: “Bullshit! I’m not going to let that happen.”
So he decided to do what most anyone in his position (and possessing huge anti-establishment cojones) would do: set up a clandestine studio hidden from the prying eyes of GM executives, accountants, divisional managers, and anyone else not directly involved—even other designers and studio chiefs.
The result: Some of GM’s greatest cars and concepts—including the spectacular ’59 Stingray Racer, which previewed that next-gen Corvette, hot Monza GT and SS concepts, swoopy Astro I, Astro II, and aircraft-look Astro III idea cars, two Mako Shark concepts, and a Mini-Camaro small-car project—would be created in secret over the next decade.
Alas, Studio X closed under Irv Rybicki, head of styling in 1967. Mitchell worked to reopen the studio once more to design a retirement present for himself, but the project was ultimately canceled. However, the car, a Pontiac Grand Prix based “Pontiac Phantom,” still lives today at the Sloan Museum.
1. 1961–’62 XP-777 Monza GT
2. 1961–’67 XP-755 Shark/Mako Shark I
3. 1962–’65 XP-797 Corvair Monza SS Spyder
4. 1964–’67 XP-830 Corvette Mako Shark II
5. 1964–’69 XP-800 Astro III
6. 1966–’67 XP-842 Astro I
7. 1966–’68 XP-866 Toronado XX
8. 1966–’68 XP-880 Astro II
9. 1967 XP-873 Mini-Camaro
10. 1976–’77 Pontiac Phantom
(via Motor Trend Canada)
But Mitchell faced a seemingly impenetrable barrier: On June 6 of that year, the all-powerful Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) had forbidden American automakers from participating in any performance or motorsports activities—which included the building, selling, or advertising of performance-oriented products.
This ban was a delayed response to the horrific crash at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, which had killed 77 people and injured as many more. The strong-willed Mitchell—a brilliant designer and racing and performance enthusiast soon to replace the legendary Harley Earl as GM’s styling chief—was told the AMA prohibition meant Chevrolet’s still-struggling Corvette would be removed from the lineup. In response, he reportedly said: “Bullshit! I’m not going to let that happen.”
So he decided to do what most anyone in his position (and possessing huge anti-establishment cojones) would do: set up a clandestine studio hidden from the prying eyes of GM executives, accountants, divisional managers, and anyone else not directly involved—even other designers and studio chiefs.
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| Bill Mitchell and Stingray concept |
The result: Some of GM’s greatest cars and concepts—including the spectacular ’59 Stingray Racer, which previewed that next-gen Corvette, hot Monza GT and SS concepts, swoopy Astro I, Astro II, and aircraft-look Astro III idea cars, two Mako Shark concepts, and a Mini-Camaro small-car project—would be created in secret over the next decade.
Alas, Studio X closed under Irv Rybicki, head of styling in 1967. Mitchell worked to reopen the studio once more to design a retirement present for himself, but the project was ultimately canceled. However, the car, a Pontiac Grand Prix based “Pontiac Phantom,” still lives today at the Sloan Museum.
1. 1961–’62 XP-777 Monza GT
2. 1961–’67 XP-755 Shark/Mako Shark I
3. 1962–’65 XP-797 Corvair Monza SS Spyder
4. 1964–’67 XP-830 Corvette Mako Shark II
5. 1964–’69 XP-800 Astro III
6. 1966–’67 XP-842 Astro I
7. 1966–’68 XP-866 Toronado XX
8. 1966–’68 XP-880 Astro II
9. 1967 XP-873 Mini-Camaro
10. 1976–’77 Pontiac Phantom
(via Motor Trend Canada)
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