Images: Zolland Design

You might recall that when the C7 Corvette made its debut, some people found the styling controversial. In particular, the angular lines met with some criticism, but negative reactions mostly centered around the “square” taillights. One thing you didn’t hear, though, was people saying, “It doesn’t look enough like a C2…”

Enter Bo Zolland and his Swedish design company that specializes in photo-realistic renderings of cars, boats, and architecture, often incorporating “retro” themes. We’ve featured his work here before – specifically the striking, and do we dare say beautiful, Zolland Design Split Window speedboat concept.

Sadly, since we first came across those renderings, the speedboat hasn’t made the jump from imagination to reality. But now, we’re seeing the same retro-sensibility being applied to the Stingray. In Zolland’s renderings, there are clear influences and design language brought forward from the classically beautiful Mid-Year Corvettes and applied to the current generation.

The nose of the car is elongated and gains split chrome bumpers, while the greenhouse is somewhat softened around the C-pillars. Some of the aggressively angular shape is lost from the fenders and quarter panels as well.

The most extensive visual rework happens out back, where the flat Kammback of the C7 is replaced with a boat-tail design, again stretching the car and also incorporating chrome half-bumpers.  We’re definitely not in love with the turbine-and-spinners wheel choice, or the ultra-low-profile rubber, but overall we think it’s an interesting take on what a “modern” Corvette should look like.

What do you think – is this retro Stingray something you’d like to see in the real world, or should it remain just a rendering? Let us know in the comments below.