Daily Slideshow: Bertone Ramarro: Futuristic Italian Corvette Spaceship
This is what happens when an Italian design firm gets its hands on a new (at the time) 1984 Corvette.
Wedge Shaped Italian Stallion
When the all-new 1984 Corvette came to be, it was a true revelation in design. Looking like something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie, the latest fiberglass wonder introduced a basic design that is still in use today. But that groundbreaking styling also inspired a number of other designers to lend their own unique touches to Chevrolet's latest sports car. Including Italian design firm Carrozzeria Bertone.
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The Speedy Green Lizard
Bertone staked their claim in the automotive world as a coachbuilder, manufacturer, and car styling firm. Each of their creations, though wholly unique, share a strong resemblance, a testament to their skill and craftsmanship. This can be said of their reimagined version of the 1984 Corvette, known as the Ramarro. The inspiration for that new name came from a speedy green lizard that populated the area around Bertone's design center in Turin's Valley di Susa.
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You Can Go Home Again
Once Bertone got their hands on the new Corvette, they weren't quite sure how to proceed with a car everyone already loved just the way it was. So the car sat out in a courtyard visible to the designers so they could summon up some inspiration. Bertone originally planned to debut the Ramarro at the Turin show, but later decided to pull the covers off their creation in America. Not only because of the car's distinctly American heritage, but also because the vast majority of Bertone cars were sold stateside.
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Design Priority
Mechanically speaking, the Ramarro was left mostly alone, including both the drivetrain and chassis. Bertone did replace the stock Goodyear tires with a set of experimental Michelin rubber, however. Those new tires measured in at a massive (compared to stock) 240/45VR-17 in the front and 280/45VR-17 in the rear. Bertone later replaced the stock '84 Corvette engine with a Chevrolet-provided 1985 spec port fuel injected motor ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Expo.
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Slim, Muscular, and Totally '80s
The concept Bertone settled on with the Ramarro revolved around making an already svelte car even more slim and muscular. That's why the nose is low and largely enclosed, which necessitated moving the radiator to the rear of the car. That, combined with a low roof and short tail, made the Ramarro quite slippery in the wind tunnel. Inside, little of the stock car remains aside from the Corvette instrument panel and the emergency brake handle. The rest is highly stylized yet simple, including the sculpted seats. All befitting of a car that is instantly recognizable as a Bertone, a Corvette, and an '80s icon!
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