Pininfarina Rondine Coupe: The Italian Corvette

1. The Italian Corvette

The '60s were an interesting era. Fashion was changing rapidly, as was car design. The early '60s also brought us the C2 Corvette, which immediately became one of the most beautiful and iconic automotive designs of all time. For many, it's hard to imagine that the car could possibly look any better. But that didn't stop Chevrolet from commissioning Italian design house Pininfarina to reimagine the C2 for the 1963 Paris Motor Show. And the result was this interesting concept - the "Rodine."

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2. A True Prototype

The idea behind the Rodine was simple - what would an Italian Corvette look like? Chevrolet allowed Pininfarina to do essentially whatever they wanted with the C2, and it shows. The front overhang is considerably longer than a C2 and features exposed headlights and a large, functional grille. The new front bumper was fashioned out of thin chromed steel. Finally, the sweeping body line that runs down the front fenders gives the Rodine a more dramatic look.

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3. Slimmed Down and Stylized

The sharp body line that permeates from the front of the car takes a dramatic upcurve on the doors before defining the top of the rear fenders. That effect, in essence, makes the Rodine look a lot smaller than it actually is. The roof was actually originated from a wide, double curved windshield. The massive rear window covers a storage area that forgoes an actual trunk, so as not to disturb those dramatic rear lines.

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4. One-Trick Pony

Because the Rodine was simply a styling exercise, the new body was fashioned out of steel instead of fiberglass. And interestingly enough, the interior was mostly left alone. The same goes for the drivetrain. Power comes from a standard Chevy 327 producing 360 hp, which is backed up by a 4-speed manual transmission. 

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5. It's still around

Unlike many concept cars that are destroyed or repurposed after their show life is over, the Rodine is still around today. The one and only prototype was stored and preserved at the Pininfarina Museum from day one, so it's still in immaculate condition. And it remained there until the car was sold for a cool $1.76 million at the 2008 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. And today, it lives on as one of the more interesting experiments in automotive design.

>>Join the conversation about the Rondine C2 here in CorvetteForum.com.

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