This is the 2016 Aria “Fast Eddy” Concept Car, a styling model designed and manufactured by American automotive design and engineering company Aria Group. The idea of developing a mid-engined Corvette model is not a new one, nor is it exclusive to Chevrolet’s latest generation of the model known as the C8. The C8 is technically the company’s first ever rear mid-engine Corvette since the 1953 model year, however, a series of mid-engined Corvette prototypes were also developed in the 1960s which was known as the CERV (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) project. Many years before the C8 Corvette’s introduction in 2019, Aria introduced this model as a homage to General Motors’ late designer Ed “Fast Eddy” Taylor. This similarly designed model is just that, a styling model with no powertrain or even an interior, however, it was a glimpse at what could possibly become the next mid-engined Corvette at the time. One thing that instantly catches your eyes on this model are the 5 double spoke HRE wheels, and the entire project was designed to create a car that “Fast Eddy” would’ve driven in 2016. Despite looking similar, the logo on the front of the car is not Chevrolet’s and rather has the letters ‘F’ and ‘E’ rather than the typical checkered flag. The car was styled by design chief Nicholas David, and the company had plans of developing the car with a carbon fiber monocoque and carbon fiber body panels around a 650hp LT4 Corvette Z06 engine, which of course never came to be. In 2017, the company did follow up with another model known as the FXE, which was a further development of the Fast Eddy concept’s design and was shown at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. The FXE is a hybrid sports car prototype with a 6.2 L supercharged V8 engine paired with Two axial-flux induction electric motors, and it’s believed that only one was produced.
How many made? 1
Engine: n/a
Debut: November 17th, 2016 Downtown Los Angeles
Top Speed: n/a
0-60mph: n/a
Photo Credit: @hunterswift
Research: @rarecarsonly