General Motors launches new UK studio with futuristic Corvette EV concept and hints at GMC design to come.
General Motors has officially opened its latest global design facility in the United Kingdom, debuting a striking new Corvette concept car developed by the local team as part of an international creative initiative.
Located in Royal Leamington Spa, the 24,500-square-foot advanced design studio marks a key expansion of GM’s global design footprint and introduces a European perspective to the company's vehicle development process. The opening event featured the reveal of a radical Corvette-inspired concept, a futuristic design study intended to explore what the next generation of American performance could look like in the EV era.
While not a direct preview of a production model, the all-electric concept showcases an innovative blend of Corvette heritage and advanced aerodynamics, with nods to the 1963 split-window Sting Ray. Design elements include a central Apex Vision spar for improved visibility, fan-assisted aerodynamics, and a low, wide stance that evokes hypercar performance. Underneath, the vehicle incorporates additive manufacturing techniques, a pushrod suspension, and active aero components that shift between on-road and track-focused configurations.
“This concept is about vision, not validation,” said Michael Simcoe, GM’s senior vice president of global design. “It challenges the traditional Corvette DNA and imagines what a true 21st-century American performance car could become.”
The UK team’s effort is the first in a series of three Corvette concepts to be revealed in 2025, with the next two coming from GM’s studios in Los Angeles and Detroit. These design studies aim to drive ideation, inspire innovation, and inform future products—particularly as GM scales Cadillac’s EV presence in Europe and prepares to launch Corvette sales across the continent.
Led by industry veteran Julian Thomson, the new UK studio employs over 30 designers and engineers, and is equipped for both digital and physical model development. GM says the facility will serve as a hub for creative exploration focused on the future of mobility.
While the Leamington Spa concept won’t hit showrooms, its influence is expected to shape design language across GM’s performance and electric vehicle lineup in the years to come.
