As evidence of the original Chevrolet Corvette’s universal appeal, a Beijing-based startup has developed its own take on the iconic C1, and, judging by its marketing, the company is targeting a much younger audience than the traditional Corvette buyer. Much younger.
The company is Fullgood Motor (Fugu in its home market), the same brains behind a retro van inspired by the original Volkswagen Microbus, which we reported on a year ago. Fullgood says it plans to make its US debut next month during AutoMobility LA, the official media and industry day for the LA Auto Show, and will be bringing both its Corvette and VW Bus.
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Fullgood calls its Corvette the Dolphin SS and even gives it a hood ornament depicting the marine mammal. Yes, this isn’t an exact replica of the C1, though it clearly draws inspiration from the original, specifically the 1958 model, with its four round headlights and generous helping of chrome. We’re not quite sure what to make of the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy-style ornament supporting the third brake light, either. Clearly, some things got lost in translation.
The interior departs even further from the original Corvette’s design. It’s thoroughly modern, with floating digital screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, plus a gear selector shaped like a cordless mouse. For a little extra Americana, the steering wheel wears the car’s name inside a shield modeled after a US highway sign.
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In case all of this wasn’t sacrilegious enough, Fullgood has a four-door, four-seat version. That’s not to say we haven’t seen a faithful C1 homage from Asia before, as Japan’s Mitsuoka has already done an impressive job with its recent Mazda MX-5 Miata-based LA1.
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Fullgood DolphinLA Auto Show
Fullgood is short on specifications but has confirmed that the Dolphin SS produces a peak 315 horsepower. According to YouTube channel Electric Elliot, the car is actually based on the platform of the BYD Qin Pro plug-in hybrid sedan sold in China around the start of the decade, with its custom body, available as either a convertible or coupe, sat on top.
That means there’s no V8 under the hood. Instead, it uses the Qin Pro’s turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four paired with a single electric motor. It also likely retains the donor sedan’s front-wheel-drive system, though Fullgood hasn’t said whether it has made any changes. We’ll likely have to wait until the car’s AutoMobility LA debut on November 19 for more details.
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China hasn’t exactly been an easy place to enjoy a classic car, with regulations historically making it difficult to register and drive older vehicles. But efforts to change that, along with cars like the Dolphin SS, suggest classic-car appreciation is present and potentially growing. Fullgood is already catering to that interest with its VW Bus-inspired Summer plug-in hybrid van, and additional projects in the works, including one inspired by the 1959 Cadillac Series 62.
Getting a Fullgood onto American roads could be harder. Tariffs will likely make importing its vehicles difficult, but the company says it could potentially establish local production if it attracts enough investor interest.
Sources: Electric Elliot
