For a period starting in the late 1960s, it looked like everyone was going mid-engine. After Lamborghini turned the world on its head with the excruciatingly beautiful Miura in 1966, mid-mounted drivetrain layouts became de rigueur in 1970s supercars. Ferrari followed suit with the 206 Dino and later 365 GT4 BB, Lancia with the Stratos, and even Maserati joined the fray in 1971 with the mid-engined Bora. It wasn’t just the Italians, either—Mercedes-Benz tested the handsome C111 platform, and later BMW launched the M1. If there was a high-performance, high-dollar car in the 1970s, you can be sure the automaker at least tested a mid-engine platform. Unsurprisingly, that also included General Motors. After its CERV II concept successfully demonstrated the General’s capacity for cutting-edge tech, serious attention was turned toward moving the Corvette’s V-8 thumper amidships. Papa Corvette—Zora Arkus-Duntov—really, really liked the idea of a mid-engined Vette to keep up with Europe’s...
When we think of dream cars, our minds often race to sleek designs, innovative technology, and that unmistakable feeling of pure, unbridled passion. The GM-X Stiletto encapsulates all of these elements and more, making it a worthy contender in our top ten list. Ranked at number nine, this concept car from 1964 remains a beacon of automotive ingenuity and a symbol of a bygone era that continues to inspire. A Journey Back to the Jet Age To fully appreciate the GM-X Stiletto, we must travel back to the 1950s and '60s, a time when America was captivated by the future. The jet-age was in full swing, and cars were designed with a sense of bold optimism. Under the visionary leadership of Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, General Motors created vehicles that mimicked the sleek lines and advanced technologies of jet aircraft. The GM-X Stiletto, born in 1964, was a product of this era's boundless imagination. The Visionary Design The GM-X Stiletto was first unveiled at the 1964-1965 World’s...