Phantom Coupe Concept

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【Summary】Designer Bill Mitchell, known for his work at General Motors, had a secret studio called Studio X where he worked on futuristic car designs such as the Monza Shark and Mako Shark. Despite a ban on performance and racing-related development, Mitchell continued his work and eventually reopened the studio for one last project before retirement.

FutureCar Staff Oct 16, 2023 4:29 PM PT

Bill Mitchell, a designer who joined General Motors in 1935, became the chief designer of the Cadillac division just two years later. Over the course of his career, Mitchell rose to the position of vice president of design for all of GM's divisions and was responsible for designing iconic cars such as the Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Corvette, and Buick Riviera. His designs went on to be produced in more than 100 million cars.

In 1957, Mitchell returned from the Turin motor show with the idea of combining the design of the Corvette with some of the influences he had seen in Italy. However, American automakers were facing restrictions on performance and racing-related development due to a ban imposed by the Automobile Manufacturer's Association. This ban was a response to a tragic crash at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, which resulted in the deaths of 83 spectators and injuries to many more.

Despite the ban, Mitchell was determined to keep the Corvette alive. He set up a secret studio called Studio X in a basement file room, away from the prying eyes of GM's legal team. With a small team of trusted designers, Mitchell began preparing for when the racing ban would eventually be lifted. Studio X became the birthplace of several futuristic designs over the next decade, including the Monza Shark, the Mako Shark, and the Monza GT. In 1967, Irv Rybicki took over as head of styling for GM and closed down Studio X. However, Mitchell reopened the studio 10 years later for one final project as he approached retirement.

Throughout his career, Mitchell's contributions to automotive design were significant. His ability to envision and create iconic vehicles left a lasting impact on the industry. From his early days as chief designer of the Cadillac division to his final project at Studio X, Mitchell's innovative designs continue to be admired and appreciated by car enthusiasts around the world.

Featured image by John Lloyd via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC by 2.0