The Corvette added a coupe body style for the first time in 1963.
This change arrived with the second-generation Corvette, known as the C2 or Sting Ray. Before 1963, the Corvette was primarily an open two-seat roadster, although buyers could equip it with a removable hardtop. The new factory-built coupe gave the sports car a fixed-roof alternative for the first time.
The 1963 coupe is especially famous for its split rear window, a styling feature used only during that model year. Its design reflected the influence of Chevrolet stylist Larry Shinoda, Bill Mitchell’s Sting Ray racing project, and the experimental Q-Corvette program. The result was a smaller, sharper-looking Corvette with improved handling and a more purposeful fastback profile.
The coupe was not simply a cosmetic variation. It provided a quieter, more enclosed cabin and additional practicality, while the convertible continued to appeal to buyers who wanted an open-air sports car. Later C2 coupes replaced the split rear window with a single piece of glass, but the new body style remained part of the Corvette lineup.