Which concept car was the C3 Corvette patterned after?

The C3 Corvette was patterned after the Mako Shark II concept car. Chevrolet unveiled the dramatic XP-830 show car in 1965, and its pointed nose, sweeping fenders, and tapered profile strongly influenced the production Corvette introduced for 1968.

The Mako Shark II was developed under Bill Mitchell’s direction, with styling associated with GM’s design team. Its exaggerated “shark” appearance and flowing body sides previewed the C3’s famous Coke-bottle shape. The production car softened some of the concept’s more futuristic details, but the overall visual relationship was unmistakable.

The Mako Shark II should not be confused with the earlier Mako Shark I, also known as XP-755. The earlier concept influenced the C2-era design, while the later Mako Shark II was the key styling preview for the C3. Chevrolet built two Mako Shark II examples; only one was fully functional. The running version used a 427-cubic-inch Mark IV V8, anticipating the big-block engines available in production Corvettes.