China unveils steeply priced C1 Corvette wannabe

Automaker Songsan Motors has brought quite a few unlicensed replicas of Western cars to the Auto China 2020 show, but the SS Dolphin stands alone in the fact that it will be getting a U.S. release.

The designers of the coupe unabashedly copied the first-gen Chevrolet Corvette that came out in 1958 and had as many as four headlights. The proportions are of, however, with the body being a whopping 12 inches (30 centimeters) longer than necessary. The whole car thus measures 15 ¾ feet (4.8 meters) long.

Powering the replica is a BYD plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 313 hp (233 kW) and 500 Nm (370 lb-ft). A turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engine lies at its core, enabling acceleration from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds. The transmission type is six-speed DCT. The giant front overhang may or may not mean transverse engine layout, and the drive seems to be located on the front axle. The 16-kWh battery the car is equipped with guarantees it up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) of all-electric range. MacPherson struts are used at the front end, and per-wheel multi-link suspension can be found in the rear.

The front panel and the doors evoke retro vibes, but the seats, the steering wheel, the center tunnel and the dashboard are quite up-to-date. It remains open whether there will be a soft-top version, but the hardtop has already been confirmed. The C1 Corvette also had the latter, by the way.

In China, the imitation comes priced at 590,000 Yuan (around 86,000 USD). Songsan plans to export in to the United States at a hefty premium: $159,900 and above.