The C8 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is a radical departure from its predecessors. For the first time in its model history, the Corvette has adopted a mid-engine layout, resulting in improved performance and sharper handling. But this isn't the first time Chevrolet tried to take the Corvette in a radical new direction.

In 1962, Chevrolet built a C2 Corvette concept with four seats, but it ultimately never entered production. Nearly 60 years later, General Motor Design has shared photos on social media to remind us about the practical four-seat Corvette that never got the green light.

Built in 1962, the four-seat fiberglass concept was conceived before the second-generation Corvette arrived in 1963. Some of its design cues carried over to the production model such as the distinctive split rear window, but the most glaring omission was the lack of rear seats.

According to General Motors Design, the four-seat Corvette was envisioned as Chevrolet's answer to the popular Ford Thunderbird before the project was scrapped. To accommodate the extra two seats in the back, the Corvette was extended by six inches, stretching the wheelbase to 104 inches according to Corvette Blogger.

As the photos shared by General Motors Design show, the doors were also longer than the two-seater C2 Corvette to allow easier access to the rear cabin and the roof also appears to be taller, allowing for extra headroom. Ultimately, however, designers at General Motors hated the four-seat Corvette concept.

In an interview, Larry Shinoda, who designed the concept, recalled how a GM executive came to look at the prototype and sat in the back seat. When he tried to get out, the front seat locked, causing him to get stuck inside. To help him get out of the car, the front seat had to be removed. Perhaps that explains why this four-seat Corvette never made it to production.