One of the design briefs for the new Chevrolet Corvette was to ensure it can carry luggage and other bulky items, even as it appeals to its traditional sports car customers.
Corvette engineers carved out room in front of the car and in the rear, just behind the engine, for two trunks that hold a combined 12.6 cubic feet of cargo.
But unlike the stamped metal trunks in most other vehicles, those in the Corvette are made of an extremely thin but strong fiberglass that contains a proprietary new resin, developed in conjunction with Molded Fiber Glass Cos. of Ashtabula, Ohio. GM says the material is so light that it can float on water — hence its name: Float.
The front and rear trunks are large enough to hold golf bags, which can weigh as much as 50 pounds. But the light trunks and dashboard construction helped the Corvette achieve its 3,366-pound dry weight.