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Why does the Chevy Volt look so different from the concept?

The Chevy Volt Concept from the 2007 Detroit Auto Show was low, sleek and downright futuristic in its proportions. The production version 2011 Chevy Volt retains the overall design themes, but looks much more upright and conventional. The official line from GM is that the concept car looked great but didn't meet aerodynamic targets; GM vice president Bob Lutz famously joked that it would have done better if they put it in the wind tunnel backwards. Regardless, much of what you see was dictated by the wind tunnel, from the closed-in grille to the sharp creases at the rear edge of the fenders to the surprisingly large rear spoiler.

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Photo Credit: General Motors

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