The Coolest Car from 1963: The Corvette Sting Ray “Split-Window” Takes the Crown

The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window coupe stands out as the coolest car from 1963, thanks to its one-year-only rear window design, race-bred engineering, and instant cultural impact. While the year produced extraordinary machines—from the Ferrari 250 GTO to the Aston Martin DB5—the ’63 Sting Ray uniquely merged futuristic styling, real-world performance, and attainability, cementing its status as an icon of American design.

Why the 1963 Sting Ray Split-Window Stands Out

Nothing on the road in 1963 looked like the new Corvette coupe. Designed under GM styling chief Bill Mitchell and executed by Larry Shinoda, the Sting Ray’s sharply creased body, hidden headlamps, and dramatically tapered tail brought show-car futurism to production. The defining flourish was the split rear window—striking to look at and controversial to live with—which appeared only in 1963 before being dropped for improved rearward visibility in 1964. That one-year-only feature became a collectible calling card.

Substance backed up the style. The C2 Corvette introduced an independent rear suspension—transformative for ride and handling—and a stiffer new chassis overseen by Zora Arkus-Duntov. Under the hood, Chevrolet’s 327-cubic-inch small-block V8 came in multiple tunes: 250, 300, 340, and the legendary 360-horsepower “Fuelie” with mechanical fuel injection. Contemporary tests recorded 0–60 mph in roughly 5.8–6.0 seconds for the fuel-injected car, quarter miles in the mid-14s, and top speeds in the low 140s—serious numbers for the early 1960s.

For grassroots racers, the 1963-only Z06 package added heavy-duty brakes and suspension, creating a turnkey competition Corvette. Fewer than 200 Z06s were built, with a smaller subset fitted with an oversized fuel tank for endurance racing—configurations that today command exceptional collector premiums.

Collector Cachet and Cultural Legacy

Rarity, beauty, and performance combined to make the 1963 Split-Window one of the most collectible American cars. As of 2025, well-kept, numbers-matching coupes frequently trade in the low-to-mid six figures; fuel-injected examples and top-spec restorations often climb higher, and genuine Z06 or “big-tank” cars can reach into seven figures at auction when provenance aligns. More than market value, though, the Split-Window’s pop-cultural saturation—posters on walls, roles in films and TV, and endless references in American car lore—keeps it perpetually current.

The 1963 Field Was Exceptional

“Coolest” is inherently subjective, and 1963 was a stellar year with credible rivals that were faster, rarer, or more glamorous in different ways. The following highlights show just how strong the competition was across the Atlantic and at home.

• Ferrari 250 GTO (1962–64): The ultimate dual-purpose GT—race-winning pedigree, sublime V12, and extreme rarity.
• Aston Martin DB5 (1963–65): Introduced in 1963; handsome, fast, and forever linked to James Bond.
• Porsche 901/911 (debuted 1963): Unveiled as the 901 at Frankfurt in ’63; the 911’s legend begins here.
• Jaguar E-Type Series 1 (3.8): Still jaw-dropping in ’63; fast, beautiful, and usable.
• Shelby Cobra 289: Brutal, lightweight roadster; a competition benchmark with raw charisma.
• Studebaker Avanti: Radical Raymond Loewy styling; supercharged variants set high-speed records.
• Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100): Debuted in 1963; the world’s most opulent limousine, dripping with engineering excess.
• Buick Riviera: Clean, tailored American luxury with European poise—an instant design classic at launch.

Each of these cars could credibly claim “coolest” depending on the metric—racing success, celebrity aura, design purity, or technological bravado—but the Corvette’s blend of price, performance, and pop-cultural reach makes it the era’s most broadly resonant icon.

Ferrari 250 GTO: The Ultimate Unicorn

Built in tiny numbers—36 examples across Series I and II—the 250 GTO dominated GT racing in period and remains the era’s ultimate status symbol. Its 3.0-liter Colombo V12 produced roughly 300 hp, enabling 0–60 mph near 5.5 seconds and top speeds approaching 170+ mph, depending on gearing and setup. Auction sales since 2018 have pushed past $50 million, with private transactions rumored even higher. If money and availability were no object, many enthusiasts would pick the GTO as the pinnacle—but its exclusivity makes it more talisman than touchstone.

Aston Martin DB5: Glamour on Four Wheels

Introduced in 1963 with a 4.0-liter straight-six (circa 282 hp in standard tune), the DB5 combined refined speed with unmistakable style. Its global fame arrived with Goldfinger in 1964, but the car itself debuted the year prior, instantly becoming a symbol of tailored performance. Few cars embody cool as effortlessly.

Porsche 901/911: Genesis of a Legend

Porsche unveiled the 901 at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show; trademark issues led to the 911 name for production in 1964. While customer cars arrived a year later, the public debut in ’63 marks the birth of one of history’s most enduring sports-car lines. Early 2.0-liter flat-sixes made around 130 hp, but the platform’s balance and refinement set the template for six decades of continuous evolution.

How to Judge “Cool” in Cars

Because “cool” blends head and heart, the best way to evaluate a car from any era is to look at a few shared qualities that consistently move the needle for enthusiasts and the public alike.

1. Design impact: Does it look like nothing else, and has that look aged well?
2. Engineering substance: Innovations or performance that changed the segment.
3. Cultural imprint: Appearances in media, celebrity links, or broader symbolism.
4. Accessibility: Could enthusiasts reasonably aspire to own or experience it?
5. Enduring desirability: Collector interest and relevance decades later.

On balance, the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window scores across all five, combining poster-worthy styling with meaningful mechanical progress and mainstream reach.

Verdict

If you had to choose a single “coolest car from 1963,” the Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window is the one that best captures the year’s spirit. The Ferrari 250 GTO may be the ultimate, the Aston Martin DB5 the suavest, and the Porsche 911 the most consequential in hindsight—but the Split-Window uniquely fuses concept-car drama, genuine performance, and broad cultural appeal into a package that still feels thrilling and attainable as an idea, if not always in price.

Summary

The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Split-Window stands as the coolest car of 1963 for its sensational one-year design, advanced chassis, and lasting cultural resonance. Close contenders—the Ferrari 250 GTO, Aston Martin DB5, early Porsche 911, Jaguar E-Type, and others—underscore how exceptional the year was, but none match the Corvette’s blend of style, substance, and popular impact.

What was the fastest car in 1963?

The 1963 Studebaker Avanti was widely considered the fastest production car in the world, with a supercharged Paxton-R3 engine allowing it to reach speeds of over 170 mph and break 29 speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Avanti’s speed was achieved through its unique, aerodynamic fiberglass body and powerful, factory-equipped engine, setting it apart from other high-performance cars of the era, such as the Corvette Sting Ray.
 
Details of the Avanti’s Speed:

• Engine: The Avanti was equipped with a supercharged 289 cubic-inch V8 engine, which produced 290 horsepower in the R2 model. 
• Records: In 1963, a modified Studebaker Avanti R2 set 29 world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats, with one run reaching an average of 170.78 mph and some runs approaching 178 mph. 
• Production Car Status: These records were set using production-spec cars, meaning they were cars that customers could purchase from a dealership. 

Why the Avanti Was So Fast:

• Aerodynamics: Its futuristic, aerodynamic fiberglass body, designed by Raymond Loewy’s team, was years ahead of its time and contributed significantly to its high-speed performance. 
• Supercharger: The Paxton supercharger provided the extra power needed to maintain high speeds in the thin air and high temperatures of the Bonneville Salt Flats. 
• Innovation: The Avanti was a blend of high-performance engineering and innovative safety features, like front disc brakes and a padded roll bar, for a high-speed personal car. 

What was the presidential car in 1963?

1961 Lincoln Continental Limousine
Kennedy – 1963. President John F. Kennedy traveled in his 1961 Lincoln Continental Limousine during a visit to San Diego, California on June 6, 1963. The limousine included a series of removable steel and transparent plastic roof panels that could be installed in various combinations.

What was the coolest car in the 60s?

The Greatest Cars of All Time: The Sixties

• 1960 Austin Mini.
• 1961 Jaguar XK-E.
• 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray.
• 1964 Pontiac GTO.
• 1965 Ford Mustang.
• 1966 Lamborghini Miura.
• 1968 BMW 2002.

What is considered the coolest car of all time?

• Ford Capri. Years: 1969-1986.
• Nissan Skyline R34. Years: 1999-2002.
• Toyota 2000 GT. Years: 1967-1970.
• AC Cobra. Years: 1962-1969.
• Vauxhall Lotus Carlton. Years: 1990-1992.
• Aston Martin Lagonda. Years: 1976-1990.
• Dodge Challenger. Years: 1970-1974. Number built: 165,437.
• Mazda Cosmo. Years: 1967-1972. Numbers built: 1,176.