Occasionally, an automaker will offer a fascinating glimpse deep into its design vaults to spark conversation around cars or concepts that never quite made it. General Motors Design recently did just that, sharing a concept sketch of a sporty compact from the late 1960s that was dubbed the ‘Mini-Camaro’.

Posted on the official @generalmotorsdesign Instagram page, the drawing by designer Roy Lonberger captures his vision for the Chevy XP-873 project, a car that was destined to remain a “what if.”

General Motors (GM) Design described Lonberger’s sketch as a “low, lean, and handsome” car envisioned as a “five-passenger, low-cost vehicle.”

Chevy developed the XP-873 during an era of rising competition from smaller imported cars, aiming to give American buyers a stylish and fun-to-drive, yet economical domestic alternative.

The idea actually did advance beyond paper, as GM constructed at least one physical XP-873 prototype. Prominent design themes were a 2+2 coupe layout, classic sports car detailing, a long hood, and a sloping roofline that echoed what would’ve been the car’s big brother – the Camaro.

Unfortunately, the XP-873 concept primarily influenced one of GM’s most problematic cars: the Chevrolet Vega. The Vega, launched in 1970, notoriously battled engine failures, rust issues, and quality control problems.

These shortcomings plagued GM’s first big push into the modern compact market, meaning the production car failed to live up to the XP-873’s sporty potential. The later Chevy Monza shared some of the XP-873’s spirit, especially in its 2+2 form, but struggled to step out of the Vega’s shadow.

Seeing the XP-873 sketch today sparks thoughts about how things might have differed if GM’s compact strategy had followed this design more closely. The core of the concept – an affordable, sporty car – once again echoes through current talks about the Chevrolet Camaro’s future.

Sources previously told GM Authority that any potential seventh-generation Camaro must be profitable while also being more accessible and, potentially, smaller like the original ‘Mini-Camaro’ concept. An earlier internal proposal, based on GM’s existing Alpha 2 architecture, reportedly failed to meet financial requirements.

While Chevrolet never built the original ‘Mini-Camaro’, Roy Lonberger’s unearthed sketch gives enthusiasts an interesting viewpoint on GM’s design process, both past and present. The concept was a promising sporty compact offering that could’ve altered the trajectory of the Chevrolet brand in both the overall car market and, specifically, in the compact car market.