. ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Ir vin ▁Ry b icki ▁succeeded ▁Mitchell ▁as ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁Design . ▁▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁Following ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁General ▁Mot ors , ▁Mitchell ▁ran ▁William ▁L . ▁Mitchell ▁Design , ▁a ▁private ▁design - cons ult ing ▁firm , ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁vocal ▁critic ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁fourth - gener ation ▁Cor v ette ' s ▁sty ling , ▁which ▁he ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" b land ." ▁ ▁Bill ▁Mitchell ▁died ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 6 ▁from ▁heart ▁failure ▁at ▁William ▁Be aum ont ▁Hospital ▁in ▁Royal ▁Oak , ▁Michigan , ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁recognition ▁Bill ▁Mitchell ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Cor v ette ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Cor v ette ▁Museum ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁▁ ▁Official ly ▁Lic ensed ▁by ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁Design , ▁a ▁chron icle ▁of ▁G M ' s ▁first ▁century ▁of ▁design ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁G M ▁Design ▁Tim eline ▁The ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁Quick ▁Reference ▁Site . ▁Arch ived ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁on ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 - 1 3 ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 1 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 8 8 ▁death s