Industrial designer Henry Covington lived and worked in Florida. Applying the aerodynamic knowledge, Covington designed a highly futuristic fiberglass bodied coupé with an aircraft-like canopy in order to demonstrate that it did not need to take brute power to go fast.
Glenn Gums, a friend of Covington and a fiberglass expert, helped to engineer and build a prototype in 1960.
Henry Covington chose El Tiburon (Spanish for "shark") as the name for his aerodynamic creation, since that creature is hydrodynamically almost perfect.
El Tiburon or The Shark looked like a concept car that had somehow escaped from the design studio onto the public road. Entry and exit was via an aircraft-like canopy; inside there was room for two.
When testing the first prototype, with the 17hp Renault engine in the back, The Shark reached a top speed of 125km/h. Later, Covington fitted more powerful engine of 45hp, which allowed for a maximum velocity of 196km/h.
In early 1962 The Shark was fully developed, tested and ready to be ordered; 6 Sharks had already been completed. Sadly, Henry Covington suddenly passed away at just 38 years of age in May 1962. This tragic event was a devastating blow to the project.
Despite the setback, Glenn Gums, a close friend of Henry Covington, proceeded to produce The Shark with a few alterations. He transformed the coupe body into a roadster, added doors, and exposed the headlights.
From 1962 through 1965, 5 roadsters were built. Both The Shark coupe and roadster were designed to take full advantage of the available aerodynamic knowledge and incorporated a belly pan that was nearly as large as the car.
This design ultimately earned Road&Track magazine’s recognition in 1966 as the most streamlined car in the world at that time.