In 1954 Merrill Powell acquired 49 percent of Victress and joined the company. A design student, Powell, designed the C2 and C3. The C2 came out in 1954 and the C3 in 1955. Fewer than 40 Victress coupes were made and sold in the 1950s, but the other models did well. A style that had its origin in the 'Merrill Powell' designed Model C2 Coupe (first introduced in 1954), the C2 rear and tail design became the genesis for the GM's 'Q-Corvette' then the XP700 and later the 1961 Corvette (attributed to Bob McLean/Pete Brock) as well as the later 1963 Corvette StingRay. Merrill Powell was a co-owner of the Victress Car Company along with Boyce-Smith, while the sole Victress car distributor was Hellings Co of Vanowen St, North Hollywood.