Spied: First C7 Corvette Stingray with Racing Stripes! Possible Grand Sport Model?
 

An enticing C7 Corvette test car has just been spied in the midst of winter-testing, rocking silver stripes on top of its Velocity Yellow paint job (in the backroads of Michigan). This prototype gives us our first look yet at a racing-striped C7, and how it will interplay with the car's new lines and its blacked-out trim. The question remains, is this just a test-striped early C7 build, or is there any chance that this a new trim level, like a C7 Grand Sport? We don't have a smoking gun that this is an alternate C7 performance package, but in the online colorizer that Chevrolet provided to paint your own Corvette, there were no provisions for adding any additional striping to the Stingray.

Next is the fact that while this C7 looks throughly badged-out, there is no Stingray badge on either front fender. While it could be an early-build oversight, we can't help but be intrigued by the omission of the Stingray on this test 'Vette.

Finally, we can see clear evidence of a car cover piled up in the rear cargo of this prototype. It would seem that Chevrolet is in full PR mode on the C7 Stingray at this point, so parking them around, uncovered, would seem to be a great eye-catcher to capture the public's attention. Is this car cover at the ready to keep prying eyes from discovering a new C7 variant? Seems plausible, and follows perfectly the protocol that was followed by Corvette test teams which were caught on test runs during the C7's development period.

When it comes to the prospect of spotting the next C7 variant after the Stingray, we can't leave anything to chance and disregard the anomalies found on this particular C7 test car.


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WoW! :rockon:

Is that how dirty the back end is going to get because of the exhaust?! :fear:

No way... don't think so... it never happened in a C6, why would it happen now.... think utility was just the snow

Never have been much of a "yellow" guy, but I really like that...even with the dirty rear end. :)

Not a fan... I think it may be the color of the stripes, they clash with the headlights... and they're too close together.

Not loving the stripes. Who drives their vette in the snow?

The stripes go along the body lines perfectly.

I wonder what they were doing to get it so dirty..

A 'vette wouldn't be my first choice as a snow car, no :der:. Big reason why I'll probably hang onto my GTI. Add Blizzaks and it actually makes a pretty damn good snow bunny although the clearance isn't huge due to the front air dam :mad2:

GM engineers do... because they can. :D

Every GM car goes through winter testing.

Looks pretty good. I can see silver with a grey stripe, or white with maybe blue. It does fit the lines pretty nicely. Yellow is better without the stripe.

wow this looks pretty stellar! not decided on the racing stripes just yet. But still, that yellow is pretty attractive on that body.

Well if they would let me I'd drive it in a dang hurricane.

wonder how it handles in snow - every performance car I've had sucks in snow, wide tires are like snowshoes. Looks good tho!

Your expectations should remain unchanged...:lol:

Not a fan of yellow, and definately not yellow with silver stripes. However, i've always been a fan of strips on cars, as long as they don't clash. Think it would look great in red with silver stripes.

Well if GM handed me the keys to a Corvette and it was snowing out, the first thing I'd do is drive to the Black Lake and do donuts. :D

Oh, and none of the other pre-production units have Stingray badges either. It was a last minute decision to use the Stingray name so if these were built before that decision they wouldn't take the time to slap badges on.

I don't think anyone has said this yet, but those headlight buckets looks to be Silver whereas all the other test cars have had black headlight buckets. The other thing is that very first picture the hood vent doesn't look very black either and it almost blends with the stripes whereas every other C7 view those vents are very black. (Perhaps its the angle or the overcast sky.)

We were told that the the vents would be optioned to be the same color as the exterior but haven't seen anything to indicate that the headlight buckets would be available in the colors other than black.

The question of the post though is asking if this is the Gran Sport (should be Grand Sport). The 2010-13's GSs were built only because the C6 production was running longer than anticipated and the Corvette team was feeling the pressure to put out something new. So they raided the parts bin and used body from the Z06 and upgraded some of the options. Voila - a new model.

My personal opinion is that this isn't a Grand Sport and I'm doubtful that there will be a GS option early in C7 production. Based on sales and bragging rights, the next model out will be the Z06. But that's just my best guess.

:stingray:

GM overtests every car. For it to be a GM vehicle today, it has to handle more than you are likely to throw at it.

:amen:
Seems like different shades but still hard to definitely tell w/o a closeup shot of that yellow car's headlamps... FWIW here's an attempt, but it's an outdoors/dirty vs. indoors/mint comparison. :chevy:

Don't like it with stripes. It takes away from the lines and angles of the car.

Oh my!

Why the goofy silver stripes, though?

Looks like they need to do some work on the lights. No right side tail lights, but the back up light works; even when it shouldn't.

If it's the brake lights then the CHMSL isn't working either.

Back to the lab boys.

Ed

http://www.corvette7.com/forums/atta...1&d=1361472901

http://www.corvette7.com/forums/atta...2&d=1361472901

Since stripes haven't been listed anywhere as an option, this could be why. Maybe they were too much of a PITA on this car so they are still looking for an option, or they are using this one to test market them.

Not a fan of silver stripes though, no matter what color they are on.

The right light is the turn signal, if you look at the photo from the front you can see the amber signal on.

^yup :nod:
pay attention :D ;)

Full CF look targa panel side to side.
CF look side mirrors
CF look rear spoiler.
Not sure if it's real CF laminate or the dipped trick.

Dirty butt end common to all cam back tails. My 1986 always showed up dirty before anywhere else on the body. My 2012 ZL1 does the same thing. I believe it's an aero thingey.

I love this car more each day. The velocity yellow is awesome, not liking the black mirrors and rims, spoilers. The vents in black is cool, just not the rest. The stripes are done nice, but , not for me. Never cared for tranformer type color combos. That being said the Corvette and Camaro, have never looked better, go Chevy!! All you lucky owners, I envy ya'll.

P.S. I would love those stripes on an all yellow C7, just to much going on with this particular car. Sorry to be nit picking,lol..

Badass, I like it.

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....Drop....Dead......
:faint:

Gorgeous!!!


:becky:

Both side rear quarters are "caulked in" and taped over or painted over. Must'a been a really bad fit.

That's two exhaust components (Nitrogen & Carbon) reacting in the vortex with the wet snow/rain. Otherwise, you'd have that crud/road dirt all the way across the rear. Flared tips exacerbate that collection.

I'm from the Northeast and I've NEVER seen a Corvette attempt to even drive in the snow in my neck of the woods, that's just sacrilegious :faint: The filth on the back of it should be worrisome if it's not resolved, especially if it blacks out the chmsl and/or taillights. Hopefully that gets resolved before production without affecting the design of the back end. I love it. :D

I would have to agree with you there. :thumb:

Eagle eye cherry! :spy:

Yup, like a long roll of scotch tape afffixed over the gap on each side diagonally. Hmmm. :nerd: