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.

[Full Photo Set Inside]