Round vs. Squircular: The C7 Taillight Saga Continues

"SonorousSpeedJoe" (SonorousSpeedJoe)
10/11/2013 at 19:00 • Filed to: Chevrolet Corvette C7, Corvette, Corvette Stingray

You may remember how Corvette Italia !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of a white C7 with C6 taillights soon after the C7's debut. RPI Designs followed up with this mockup rear bumper and sought feedback from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that's ended up being decidedly mixed; some people want the circles while others prefer the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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DISCUSSION (37)

Anon > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:05

I personally love the squares, but I can see someone making a lot of money selling these!

Kailand09 > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:06

Honestly, it looks dumb with circular tails. I agree with Chevy design on that.

I think RockStar defeated GM on the rear design though:

Kinja'd!!!

RPI should make a completely reworked rear. Like this. Or something else creative and nice looking.

I think GM thought they wanted to change it, but decided to keep the "4 lights" thing. That is kind of half-assing it. Go big or go home.

EDIT: !*^&*&#$ nibbles.

AbigGRNboot > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 19:10

broke link.

desertdog5051 > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:13

They left out the vents. They are there for a reason. (don't know what exactly their purpose is...)

Deal with it folks, things do change over time.

feather-throttle-not-hair > desertdog5051
10/11/2013 at 19:16

the vents bug me way more than the taillight shape.

desertdog5051 > feather-throttle-not-hair
10/11/2013 at 19:18

Understandable. I don't mind them my self.

CAR_IS_MI > desertdog5051
10/11/2013 at 19:19

To cool the brake lights???

dogisbadob > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:20

Kinja'd!!!

only if they have a cutout for a rear fog

Kinja'd!!!

desertdog5051 > CAR_IS_MI
10/11/2013 at 19:22

Ahhhh... I never thought about that. Collective thinking is a good thing.

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 19:27

I know what you mean. They probably kept the quad lights to keep some tradition.

I don't really hate how the lights themselves look. I hate the droopy black plastic things on the edges. What the heck are they?

And I don't like how all four exhaust tips are stuck together. Having two pairs looks better.

Kailand09 > Manuél Ferrari
10/11/2013 at 19:32

The taillight ducts are function, and provide an exit for the cooling ducts on the B pillars for rear differential cooling (I believe). They are functional. I'm sure this also helps with aero having air exiting the rear.

I do agree, this wasn't the best treatment for designing the ducting in the back, and plenty of cars handle this in a more elegant manner.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:35

2016 they'll be round again.

Pessimippopotamus > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:38

They ain't no squircles on them C7s. These be squircles.

Kinja'd!!!

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 19:42

Ohh, I see. Thanks for explaining. Maybe it would have looked better if the ducts were separated from the tail light enclosure. The way it's setup now it looks like Chevy did it to make the car look more intense. Like you said they could have found a way to make it more elegant.

The back end will probably be revised a little at the mid-cycle refresh.

Kailand09 > Manuél Ferrari
10/11/2013 at 19:44

I hope they do refresh that. It might be hard to do that though... Depends on the design on the inside there, could require a lot of retooling.

The SRT viper handles the same process fairly well:

Kinja'd!!!

As does the 599 GTO:

Kinja'd!!!

Victorious Secret > CAR_IS_MI
10/11/2013 at 19:45

Heat extraction...

Kailand09 > CAR_IS_MI
10/11/2013 at 19:45

If you read my other post I explain what I believe their purpose is, in response to rusto.

SonorousSpeedJoe > desertdog5051
10/11/2013 at 19:46

The taillight vents function as outlets for the air taken in by the rear fender vents for cooling the transmission and diff.

desertdog5051 > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 19:49

Figured they were for cooling. Did not know for what, though. Thanks.

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 19:53

Thanks for posting those pics. I had never even paid attention to those vents on these cars before. I agree the execution was done a lot better. I like both the placement and the material that was used worlds better.

The material is probably plastic but looks like metal from a distance. Me gusta. Me gusta a lot.

Kailand09 > Manuél Ferrari
10/11/2013 at 19:58

My pleasure! It's always fun to learn more about what's going on with the cars, and helps me to remind myself what these things do and supplement my knowledge more to look more into it.

It's really amazing how much thought goes into these cars, and the small details that may go overlooked. Very, very cool stuff.

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 20:06

I like learning as much as I can too. I don't really have any mechanical skills or time to learn (too much of a workaholic). But I like to learn all the small details too, especially on the cars I own or want to own.

It would be pretty awesome to be an engineer assigned to building Ferraris or Corvettes.

Kailand09 > Manuél Ferrari
10/11/2013 at 20:08

I would love to be an engineer for them (I'm about to finish my engineering degree). I applied, but doubtful I'll hear anything.

That said, there is plenty to learn!

Takuro Spirit > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 20:11

Kinja'd!!!

They're not quite level... gonna look like GT-R.

Annnnnnd Kinja fucked up my annotation. Supposed to be the other bumper's light cutouts.

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/11/2013 at 20:15

You never know, just keep applying! I own a business and while it's not a car related business there is one universal aspect to business - persistence pays off. Time your applications so they are routine without being excessive. Set a calendar reminder in your phone to send an app to each of your favorite companies every 6 months. Companies get overburdened with applications and often just look through the most recent ones they received when it's time to hire. It can only help your chances to have your most recent resume and application towards the top of the file when the HR person starts looking for people to call.

Atomic Buffalo > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 20:25

The next step in this process is for some people to complain about the price, while other people complain about some detail of the design and wish for one to be made to their liking.

After that, people will complain about how long it takes to receive product.

Kailand09 > Manuél Ferrari
10/11/2013 at 20:26

This is perfect advice, thanks! I'm in the search right now and this is a great tip I'll use.

I definitely have a few hail Mary companies I want to keep up on.

DoktorZombie > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/11/2013 at 22:27

The black plastic "baboon ass" below the tail lights bothers me more than the derpy light/vent treatment.

D > CAR_IS_MI
10/11/2013 at 23:13

It cools the rear blinker-fluid

Chris > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/12/2013 at 00:40

I think the squircular works really well here. The stupid fake vent though…

SonorousSpeedJoe > Chris
10/12/2013 at 00:44

Are you referring to the taillight vents? Those are functional - they let out the air that's taken in by the rear fender vents to cool the transmission and differential (though whether both fender vents are functional depends on your transmission choice and whether you opted for the Z51 package).

CMG > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/12/2013 at 01:04

Those are real vents? Oh, well never mind.

Manuél Ferrari > Kailand09
10/12/2013 at 01:31

You're welcome! Getting the perfect job is like finding the perfect girl. Takes some effort and luck but sometimes it works out!

Best of luck

wkiernan > SonorousSpeedJoe
10/14/2013 at 21:30

You see that ribbed black thing on the lower outside of the lights? Is that a real vent or is that bullshit? Cause if it's fake, as the mockup implies, Chevy needs to cut it out.

SonorousSpeedJoe > wkiernan
10/14/2013 at 21:55

See the other comments; the taillight vents are outlets for the air that's initially taken in by the fender vents to cool the transmission and diff. Whether one or both fender vents are functional depends on transmission choice as well as whether or not the C7 in question has the Z51 Package. The diffuser functions as an additional outlet, and this is a mockup; it doesn't surprise me that there's no provision for those vents.

TheOnelectronic > Kailand09
10/15/2013 at 20:36

I felt the same way. The Coquette is a very nice looking car.

VetteLuvva23 > SonorousSpeedJoe
12/19/2013 at 19:02

Supervettes LLC has the solution. Google the "SV8.R"