As far as taillights go, the majority of the Corvette’s history has been marked by four rounded taillights. Starting with the ex-gen C7, though, GM switched to a modern and angular design, an evolution of which we can find in the present C8. Well, the aftermarket hasn’t forgotten those who wish to bring their mid-engined Corvettes into the circular taillight world.
Competition Carbon is a young, but bold “Made in USA” specialist that has already released C7 and C8 Corvette pieces, along with a Tesla Model S Plaid widebody showcased at the 2022 edition of SEMA. And while the company initially announced it would give the mid-engined Chevy round taillights back in late 2021, they’ve finally gotten around to it.
What you see here are the first prototypes of round C8 taillights, with the plastic units having been 3D-printed. However, the final units will be made from carbon fiber, which, of course, is going to deliver a standout finish.
The taillight housing is an off-the-shelf solution, which means they are DOT-approved and therefore legal to use on the road. Competition Carbon adds the two-per-light-cluster circular LED elements, which bring the infinity taillight look.
As stated in the Instagram post below, the company is set to release the pricing for the round C8 Corvette taillights later this week. And here’s to hoping they sort out all the production details—maybe we can see the finished product at SEMA 2023 (October 31-November 3).
On social media, the company stated the units will fit both the C8 Stingray and the Z06, and, based on this, we presume the latest E-Ray will also be on the list.
With its top performance and value for money, the C8 is an aftermarket delight
Until we get to see more, the white C8 Stingray in the renderings below delivers a preview of the circular taillights. The units have an unmistakable aftermarket look to them, which is a strong asset, or something to keep owners at bay, depending on whom you ask in the owners’ community.
For the record, there are some fans who consider the taillight design of the C7 and the C8 to be a bit on the generic side, at least for a mid-engined machine whose special versions like the Z06 can rival Italian supercars for a fraction of the cost (at least before dealer markups and greedy resellers get in the way).
Regardless, as GM pushes the mid-engined ‘Vette platform forwards and more units arrive in the real world, the need for individuality will only grow. So you can expect to see more such developments in the future.
And while we’re talking light clusters, here’s our top curiosity: how long before somebody decides to give the C8 some pop-up headlights like the ones envisioned on this Honda S2000?
