BlueOx

Nobody else has brought up the vents on the top of the rear fenders on the Jalopnik C7 illustration. I thought they were nothing until I saw the corresponding vents in the top of the camo fabric in the photo below. What is your best guess?

chevynovaguy72

Just to let air escape from under the camo.....

LS1LT1

That...or perhaps it's also an actual part of the car's rear quarter panels/rear fascia for use as some sort of air extractor for the brakes or or even a form of ground effects for high speed stability.

DREAMERAK

I like the way your thinking here, the jalopnik ZR1 rendering had vents on top of the rear fenders, just ahead of the camo vents in the spy shots. Also check out the vertical vents at the rear end corners where the camo is cut out, what are those for?

davidwp97

To give us something to talk about??

David

skank

It's all about underbody air management and air extraction from the engine compartment as well as the rest of the underside. Last years ALMS Corvette had cooling issues and I'm sure they must be addressing this on the new C7 body shape. You can be sure their getting impute from Corvette Racing.

Z06Doc

This car has NO rear fender flares and not much of a rear diffuser either. It's definitely not in Z06 trim based upon C6 styling. Hopefully wider tires, fender flares and a rear diffuser will give it a more aggressive look.

OnPoint

Not sure there is going to be a wide-body C7.

DREAMERAK

The flares could be hidden by padding under the cammo. the narrow tires could be there just for winter testing.

DonOH

And the rear diffuser could have been removed for this test or just to further the disguise.
They certainly aren't testing aerodynamics in a camo outfit.
A couple of years ago, just before Lexus released the lat RX I saw one being driven around Detroit with the camo drape on it and an LS sedan escort. All that loose fabric has to grab a lot of air and be a driving distraction.

Z06Doc

Good point. They're probably not testing aero in the snow either.

And what's the point of testing in the snow with (presumably) non-stock tires? They could have tested with bull-dozer treads for better snow performance, but how does that translate to real-world snow and ice performance? Strange.

The rear looks pretty bland without an aero package - kinda like my wife without her make-up (sorry Honey).

Z06Doc

Good point. There probably not testing aero in the snow either.

And what's the point of testing snow performance with (presumably) non-stock tires? They could have tested using bulldozer treads if they wanted good performance, but how does that translate into real-world performance? Strange.

The rear end looks pretty bland without an aero package - kinda like my wife without her make-up (sorry Honey Bunch).

Swiftrider08

The vents in the cover are to throw everyone off. That's where the quarter glass is for the 3-piece rear window.

Racer X

It's not "snow" testing, it is cold weather testing. Do all the systems function in below zero temperatures? Will the car start if it has been sitting out all night? How does the traction control react? How do the antilock brakes work? Will the car turn once there is ice build-up behind the front tire. Does the electric steering freeze. Do the electro-magnetic shocks still work? Does the rear window defroster work? Do the windshield wipers work?

Everything still has to work in the cold, even if it is a Corvette and good sense says, stay home.

GS-Zero

I'm just waiting for some fool to burst in shouting 'mid engined'.

Z06Doc

Makes sense, except cold weather testing a vette in the snow is irresponsible from a public safety standpoint unless they're testing traction control, active handling (or AWD).

LS1LT1

Good points.

DREAMERAK

Not testing would be more irresponsible, If there were a defect caused by cold weather that resulted in injury or death GM would be sued, and then cucified in the media. I lived in Alaska for many years and would occasionally see a C5 or C6 with studed winter tires all the way around. Not a problem if you know how to drive in winter conditions.

BlueOx

This.
I'm guessing those vents will be there in the final product as a part of the twin-turbo venting system for the new ZR1.

LS1LT1