2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The C7 Corvette is evolutionary in many ways, yet also a major step forward from the C6. Many familiar elements - long, low hood, tight 2-person cabin, low roof and tall tail - remain. But the details of the proportions have evolved. The tail is shorter, the axel-to-dash ration has been extended, and the front overhang is even tauter than before.
The surface detailing and change to the DLO are the biggest styling departures. Instead of the wraparound rear glass - a feature present since the 1970s C3 - GM designers moved to a unified side glass. Meanwhile, the surface forms feature numerous sharp breaks, fast sweeps, and of course numerous vents and grilles, all colored in contrasting black paint on this red example.
Two small but important details that I can't overlook are the blacked-out a-pillar, and the irregular shape of said a-pillar.
First, the blacked-out pillar and the psuedo-floating roof that comes with it: I confess I do not see the point. The windshield/roof seam doesn't flow into the DLO. It arches down at the outer edges, and then after passing through the a-pillar, it meets the rising arch of the door glass. Like a number of other features on the C7, it is not bad but it also is not harmonious.
About halfway between roof and fender, the base of the a-pillar widens. The arch of the door glass is cut at an angle, creating a small but clearly visisble triangle, a feature that just feels out of place here. I'm sure there are some engineering justifications for the oddity. But visually, it destroys a certain sense of flow which I think would enhance the Corvette's appearance. It also looks a little cheap. This is the kind of compromise we often see on entry-model sedans, but is far less common on luxury models, much less exotic sports cars.
Second, that collection of blacked-out vent trim: I have to ask, why? I fully undersand that these vents are all functional. And I accept that with some elements, a contrasting paint scheme can add viusal interest, or emphasize a feature. However, taken together, they strike me as noisy and all out of sync. I see a jumble of oddly shaped, non-aligned patches. If there were something connecting them, other than the color black I might be able to accept them, but as they are, they instead emphasize the overall colletion of instersecting, non-aligned surface elements.
For example, I find the taillight treatment well-done. Why? There is a symmetry and coherent set of characteristics across the entire rear view. So I'm ok with the irregular shapes of the lamp units. But from the profile or front 3/4 views, the Vette's bodyside is pockmarked with seemingly randomly placed vent trim, which comes across as gimmicky, a trait totally at odds with the highly functional spirit of the car as a whole.
Overall, I find the C7 a successful design, with a few small but significant flaws. But given their fundamental relationship to the underlying structure, I suspect we'll have to live with them for the duration of the C7's life cycle
