[GALLERY] C8 Mid-Engine Corvette Prototype Shown with Production-Ready Lights (47 C8 Corvette Spy Photos)

We’ve seen a lot of action coming from the Corvette Team over the last week with major sightings of the C8 mid-engine Corvette in and around San Diego, California but testing of the 2020 Corvette is also continuing closer to home as these new spy photos show.

One of the spy photographers we work with had set up camp outside of GM’s Milford Proving Grounds last week and was quickly rewarded with the capture of nearly 50 photos of the elusive C8 Corvette. And unlike the clad-covered prototypes out in California, the Mid-Engine Corvette spotted in southeast Michigan was wearing only the camo vinyl wrapping which gives us a much better look at the cars.

And what a look we are getting from these new photos!

Up front, we are now getting a better look at the front HID headlights. There is an LED light bar above the main lighting elements that also serve as turn signal indicators. The lights go from bright white to orange when the turn signal is activated. Much of the front lights are taped off from view, which is another reason to look forward to the C8’s reveal. In the photo below you can see the driver’s side turn signal LEDs in Orange:

We have to agree with our spy photographer’s assessment that things are even more interesting on the back of the car as the production taillights can be viewed through the mesh camo. As we’ve seen on the C8.R Corvette that was night testing at Sebring, the lights are very reminiscent of the C7s with the two vertical LEDs connecting to a horizontal one at the bottom.

We would say the biggest new feature we are able to glean from these new photos is that the rear taillights use a sequential turn indicator sequence that shows an orange turn signal as an LED strip above the taillights with the light moving from the middle of the car to the outside. We threw the three main images that make up this feature into a quick gif which you can see below. The other interesting portion of this gif shows a turn-signal indicator on the passenger’s side rearview mirror:

Another feature of the car that’s getting a lot of attention is the rear wing spoiler. Chevy has been testing the ME prototypes with various spoilers on the rear deck that range from a simple lip spoiler to this version which some are calling a “batwing” due to its center appearing to be lower than the outside.

Some of our friends on the MidEngineCorvetteForum.com have already stated that the wing spoiler in its present design is a no-go for them, preferring the cleaner look of the rear deck without the spoiler. We liked the C7’s optional wing-spoiler so we’ll reserve judgment on the C8 wing spoiler until after the reveal when we can see the car in all its glory.

The other reason we are waiting for the reveal is to see if the Corvette Team is going to incorporate any of the active aerodynamic spoiler features that have come out from the Patent Office on this version of the C8 Corvette or will those features only be obtainable on the higher level MEs that will come to market later.

Despite the car appearing to be production-ready, we know that camouflage is still hiding some of the key design elements like the side scoop and the front fascia with the “fish lips” treatment. We also noticed an extrusion on the driver’s side of the frunk that almost looks like a SiriusXM radio antenna while a yellow cable or wire is visible just outside the front passenger side headlight.

Many have been wondering why the cars in Detroit are nearly uncovered but those out in California are wearing the heaving black cladding. We believe that the California C8s are still wearing the cladding for security reasons as they are most likely parked outdoors with private security vs the uncovered C8 Corvette in Detroit that most likely returns to the secure confines of the Milford Proving Grounds or other GM locations where access to the cars from is very limited.

When we will see GM reveal the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette is anybody’s guess. Originally slated (we believe) for the New York Auto Show in April, the rumors of a reveal at a GM Event sometime this summer appear to be still in the cards. If that’s the case, the 2020 C8 Mid-Engine Corvette would most likely start production before the end of the year.

Here’s the full gallery of images showing the C8 Corvette in Detroit. Thanks again to Spiedbilde for capturing these images:

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    Source:
    Photo Credits: Spiedbilde

    Related:
    [VIDEO] Listen to the Sweet-Sounding Exhaust Notes from the C8 Mid-Engine Corvettes
    [VIDEO] Three-Minute Video of C8 Corvettes Driving in California
    [VIDEO] Corvette Ride Engineer Alex MacDonald Spotted With Group of Five C8 Corvettes
    

     

    
    

    
    

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