The wait for the C7 ‘Vette is nearly over, as General Motors has announced the 2014 Corvette will finally be unveiled on January 13 at next year’s Detroit auto show. For now, the automaker has released the next-gen car’s redesigned Crossed Flags emblem, and revealed that the C7 will be mostly new, only sharing two parts with the current model.
Though the Corvette Crossed Flag logo has evolved over the past six decades, each version features a black and white checkered racing flag crossed with a red flag featuring the Chevrolet bow tie and a French fleur-de-lis. According to Chevrolet, the all-new logo is “a more detailed representation, showing greater depth, color and attention to detail.”
We also expect a greater attention to detail in the interior, and now we’ve got five new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette interior spy shots.
But the biggest news might be that the C7 Corvette has only two parts in common with the outgoing C6: the cabin air filter and the removable roof panel’s rear latch. Everything else is reportedly all-new. As we’ve seen in previous spy shots, the C7 Corvette appears to have gained a much-needed interior update. In the exterior styling department, key Corvette cues remain, such as the long hood and short rear deck, and round taillights. Under the hood, a new fifth-generation small-block V-8 with direct-injection is expected.
Displacement could be reduced from the regular C6 Corvette’s current 6.2 liters to just 5.5 liters, though power and fuel economy should improve.
The reveal of the Crossed Flags badge at Road Atlanta is our first official sneak peek at the 2014 Corvette, and you can likely expect a slow tease leading up to the C7’s debut next year. Road Atlanta, home to the ALMS’ Petit Le Mans race, is a significant track for the American sports car nameplate, as Corvette Racing secured its two championships there last year – winning the GT class and manufacturer’s championship. Corvette will continue to be a feared name in sports car racing in the future, as the C6.R will return in 2013 before being replaced by the C7.R in the 2014 season.
While production of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette will begin in August or September of 2013, the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant — still producing 2013 Corvettes — is expected to be shut down in February 2013.
Thanks to: Motor Trend