POLL: ME C8’s Taillights

[John]

These taillights sure look like production version ones (a judgment that is pretty much all over the internet today).



Assuming they are the 2020 C8 production ones:

[Bikerjulio]

A note about sequential turn signals.

It likely won't be individual LED's lighting up in sequence like some Euro cars, although possibly each whole light could come on sequentially, although I can't quite see that.

US rules require that the first light to come on be a certain brightness, and the individual LED won't do it.

I know this because the VW Golf R in NA has conventional turn signals whereas the Euro cars have sequential LEDs. Thus creating a whole industry devoted to the importation of Euro lights, together with wiring harness and programming.

[Bluevette]

The last option is great lol. I really like them. They have a new and exciting look while still resembling the taillights of the C7 (which I love)

[John]

I agree totally Bluevette, that they are an evolution of the C7’s, yet distinctly different and exciting enough to fit nicely on the C8. Fun; fun!

[MidEngine]

A note about sequential turn signals.

It likely won't be individual LED's lighting up in sequence like some Euro cars, although possibly each whole light could come on sequentially, although I can't quite see that.

US rules require that the first light to come on be a certain brightness, and the individual LED won't do it.

Thanks Bikerjulio. Learned something new from your post. However, if Mustang can have sequential turn signals, light by light, we sure could too.

[Fireeagle]

They don't look stupid lit up. I like that about them. That and they are a slight modification to existing C7 rear taillights and I like those also.

[meyerweb]

D and F. I am so over round lights, and I really like these.

[Fireeagle]

Like the round on my C4. Love the design on the C7.

[OnPoint]

The tails look good, IMO.

[C8-wannabe]

As much I loved the tail lights on my C4 & C5, IMHO round is gone forever on newer Corvettes - like the C7, new model(s), new lights.

[JB]

Looks awesome. Bring the c8 officially already..

[John]

UPDDATE/CORRECTION:

In the winter of 2013, just after the reveal, I spend some time going over Corvettes sales from every year, and at that time, non-round Corvette taillights were 38+% of Corvettes total sales. At that time approx 1,750,000 new Corvettes had been sold. Thus of those,1,085,000 Corvettes had had round taillights.

Since then,148,000 Corvettes (C7’s) have been sold. I estimate another 10,000 C7’s willl be sold next year during a partial C7 production year.

So by the time the C7 generation is over (my opinion), 823,000 Corvettes will have been sold, out of roughly 1,900,000 Corvettes, with non round taillights, e.g., around 44% non-round taillight cars.

Therefore at some point in the first mid engine Corvette generation, we will reached the point where non round taillight Corvette will exceed the number of those made with round taillights.

[George]

From what I can see, I also like them. The only problem I have, and it's a big one, is the way they wrap around the side and come to a point on the rear fender panel.

[Boomer]

Due to the darkness and visibility, its not really easy to see them so I abstained from voting on any of the selections offered.

However, my vote is : "I'm sure they will be great!"

[Bikerjulio]

Thanks Bikerjulio. Learned something new from your post. However, if Mustang can have sequential turn signals, light by light, we sure could too.

This article explains how Audi and Mustang satisfied the regs. Nothing like as nice as the Euro signals though. They use a large conventional flasher for legality and a row of sequential LEDs for effect in the case of Audi. Mustang just uses 3 large lights of which only the first is for the legal requirement.

If you've been behind a brand new Audi recently, you've probably noticed that a portion of the turn signal lights up in a little line that shows what direction the car is turning. If you put on the left turn signal, the line starts from the inside portion of the signal and stretches outwards, towards the left side of the car, indicating a left turn. It's genius.

Except ... it's illegal.

According to federal regulations, this sort of turn signal isn't allowed, for one simple reason: The regulation governs precisely how much turn signal must illuminate as the signal is turned on, and a little directional line isn't enough lit surface area in the first "flash" of the turn signal. I'm not sure exactly how much surface area has to be lit in that first flash, but it's not a small figure. If you want your turn signals to light up in sequence, the first light has to be very large -- which is how the Ford Mustang gets away with its distinctive repeating turn signals, all of which are rather large. But a "line" of light isn't enough surface area in that very first flash.

https://www.autotrader.com/car-video...ignal-r-267844

Table IV of the regs indicate a minimum luminous area of 5000 sq mm equivalent to about 2" x 4" for the rear turn signal lamp.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...e49.6.571_1108