Redesigned Headlights on the C6 Corvette
It's true that innovative design changes have been ingrained into the Corvette's DNA over the past 60 years. However, no other design change on the C6 Corvette created a bigger stir than the covered headlights when they were introduced in 2006. True blue Corvette owners and die-hard Corvette enthusiasts were decidedly unhappy, even angry, with the elimination of the cool pop-up headlights that had been a Corvette signature since the 1960's. "GM is ruining the Corvette," fans lamented. "Why are they changing something we like?" It seemed that the car would never be the same, and that fans would reject the C6 design as a dud.
That didn't happen, of course. Now that several years have passed, we now know that car lovers didn't give up on the Corvette. The headlight controversy came and went, and the Corvette continued to be loved by car enthusiasts everywhere. There were even a few bright spots, pun intended. The upgraded headlight technology was a positive for Corvette racing teams. The shielded lights held up better in endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans that included long grueling hours of night racing, and the lamps themselves emit more light.
I wonder what surprises will be coming when the C7 design is unveiled for the 2014 model year. I've heard rumblings that a complete design overhaul is in the works, which is likely to cause another round of fan angst. I don't know about you, but I'll be "waiting with bated breath."
