Chevrolet today confirmed that the seventh-generation Corvette will debut on Sunday evening, Jan. 13, 2013, in Detroit. To start the countdown, Chevrolet is showing the new Crossed Flags logo for the new '14 model. "The all-new, seventh-generation Corvette deserved an all-new emblem," said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. "The new Crossed Flags design reflects the character of the next Corvette. The flags are much more modern, more technical, and more detailed than before, underscoring the comprehensive redesign of the entire car." The new Crossed Flags logo was unveiled at Road Atlanta, where Corvette Racing celebrated a sweep of the 2012 production-based American Le Mans Series GT championships. Chevrolet secured the manufacturer's championship, Corvette Racing secured the team championship, and Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner captured the drivers' championship with four wins in the nine races preceding Petit Le Mans, the 2012 ALMS season finale.
These championships make Corvette Racing the most successful team in ALMS history, with a total of 77 class wins, eight drivers' championships, and nine manufacturer and team championships since 2001. The team has also taken seven class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in that span. Corvette Racing will campaign the C6.R for the 2013 ALMS season, while the C7.R is expected to make its racing debut in 2014.
"Winning the ALMS championships with the Corvette C6.R, against prestigious competitors from Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW, is the perfect send-off for the sixth-generation Corvette," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer.
"The seventh-generation Corvette will build on that success," Juechter continued. "With the new Corvette, we set out to build a world-challenging sports car with design, refinement, efficiency, and driver engagement that [are] second to none. The result is a truly all-new Corvette. There are only two carryover parts from the C6 used in the C7--the cabin air filter and the rear latch for the removable roof panel."
The Crossed Flags logo has been a hallmark of the Corvette since its 1953 introduction. It has always incorporated a pair of flags: one a racing checkered flag and the other featuring the Chevrolet "bowtie" emblem and a French fleur-de-lis. The design has evolved over the years, appearing on more than 1.5 million Corvettes along the way.
For the seventh-generation Corvette, the Crossed Flags design boasts a more technical, more angular, and more swept appearance, in proportions that symbolize the new car. It is also a more detailed representation, showing greater depth, color, and attention to detail.
More than 100 variations were considered before the final design was selected.
The new Crossed Flags design will be featured on the '14 Corvette, which will debut for credentialed media on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013 in Detroit. Chevrolet will offer a limited number of tickets to the unveiling to Corvette enthusiasts, with proceeds benefiting the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. Interested parties may contact Roc Linkov (roc@corvettemuseum.com) for more details.
Over the coming weeks, more information and video content about the C7 will be unlocked on www.one13thirteen.com. Enthusiasts can join the conversation about the next-generation Corvette, as well as keep track of new announcements on Facebook (facebook.com/corvette) and Twitter @Chevrolet(#Corvette). Fans who follow the #one13thirteen hashtag on Twitter can look forward to exclusive updates.