They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and when it comes to cars, lighting design can play a huge role in defining a vehicle’s overall character. That includes the tail lights on the Chevy Corvette, which has long been closely tied to the nameplate’s identity. For decades, Corvettes were recognized by their signature round taillights, a design element dating back to the very first model. This tradition carried through six generations until the C7 broke the mold with sharper, more angular tail lights. Now, the C8 continues the C7’s angular approach with horizontally oriented, multi-element lights that lean into the car’s exotic, mid-engine posture. But what if the C8 returned to the rounded setup instead?
C8 Corvette rendering with round tail lights
Standard C8 Corvette tail lights
A recent rendering imagines exactly that: a C8 Z06 with round taillights, merging the sports car’s modern rear end with a more retro-inspired lighting setup.
Indeed, the visual impact is rather significant. Looking at the C8 Z06 as it sits now, the standard taillights feature angular housings that lend the rear fascia a high-tech feel, tightly integrating into the bodywork and flanking deep vents and other prominent styling elements, visually enhancing the overall width in the process. By contrast, the round tail light rendering injects a little C5 or C6 into the mix, softening the rear end considerably. Rather than sharp corners and layered lighting, the rear end feels cleaner and more symmetrical with the round lights, sacrificing some of the supercar attitude in the process.
While we wouldn’t necessarily call the look “nostalgic,” it definitely looks a bit familiar.
Of course, all of this still comes down to personal preference. Do you favor the sharp, horizontal look of the stock C8 Z06 taillights, or does the return to the Corvette’s circular roots capture your eye?
We want to know, so make sure to vote in the poll below and voice your opinion in the comments!
Comments
Much improved
THAT IS HORRIBLE!!!
DON…That picture almost made me cry. It brought back the memory of my silver Corvette that I had when I met my wife. I would buy one in a heartbeat if i could. The horror is what they did to the miss matched rear end of today.
It’s what should have been from the beginning.
Now that’s an improvement!
YES. Just had this discussion yesterday at Cars N Coffee with a dozen other Corvette Owners. Even if no one else does it I will have a replacement bumper modified to use C6 tail lights ready soon for my C8. It is much improved. For lots of different reasons people all felt that the tail could use a little throw-back to Roundish from C2 C3 C5 C6 era. And we will get it working. Save the Wave, visit the museum in Bowling Green. Visit Route 66 next year during the 100th anniversary. Have fun and be safe.
You left out the C4’s they had round tail lights too!It seems the C4 is the forgotten series but it brought the corvette into the technical world!, also love my C8 Z06 tail lights just the way they are!!!
The trunk lid dips down in the centre. If it didn’t and instead had a pronounced lip like spoiler built into the trunk, the round lights work much better than the standard crap they gave us. But with the existing trunk lid, the round lights don’t work. Also, I think the outside round light should be a little larger than the inner one.
The round taillights look awesome. Another benefit is they will not hold water after washing the car. I love my C8 but it takes 10+ more minutes to dry than my C6, all of those angles and and body parts hold water. The wheel are round so the taillights can also be round.
Yeps
Round tail lamps and hidden headlamps forever!!
I never thought I’d say this, but…maybe we should leave well enough, alone! While I personally like my current C5’s “not quite round” tail lights and the fully round C6’s tail lights, for some odd reason in this particular case, on this particular C8 (pictured here) I can’t say as I approve of the way this looks. I can picture those stock C8 tail lights maybe slightly modified as I think the back end of the C8 body style looks to be way too complicated. I’d prefer a simpler attempt removing some of the complicated lines. As they say, everyone takes their coffee just a little bit different, so what I like may not be what someone else likes, and that’s fine. Just expressing my personal opinion…while I do like the current “lines” on the C8’s body, I wouldn’t mind removing some of the more complicated area’s (like the boomerang side units attached to the body, especially in black, again just my personal thought) and smoothen out some of hard angles shown through out the C8 body’s lines from front to back.
Then again, that might actually change the C8’s current body configuration enough that it might not be welcomed if over done and that might not be prudent at this time ruining the current and popular configuration. However, I do approve of the “wide body look of the current Z06 and ERay body…they improve the looks and it draws positive attention from most folks as I never heard a negative comment of the wider Z06 (ERay) configuration.
Neutral here either way, just keep the round taillights EXCLUSIVE TO THE CORVETTE.
Don’t give us some # like a 3cyl CUV with “Corvette inspired!” lights. Like they tried with the front drive Impala.
I like the concept for the nostalgia, but I think the higher outer light is giving me GTR vibes where the outer is bigger.
I agree. The GTR was my first thought too. With all the horizontal elements back there the sudden transition to round tail lights is a bit disturbing. Per haps the C5 lights would have been a good choice??
With the round lites it looks like a Vette.
…yup….a TRUE Corvette ONLY has ROUND tail lights !
Round tail lamps were always a Corvette tradition. And GM should stick to tradition when it comes to the Corvette. In this comparison, the round tail lamps helps clean up a very busy rear end. It would not hurt to have both tail lamps on an even plane….
Yes, much better. those crappy Camaro tail lights need to go
-Big butt has been a visual problem since C4 refresh.
-Use the goggle tail lights from 6th gen Camaro’s refresh, set in a negative space/vented surface .
-Eliminate as much flat surface from the rear fascia that works as a parachute as possible. Move the exhaust tips forward on a real diffuser for downforce. But, the subframe underneath the gearbox obstructing air needs moved up.
-A problem is the dam* trunk. So keep the convertibles on a separate rear with a trunk, and make coupe storage behind the seats only.
Not hard issues to think through. Yes round tail lights are more Corvette worthy.
…yup….a TRUE Corvette ONLY has ROUND tail lights !
I’m not so sure. It doesn’t remind me of a 1953 Corvette at all.
They should have Never gotten away from the Round tail lights…
I am amazed that someone never got around to making Round tail lights for the C7 …
Bring back the True Corvette look !!!! Round Taillights !!!!!!
Corvette absolutely needs round taillights. Extremely poor decisions by very bad design people at GM to change to yuppie design taillights.
Round is as they should have been all along!
How about they just make those optional. The rear fascia just snaps on and is a molded piece. Then of course there is the four lights. Options like this might be an easy and inexpensive way to spice up the car without having to pay engineer’s salaries trying to get 10ths of second faster to 60.
I have a C5, that has a complete Tiger Shark Kit, from nose to tail, it’s on my 2002 Z06 644hp. Monster! The Tiger Shark Kit came out in the 2000’s, much better looking than the stock, & it has beautiful round tail lights, & would not look good with any others. They are Corvette, period.
1970-1973 Camaro round taillights also look awesome. 😁
Iconic Corvette! You could look at a sea of vehicles and know it’s a Vette ahead. I currently own a C6 Grand Sport and I love my round taillight. Didn’t buy a C7 because of the change. Ordered a C8 ZR1 because of the power threshold….with reservation….because of the taillight. Can someone make a kit to fit?
Man, it looks so much better with round tail lamps. SO MUCH better.
I’ll start by saying I havnt bought a C8 ONLY because of the busy, convoluted, oddly geometric shaped tail lights. They are downright unappealing, unattractive, and plum HIDEOUS! I’ve been waiting a very long time for somebody to bring this up so we can acknowledge it. All I can hope is they change it for the C9. Either with double round tail lights on each side, like tradition or even a larger single round ring with a reverse light ring inside of it… I don’t know if you can imagine her picture what I’m saying, but that’s what I would like to see either two tail lights on each side or a red ring tail light with a smaller reverse light ring inside of it… Now that would be very clean, sporty and unique!
Then it will be accused of copying the Ford GT.
Being the former owner of three C-6 vettes I am partial to the round taillights
YES! Absolutely!
Hell no…..the new ones are way better!
Whatever they can do to refine the current overwrought rear design is worth it.
You can always tell when designer’s just can’t leave something alone. They start adding design elements on top of more design elements until the thing is an incongruent mess.