C8 Corvette Prototype Flies High in Detroit

Instead of being destroyed, Chevy creates a decorative promotion piece with this pre-production C8 Corvette at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.

Detroit hockey and basketball fans will now see a C8 Corvette every time they go to a Red Wings or Pistons game. While they will likely begin to encounter them in parking lots, that’s not what we are referencing here. Instead, they will have the chance to see a pre-production model on the wall above the northeast exit of the arena. Chevy is a major sponsor of the venue and has been since 2017.

According toMotor Authority, this Corvette once wore the undercover white and black camouflage used to disguise the details of vehicles in development. It now wears a fresh coat of red paint. Appropriate, as it fits the theme of the Detroit Red Wings. It also sports license plates that read “PWR PLAY.” Clever work there, Chevy. It’s the subtle touches that really drive home the point. The sculpture also includes two smooth streaks over the walkway to represent tire tracks.

Based on the install photos, getting the car up there was no easy task. One can only imagine the coordination and cooperation needed by the construction team. A crane, a boom lift and a scissor lift were necessary for the install.  We are very grateful it wound up here, though. Most pre-production vehicles meet an untimely death via the crusher. This is due to many prototype and pre-production cars not meeting sales standards. Many are missing things like emissions control devices and other essentials, keeping them from being street legal. Additionally, most do not have production-ready components found on publicly available models. While it is sad to see them go, it is not worth the liability risk of selling them off. Even vehicles donated to museums and colleges could eventually wind up in the hands of the public, and automakers could be held responsible for any incidents involving them.

Autoblog brought to our attention that this is not the first time Chevy has created an art piece for Little Caesars Arena. They also once created a Red Wings sculpture from car parts.

So let’s all sigh a breath of relief as this C8 test mule lives on to see another day.

Photos: Motor Authority

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