There
is a certain comfort level in the styling of the current
Corvette — its hideaway headlamps, softly sculpted
front fenders and Coke-bottle waist have been burned
into our collective automotive psyche. To this has
been added a special Anniversary Red paint. In brilliant
sunlight the color is, well, brilliant, thanks to
the use of Xirallic paint technology, which uses flat
aluminum oxide flakes to give depth and sparkle to
the color. In daylight, the car literally glows like
the subtlest of Candy Apple Reds. Unfortunately, under
less favorable skies, the brilliance fades and turns
the car to almost a muddy brown. The special paint
is offset by champagne-colored wheels. This subdued
combination is in stark contrast to earlier circus-inspired
paint schemes of past anniversary and Indy pace-car
models. Speaking of which, instead of doing an Indy
Pace Car paint/decal package, the cars at the Brickyard
this May sported 50th-anniversary decals in lieu of
the traditional Indy livery — very classy.
