It seems almost foolish to be talking about the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette already, seeing as customer deliveries of the 2020 model have only just started. But at the rate things are going, a substantial share of existing 2020 orders could be rolled over into 2021. That's due to some rather unfortunate timing, on the part of a UAW union strike last year that delayed the start of production. As well as, you know, that whole ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic thing.

But what's more, it's a relevant topic of discussion because the C8 Chevrolet Corvette is slated to change as it enters its second model year, and details have surfaced.

According to Corvette Blogger, the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette will see two new colors replace the existing Long Beach Red and Blade Silver hues: Red Mist Tintcoat, and Silver Flare. The latter could be a dead ringer for the silver paint on the No. 4 Corvette C8.R race car, the outlet says, and it wouldn't be the first time the Corvette brought a race car paint hue to the consumer market.

The bigger news, however, is that the Magnetic Selective Ride Control magnetorheological dampers will no longer be exclusive to the Z51 package, and will instead be offered as an independent standalone option.

In addition, wireless Apple CarPlay will be made standard on all 2021 Chevrolet Corvettes, according to Corvette Blogger, and some new racing-themed aesthetic touches will become available, including new full-length racing stripe and stinger stripe options, and WeatherTech all-weather floor mats with the Corvette Racing "Jake" logo.

Leaked documentation also points toward a "Stingray R" design theme, which could be a new C8.R-inspired exterior graphics package. That wouldn't be unprecedented, as the previous-generation Corvette Z06 was offered with a limited "C7.R Edition" appearance package for a short time.

In all likelihood, Chevrolet didn't have to change a thing about the new C8 Corvette going into the second model year, but we're glad they did; the prospect of C8.R-inspired graphics and magneto dampers across all models is a tantalizing one. Let's hope these are more than mere rumors.