C8 ZR1

[jollymon]

Sweet baby jesus Totally out of my range but so awesome to see a production bowtie car that will totally hang with the really big dawgs.

[ariZona28]

Another engineering marvel by the Corvette team. How could you NOT want one? Glad to see there is one segment of gm that still gets it.

[102SS]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Ignoring the ZR1 is going to be way outside my price range even at MSRP....

As much as I want the ZR1, the power is going to be completely unusable on the street. The car is awesome, I want one in my garage, etc. But I can't use the 670 HP in my Z06 on the street. I floor it for 1 second and hear it go to 8600 RPM once and I immediately have to let off to make sure I don't go to jail. The Z06 over SR justification was the LT6 with its sound and experience even if SR was already more car for my needs on the street. I can't use the same justification for ZR1 because the sound and experience is already very similar in the Z06. It's turned up to 11 in the ZR1, but it's not going to be much different vs Z06 in what I was after.

Billieve it or not this will help sell more C8's of all trim levels

I would expect a limit on the amount of these "Super Cars" that they will build and most will wind up in some rich collectors garage.

You build them because you can and to show off your technology and to put your brand up there with other premium brands like Ferrari,Lambo,McLaren ect

Every rich guy that buys one is going to get a free 3 day vacation at Ron Fellows ranch to play with one on the track.

Zora is looking down with a smile ear to ear...RIP Mr Duntov

(BTW I didn't spell Billieve wrong I am a huge Buffalo Bills fan and its a Bills thing)

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

This was locked into the product portfolio while I was still at GM. I retired in March 2017. The decision to go all EV was announced in 2019. Theoretically, they could have cancelled it with the shift in strategy but there was never really any chance of that happening. Thankfully.

You know, James, the fact that new vehicle development takes 8+ years from inception to public prototype is both fascinating and disenchanting at the same time. After all, it's not like GM has to start from scratch every time, there is so much reuse of IP, designs, even literal parts. This is just to say I'm not sure such prolonged product cycles can remain realistic in the 2020s and beyond, if only for the inability to predict market shifts so far ahead, let alone how much digital technology changes in these timeframes.

As you know, I'm not an automotive expert, but there is one area, software development, that I have some understanding of. The computer in the radio module of our 2016-2018 Camaros was already way obsolete on day 1, and even the 2019+ was at least a decade behind even when released. I looked at the GM SDK for MyLink 2.5 and infotainment 3.0, these represent early 2000s software tech at best, "spiked" with a few more modern pieces, reminding me of my college days that ended decades ago...

Now, if I extrapolate that to everything else that goes into the car that I'm not an expert of, these product cycles feel unsustainably long. This might be unfair, though, the software layers might be the only ones that are so obsolete (even if I feel this is unlikely).

I'm not even sure what caliber of software developers they can hire that are willing to work with such ancient tech, but it seems either the Camaro was always a stepchild not allowed near the "good stuff" and other divisions like Cadillac or Corvette have access to quality software tech, or the whole company is lagging decades behind the curve.

[silversleeper]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Ignoring the ZR1 is going to be way outside my price range even at MSRP....

As much as I want the ZR1, the power is going to be completely unusable on the street. The car is awesome, I want one in my garage, etc. But I can't use the 670 HP in my Z06 on the street. I floor it for 1 second and hear it go to 8600 RPM once and I immediately have to let off to make sure I don't go to jail. The Z06 over SR justification was the LT6 with its sound and experience even if SR was already more car for my needs on the street. I can't use the same justification for ZR1 because the sound and experience is already very similar in the Z06. It's turned up to 11 in the ZR1, but it's not going to be much different vs Z06 in what I was after.

I thought exactly the same. I was floored at what an amazing looking and performing vehicle without supercar pricing. If I was in that market I would get it over a Z06 just because. Can't use the power of either anyways.
After a couple seconds of thought I couldn't enjoy it because I couldn't use what it offers. If I did it would be a bad wreck or lost license.
Kudos to the design team. It's a shame I won't financially support them despite creating a dream car.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by 102SS

Billieve it or not this will help sell more C8's of all trim levels

I would expect a limit on the amount of these "Super Cars" that they will build and most will wind up in some rich collectors garage.

You build them because you can and to show off your technology and to put your brand up there with other premium brands like Ferrari,Lambo,McLaren ect

Every rich guy that buys one is going to get a free 3 day vacation at Ron Fellows ranch to play with one on the track.

Zora is looking down with a smile ear to ear...RIP Mr Duntov

(BTW I didn't spell Billieve wrong I am a huge Buffalo Bills fan and its a Bills thing)

No doubt.

Like I said, if I was a rich person where the ZR1's cost is nothing to my wallet, it would be in my garage next to my Z06.

But since I am still in a position of trying to be smart with my money( failed at that for buying a Z06 in the first place ha!), things need justification. ZR1 fails at being justified. Still 100% desirable and want it, but the money can't be justified to actually buy it. Plus the MSRP for the ZR1 I would imagine would be outside of my price range that I can say it is affordable for me.

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by 102SS

Billieve it or not this will help sell more C8's of all trim levels

I would expect a limit on the amount of these "Super Cars" that they will build and most will wind up in some rich collectors garage.

You build them because you can and to show off your technology and to put your brand up there with other premium brands like Ferrari,Lambo,McLaren ect

Every rich guy that buys one is going to get a free 3 day vacation at Ron Fellows ranch to play with one on the track.

Zora is looking down with a smile ear to ear...RIP Mr Duntov

(BTW I didn't spell Billieve wrong I am a huge Buffalo Bills fan and its a Bills thing)

Bills fan since the times I used to sneak into the Ol’ Rockpile as a kid. The OJ Simpson, Jack Kemp, Marlin Briscoe, JD Hill days. Yes, I’m that old. I even have a Bills license plate frame on one of my cars. This is me going to a Bills Lions game at Ford Field. Confused a lot of people. I’ll get to do it again this year. I definitely Billieve!

I saw an interview with Tadge where he said there would not be a limit. I think the pricing will naturally limit demand.

The thing that has me bewildered is that when I was still at GM and had eyes on the program the 1,000 hp target was for Zora not ZR1. Makes me wonder if something even more wicked this way comes. When Jordan Lee was interviewed on one of the videos I saw he even mentioned that the original target for LT7 was 850. That’s what I was also remembering. Glad to see they overachieved.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

The thing that has me bewildered is that when I was still at GM and had eyes on the program the 1,000 hp target was for Zora not ZR1. Makes me wonder if something even more wicked this way comes. When Jordan Lee was interviewed on one of the videos I saw he even mentioned that the original target for LT7 was 850. That’s what I was also remembering. Glad to see they overachieved.

Definitely glad they overachieved as well.

Zora mules have already been spotted. So it is still coming.

Plus this eagle eyed person got the engineers to scramble for a response after he spotted the lines routed specifically around where the electric motor in the E-Ray is.



( 15:00 minutes in)

[bsn]

Big change in HP from my first Corvette a 78 anniversary it had a mighty 180 HP and drove like a truck.

[ariZona28]

Originally Posted by bsn

Big change in HP from my first Corvette a 78 anniversary it had a mighty 180 HP and drove like a truck.

Yeah but along with the overweight F bodies that was as good as you could get. The competition was laughable.

[bsn]

Many years ago I bought my wife a wrecked 78 mustang that had a hole in the side of the block. I rebuilt it and put in a new engine, it was a reliable car but horrible milage, and a pain to work on. A few years later we had a chance to buy a mint Cutlass Supreme T top from a neighbor. We bought it and that's the only car my wife drove, I drove the Mustang to work. One day I told her I was going to trade the Mustang in on a truck, she said OK so I did it. When I showed up with the truck she said when do we pick up the Mustang-I told her about our conversation in the morning. Didn't go well, she thought I was joking about trading in. Tried to buy it back but the dealer wanted too much. Fast forward 35 years and to make up for this I bought my wife a Mustang Convertible with the premium package, 41 years later A Mustang GT with the Performance Pack-both cars are Bad Ass and we still own them. Every time she sees one of those God-awful late 70's Mustangs she wants to get one even if she had to sell one of her toys. If I could find a decent example of one I would get her one, they just don't exist. They were such crap no one collected them.

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

Bills fan since the times I used to sneak into the Ol’ Rockpile as a kid. The OJ Simpson, Jack Kemp, Marlin Briscoe, JD Hill days. Yes, I’m that old. I even have a Bills license plate frame on one of my cars. This is me going to a Bills Lions game at Ford Field. Confused a lot of people. I’ll get to do it again this year. I definitely Billieve!

I saw an interview with Tadge where he said there would not be a limit. I think the pricing will naturally limit demand.

The thing that has me bewildered is that when I was still at GM and had eyes on the program the 1,000 hp target was for Zora not ZR1. Makes me wonder if something even more wicked this way comes. When Jordan Lee was interviewed on one of the videos I saw he even mentioned that the original target for LT7 was 850. That’s what I was also remembering. Glad to see they overachieved.

Ha, funny pic what with the Lions hat and Bills jersey. I guess you can get away with it since they’re in different conferences…

I heard Tadge say to Carlos Lago something that made me think this was the top C8. Maybe Zora is for the next generation? How is the eRay selling? Maybe they’re rethinking the Zora approach if eRay isn’t flying off the shelves. In other words, corvette people want special high powered V8 ICE engines, not a hybrid or EV cop out.

Just like Mate Rimac has said Bugatti is keeping ICE because rich people don’t want the Nevera because the drivetrain isn’t special. A V16 that revs to 10k rpm? Now that’s special. Or how Koeniesegg has said they aren’t offering the Gemera in 3 cyl anymore because people don’t want downsized tiny engines in sports cars or supercars. Similar to the new C63 S E hybrid 4 cyl. I’m surprised Ferrari is getting away with it so far with the 296 GTB. People want V8s, morons!

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by Idaho2018GTPremium

Ha, funny pic what with the Lions hat and Bills jersey. I guess you can get away with it since they’re in different conferences…

I heard Tadge say to Carlos Lago something that made me think this was the top C8. Maybe Zora is for the next generation? How is the eRay selling? Maybe they’re rethinking the Zora approach if eRay isn’t flying off the shelves. In other words, corvette people want special high powered V8 ICE engines, not a hybrid or EV cop out.

Just like Mate Rimac has said Bugatti is keeping ICE because rich people don’t want the Nevera because the drivetrain isn’t special. A V16 that revs to 10k rpm? Now that’s special. Or how Koeniesegg has said they aren’t offering the Gemera in 3 cyl anymore because people don’t want downsized tiny engines in sports cars or supercars. Similar to the new C63 S E hybrid 4 cyl. I’m surprised Ferrari is getting away with it so far with the 296 GTB. People want V8s, morons!

I think what Tadge said / tried not to say is that ZR1 is HIS last Corvette program. It’s already announced that he is retiring and that Tony Roma (V-Series Chief) is taking the Corvette reins. When I was still at GM (2017) there was a model above ZR1. Thing is, at that time the ZR1 was targeting 850 - 875 hp and the model that shall not be named (you already know the name) was targeting 1,000. Since ZR1 already tops 1,000 it is possible that GM can say “job done”. But it's equally possible that the parts planned for the top model still get added and we see something around 1,200+ hp. Whether that is this generation or next is equally up for grabs. In 2017 it was planned for C8. Things can change in 7 years.

[ChevyRules]

Originally Posted by Idaho2018GTPremium

Ha, funny pic what with the Lions hat and Bills jersey. I guess you can get away with it since they’re in different conferences…

I heard Tadge say to Carlos Lago something that made me think this was the top C8. Maybe Zora is for the next generation? How is the eRay selling? Maybe they’re rethinking the Zora approach if eRay isn’t flying off the shelves. In other words, corvette people want special high powered V8 ICE engines, not a hybrid or EV cop out.

Just like Mate Rimac has said Bugatti is keeping ICE because rich people don’t want the Nevera because the drivetrain isn’t special. A V16 that revs to 10k rpm? Now that’s special. Or how Koeniesegg has said they aren’t offering the Gemera in 3 cyl anymore because people don’t want downsized tiny engines in sports cars or supercars. Similar to the new C63 S E hybrid 4 cyl. I’m surprised Ferrari is getting away with it so far with the 296 GTB. People want V8s, morons!

I get the special view. It’s why I went Z06 over SR.

I get the no-hum response to E-Ray so far by enthusiasts because Z06 exists and is priced so closely. E-Ray isn’t a bad car and offers Z06 performance in a more street friendly package.

But I think response to a Zora will be different because Zora is supposedly going to be LT7+electric. You still get the special powertrain and now something extra to improve traction and go faster. If E-Ray was LT6+electric motor, maybe it would be getting a better reception. The fact it uses LT2 is driving it down among enthusiasts.

Though production/supplier issues have been limiting production with only 750 E-Rays built so far. But market is already back at MSRP.