Spied: Is this the mid-engined Corvette?

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by JhonnyGTR

Thanks for prooving my point with those pictures. That redenering of the Vette blends right in with the other two. The Corvette right now and every generation before has been unmistakable. I cant see how this will carry that tradition on.

[shaffe]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Corvette certainly offers levels of performance at a much lesser cost than some of the cars it competes with, but I struggle to agree the Corvette can be had by just any average Joe. Typical buyers are either young (no kids) making more money than is typical for their age, middle aged with kids but making lots of money (enough that a basically un-used car taking up space in a garage in the house is no big deal) or later in life, kids pretty much gone, and in a place in life where you can afford some of the "finer" things.



I don't understand why everyone thinks it HAS to cost lots more than the current Corvette. It doesn't.

Now I'm sure the top dog version may be the most expensive Corvette we've ever seen. But why does the base version with a standard naturally aspirated V8 have to cost significantly more than today's 55 - 60K Corvette?

Since it appears that the front engine Corvette might live on while the mid engine version comes online, perhaps the mid engine will be the premium, top end Corvette and expensive....only. But if GM plans to ever drop the front engine car, you can bet that cheaper, lower tier models will come, and they should fall right in line to about what you'd pay for a Corvette now days. (price inflation adjusted of course lol)

What I meant by that is it's price is attainable. A nicely equipped Z51 is what mid 60s? Yeah that's alot of coin but that price is still very fair.

I don't think the price has to go up more than the current vette but seems a lot of people fear it will. Some think that is why the Camaro has gotten to the price point/performance point its at is to take Corvette's spot as it goes "upmarket"

[Royal Tiger]

It needs to stay on the cheaper end, because it is. No one closes their eyes in a 911 and thinks they are in a Chevy.

Looking at the horrid (for the price) interior in the 6 figure-ish CTS-V, I don’t think GM can do a proper interior for that level of competition. Have you ever sat in a Ferrari? They don’t cost that much just for the horse badge. It’s exquisite inside. Hand stitched Italian leather and real carbon fiber. Even a race focused 911 GT3 RS has a better looking interior than a Corvette.

[ZZZTOPZZZ]

Originally Posted by motorhead

Thanks for prooving my point with those pictures. That redenering of the Vette blends right in with the other two. The Corvette right now and every generation before has been unmistakable. I cant see how this will carry that tradition on.

Personally, I wouldn't shove it out of my driveway because it leaked a few drops of oil. I think it's great looking machine, and it's going to be a great value and a great performer for the unwashed masses.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

The problem with the Corvette is it seems 90% of them are driven 10 under the speed limit by old men. I know with ours people gave me a second look being under 50. It’s a shame. True enthusiasts will still want one, but too often I see men in their 60’s and 70’s in one. Maybe it’s a northeast & Florida phenomenon, the two areas I have the most time in. I don’t recall many Corvettes when living in Texas in the 90’s.

Older people buy Corvettes because youngins' normally can't justify dropping that much money on a car that has minimal practicality.



Thats part of the reason I think that if the Corvette brand is expanding, they should try and make a base model too. A Cayman to the Stingrays Carrera. Smaller, lighter, less powerful, cheaper. A 300 hp sports car, at 3000 lbs, for $30k seems like a decent rough target for that type of car (though maybe a touch optimistic price). It would open Corvettes up to a lot of new potential buyers, and should have minimal overlap (and therefore stolen sales) from Camaros.

[Royal Tiger]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Older people buy Corvettes because youngins' normally can't justify dropping that much money on a car that has minimal practicality.



Thats part of the reason I think that if the Corvette brand is expanding, they should try and make a base model too. A Cayman to the Stingrays Carrera. Smaller, lighter, less powerful, cheaper. A 300 hp sports car, at 3000 lbs, for $30k seems like a decent rough target for that type of car (though maybe a touch optimistic price). It would open Corvettes up to a lot of new potential buyers, and should have minimal overlap (and therefore stolen sales) from Camaros.

Absolutely agree DG. A (minimum) 2 prong strategy.

Are you in favor of making Corvette a brand? That seems to come and go.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

Absolutely agree DG. A (minimum) 2 prong strategy.

Are you in favor of making Corvette a brand? That seems to come and go.

Maybe a sub-brand under the Chevrolet banner with 3 models: Base, Normal, Mid-engined super car. They all have Corvette logos and styling cues, but still get sold out of a Chevy dealership and are still considered Chevrolets.

I can't get behind the idea of making it a full brand, where they clone Porsche with a number of sports cars plus a sedan and some crossovers and their own showrooms and ... no. Just, no.

[Iron Lung Jimmy]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Older people buy Corvettes because youngins' normally can't justify dropping that much money on a car that has minimal practicality.



Thats part of the reason I think that if the Corvette brand is expanding, they should try and make a base model too. A Cayman to the Stingrays Carrera. Smaller, lighter, less powerful, cheaper. A 300 hp sports car, at 3000 lbs, for $30k seems like a decent rough target for that type of car (though maybe a touch optimistic price). It would open Corvettes up to a lot of new potential buyers, and should have minimal overlap (and therefore stolen sales) from Camaros.

On paper the starting Cayman price is appealing but there is virtually no such thing as a base Cayman so in the real world you're spending $70-$100K. They are great cars because, for that price, they can be.

A $30K Corvette would probably suck.

Corvette isn't broke... no need to fix it.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Iron Lung Jimmy

On paper the starting Cayman price is appealing but there is virtually no such thing as a base Cayman so in the real world you're spending $70-$100K. They are great cars because, for that price, they can be.

A $30K Corvette would probably suck.

Corvette isn't broke... no need to fix it.

Nobody drives away from the dealership in a 911 for only 90 grand either. Porsche does that with everything.

I didn't bring up the Cayman and 911 as examples of how Corvette should nickle and dime people with options. I mentioned them as examples to show what the relative positioning in the lineup would be.

Would a $30k Corvette be an absolute world beater that destroys anything that has less than a 6 figure price tag? No. Of course not. Thats not the point. Its most direct competitor would be the Nissan 370Z. And thats not too high of a bar to cross.

Its not a replacement for the C# Corvettes either. The main line of C# Corvettes can keep going on and on and on. This just gets sold along side it to actually get people under 60 behind the wheel of a Corvette, and maybe get them to consider buying a 'regular' Corvette before their hair goes grey.

[Iron Lung Jimmy]

My point wasn't about pricing strategy so much as it was that for what Porsche charges even their entry level model can be excellent.

If the entry level Corvette is not all that great... which it wouldn't be... that's not going to help the brand, IMO.

Also, since there is a continuous supply of graying men in the pipeline for the forseeable future I don't think that being the main demographic is necessarily a problem.

[JerTM]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Nobody drives away from the dealership in a 911 for only 90 grand either. Porsche does that with everything.

I didn't bring up the Cayman and 911 as examples of how Corvette should nickle and dime people with options. I mentioned them as examples to show what the relative positioning in the lineup would be.

Would a $30k Corvette be an absolute world beater that destroys anything that has less than a 6 figure price tag? No. Of course not. Thats not the point. Its most direct competitor would be the Nissan 370Z. And thats not too high of a bar to cross.

Its not a replacement for the C# Corvettes either. The main line of C# Corvettes can keep going on and on and on. This just gets sold along side it to actually get people under 60 behind the wheel of a Corvette, and maybe get them to consider buying a 'regular' Corvette before their hair goes grey.

As much as I love my Camaro, it would be gone in half a heartbeat for a bare bones C7 if it was financially viable for me.

[FenwickHockey65]

[zebra]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

...
Thats part of the reason I think that if the Corvette brand is expanding, they should try and make a base model too. A Cayman to the Stingrays Carrera. Smaller, lighter, less powerful, cheaper. A 300 hp sports car, at 3000 lbs, for $30k seems like a decent rough target for that type of car (though maybe a touch optimistic price). It would open Corvettes up to a lot of new potential buyers, and should have minimal overlap (and therefore stolen sales) from Camaros.

you mean like the 'Billy Bob' (aka Fixed Roof Coupe) for the 99-00 models?
they tried that once & did away with the very idea before production... and even what came of the revised concept went away after 2 models when they turned it around & made it into the top-dog version.

for those who ain't familiar, in an effort to increase sales, GM started off with the idea of having a stripped-down, more-affordable C5 model with no frills, a smaller engine, slushbox-only, & lesser-grade components (like cloth seats & crank windows). after polling the market, they realized having base-grade stuff wouldn't come near the expectations for a company's flagship, so they modified their stance by taking their new stiffer/lighter hardtop body style and limited the modifiable options to keep the cost a smidge below the hatchback. all had LS1s & manual transmissions with black interior & Z51 suspension.
sales were still far below expectations with <6200 sold in 2 years, so they decided to scrap that plan, take the performance advantages of stiffness & lighter weight, expound upon those, and make a quicker/more powerful 'race' version, dusting off the Z06 moniker from '63.

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Maybe a sub-brand under the Chevrolet banner with 3 models: Base, Normal, Mid-engined super car. They all have Corvette logos and styling cues, but still get sold out of a Chevy dealership and are still considered Chevrolets.

I can't get behind the idea of making it a full brand, where they clone Porsche with a number of sports cars plus a sedan and some crossovers and their own showrooms and ... no. Just, no.

no monkey-see, monkey-do please...
dodge viper, hyundai genesis, etc... call them what they are.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by zebra

you mean like the 'Billy Bob' (aka Fixed Roof Coupe) for the 99-00 models?
they tried that once & did away with the very idea before production... and even what came of the revised concept went away after 2 models when they turned it around & made it into the top-dog version.

I was thinking about a car that would be more like the Sky or Solstice. Not just a chinzed out C7.

Originally Posted by zebra

no monkey-see, monkey-do please...
dodge viper, hyundai genesis, etc... call them what they are.

In my mind, picture it as still being 'Chevrolet Corvette Zora (the super car), Chevrolet Corvette C7 (or maybe C8 at that point), and Chevrolet Corvette <insert name here>'.