GM New Corvette Enigma!!

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Originally Posted by KrisZ
... and as usual, someone had to drag in Toyota into a discussion that's totally unrelated. Gotta keep up that Toyota envy...
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The OP brought up Toyota as an example of how he thinks a car company should be run. Everyone else is just responding to that comment.

Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
For the longest time Toyota would make their Avalons ugly low volume units and a testing ground for new engine and transmissions and those were relevant technologies that would INDEED see downstream into volumes like Camry (which one wouldn't want to screw up). That is the sound approach.
 
Originally Posted by talest
The present-gen C7 is an absolute beast... I checked with my pappy about this, he summed it up the best...

Well, they finally got it right, so, I don't know what they are trying to do.

He is a pretty big driving enthusuast and was huge on the C3 Stingrays having had... quite a few, back when they were new, and then the massive transition to the C4 happened (no 1983 model year Corvette) and then family life took over. He's gotten back in the driver's seat and away from Corvette as a vehicle he would own and use, though he could if he chose to, however he test-drove a Z7 ZR1 or was a friend's car or something, or was at the dealer and he is a preferred customer there or some such thing, good for him, last year, and was.. thoroughly impressed. See above statement.



Hopefully this redesign fixed the one glaring fault the C7 had. It's inability to put the power down. The mid-engine design should help in that regard, but being a DCT-only car is a major downside to me.

I'll test drive one, but I'm guessing I'll be sticking with my old manual trans car that makes far more power than the C7 ever did, and still puts the power down better.
 
Uhh....the C7 ZR1 had a 0-60 of 2.7 sec..hardly unable to put the power down.

The new C8 base model does 0-60 the same as the outgoing C7 ZR1 did....so yeah...even better but no manual offerings only 8sp auto flappy paddles...probably the reason why its even faster.

There really is no advantage to a manual in a high powered car today compared to yesteryear. A manual is almost always slower and gear change mess ups are all but a distant memory.



....and it has a trunk...and a deep frunk too...interior looks like a huge step forward.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Smokescreen
Uhh....the C7 ZR1 had a 0-60 of 2.7 sec..hardly unable to put the power down.

The new C8 base model does 0-60 the same as the outgoing C7 ZR1 did....so yeah...even better but no manual offerings only 8sp auto flappy paddles.



....and it has a trunk...and a deep frunk too...interior looks like a hugh step forward.


Test drive them on a roadracing track, back-to-back with some competititors, you'll see what I'm saying. If you don't believe me, here's a video that demonstrates the problem. The latest C7 ZR-1 has the same issue as the Z06 in the video.
 
All the engineering to mount the engine+trans to the back is definitely a great idea for a sports car - wonder how GM is going to gain or pass onto another vehicle from this exercise.

Maybe the die-hard responses for the post can chime in as to how this cost is going to be amortized!!
 
As that beast of an engine gets bigger and heavier, getting the weight distribution perfect gets tough with a front engine car. Going mid engine makes the car handle better ... in theory at least. Does it really matter to 98 % of buyers ... probably not. But it sure sounds cool, mid engine, just like a Ferrari or Lambo or Maclaren.

I have driven a couple of 2018 Corvettes, and seriously, I don't know how much better they could be. The current car is very, very good !
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
All the engineering to mount the engine+trans to the back is definitely a great idea for a sports car - wonder how GM is going to gain or pass onto another vehicle from this exercise.

Maybe the die-hard responses for the post can chime in as to how this cost is going to be amortized!!


Spend some time researching Halo Car. Amortized cost and Corvette don't belong in the same sentence.
 
I'd like to see it return to a more simple muscle car. Give it an engine,transmission,two seats,and the basic necessary gauges. Get rid of all the nanny electronic gizmos and weird gaudy body kits.
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
All the engineering to mount the engine+trans to the back is definitely a great idea for a sports car - wonder how GM is going to gain or pass onto another vehicle from this exercise.

Maybe the die-hard responses for the post can chime in as to how this cost is going to be amortized!!


Have we already ruled out a de-tuned Cadillac variant?
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
I'd like to see it return to a more simple muscle car. Give it an engine,transmission,two seats,and the basic necessary gauges. Get rid of all the nanny electronic gizmos and weird gaudy body kits.


They have a simple muscle car - the Camaro.

The Corvette isn't a muscle car. It has always been meant on some level to compete with European sports cars of varying types. At first it was small roadsters, now it has evolved into a supercar with a very attainable price tag, and that's pretty cool.
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/18/success/gm-corvette-stingray/index.html

Unfortunate so much engineering money is spent on a weekend car - classic case of out of control powerful engineering managers.
If they indeed exited the car segment then why plough money into sport cars.!! Misplaced priorities.


So sell your GM stock and write Mary a strongly worded letter. Obviously you know all about the auto industry and GM's financial structure.
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
Originally Posted by wings&wheels

Because it will sell, it is a marketing exercise and some people want to drive an exciting car and are willing to make sacrifices to do that...


You don't get it right - it is important to be financially viable to support hard costs. Financial Responsibility comes ahead of anything.
Heading to Washington with a bowl makes no sense!!!



Your barking up to wrong tree. GM's investment in the Corvette repays the company in spades. The decision makers regarding labor and consumer issues is were GM will and has cut it's nose to spite it's face.
 
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/18/success/gm-corvette-stingray/index.html

Unfortunate so much engineering money is spent on a weekend car - classic case of out of control powerful engineering managers.
If they indeed exited the car segment then why plough money into sport cars.!! Misplaced priorities.


This Corvette is intended to show what GM is capable of when focusing on the same goals as its competitors in the high-end performance car segment.
That GM has managed to bring exceptional specs and performance at a relative bargain price point for the class also demonstrates that the company isn't nearly as clueless and inept as many, including me, would have thought.
This car will also make money for GM. Corvette volume potential at the Bowling Green factory is huge as compared to what other makers of cars of similar performance can achieve and this new model will bring in a whole new group of buyers, well beyond the Corvette faithful.
 
We also have to remember that racing is advertising, and we'll be seeing the Vette at endurance races, and always have. The new Sierra isn't a Le Mans competitor. Most OEMs have something up top that isn't exactly their bread and butter. It's a lot cooler than calling an Impala a race car, which they also tried, but I digress.
 
The Camaro is going to be discontinued (likely, and again,) due to simply being overshadowed by the Vette.

Could the mid-engine Corvette also be trying to address how the Corvette was the de-facto I am middle aged and I am having a mid-life crisis car? Old edian age of Corvette buyers..
 
Originally Posted by Garak
We also have to remember that racing is advertising, and we'll be seeing the Vette at endurance races, and always have. The new Sierra isn't a Le Mans competitor. Most OEMs have something up top that isn't exactly their bread and butter. It's a lot cooler than calling an Impala a race car, which they also tried, but I digress.


Maybe it will be Corvette's turn to be competitive at LeMans again with the C8. Ford had their day in the sun with the new GT, and the FIA helped by requiring the C7 to run small intake restrictors. Now with the new Corvette, maybe the FIA will give GM the "golden restrictor".
 
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