Corvettes in Europe
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Corvettes in Europe
My wife and I have been traveling in Europe for the past ten days with friends and I have seen only three vettes so far. I saw a black C-6 in Paris and a C-6 and a C-5 in Germany and Austria. But then I have seen few American cars here. I don't know if I would like to drive my GS over here in these small streets.
#3
Le Mans Master
I took a drive though the narrow streets of "The North End" of Boston this summer looking for a parking spot. Scary experience.Thought I had curb rashed my wheels.
#5
Burning Brakes
I just returned from London and didn't see any Vettes either but here's about as close as you'll come to an English Vette. Buick V8 powered MGB.
Last edited by RonsGS; 01-05-2011 at 10:37 PM.
#6
Drifting
#8
Race Director
Import tax kills a lot of the deals in a heartbeat. I lived in Germany for 8 years and had some real good friends. They would be shocked at the prices I paid for a car. Germans are also screwed with a VAT tax that was 16% at the time. Learn about VAT tax quick because that is what they want to go to here.
It was actually cheaper for me to buy a US Spec VW in Germany then it was for them to buy a Eurospec one. Usually the Eurospec one didn't have all the options my US spec one did.
The roads are narrower but that is not a reason for them not buying a Corvette.
You can also thank registration fees that love small motors. 6+ L motor is definitely rare over there. Insurance also liked to go buy HP, at least back then. In the early 90s 150hp would put you in the highest insurance category before they base it on your car's value.
It was actually cheaper for me to buy a US Spec VW in Germany then it was for them to buy a Eurospec one. Usually the Eurospec one didn't have all the options my US spec one did.
The roads are narrower but that is not a reason for them not buying a Corvette.
You can also thank registration fees that love small motors. 6+ L motor is definitely rare over there. Insurance also liked to go buy HP, at least back then. In the early 90s 150hp would put you in the highest insurance category before they base it on your car's value.
#9
Melting Slicks
In my years of business travel I have seen and continue to see loads of Cherokees on the Autostradas in Italy. Of course, tons of high powered European high end cars as well. Kind of humbling when there you are doing the best you can in your rental Fiat....although, the 500 is a great little car..!!!
#10
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Member Since: Jan 2008
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My wife and I just returned from Italy, Monaco, Greece, Montenegro and Croatia. I saw two Vettes----a red C6 Z06 in Kotor, Montenegro and silver C5 in Rome. Only saw one Maseratti and no Ferraris while the trip.
#12
Get Some!
I had a C5 Z06 for 2.5 years while stationed in Germany. I drove it from Prague to Amsterdam and every where in between and had a blast. I swear having a new Vette over there is like having a Ferrari over here.
#13
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '13
About 2003 there was a new C5 coupe on display in the Frankfurt airport terminal. The price was not twice as high as U.S., but getting pretty close.
#14
Pro
Been driving my Vette over here for a few months now and so far no problems with the small streets. As far as the taxes go you are right. I was going to sell my Camaro to a German citizen until he realized how much the taxes were.
#15
With the current exchange rate (1 Euro = 1.30 Dollars) a new C6 costs 130.000 Dollars in the Netherlands, thanks to our greedy government.
YES, you are reading this right, that's the price for a base C6, although it has Z51 and 3LT as standard, it's an insane price.
It's the same with houses, land, food, performance parts for the Corvette, basically everything is way more expensive over here.
The only things that may be cheaper are hookers and soft-drugs
You guys are so lucky that you live in such a great country, you should appreciate it more, I wished I live in the US
Fred
#16
For the guy complaining about the prices in Germany, well they are actually low compared to the ones in the Netherlands.
With the current exchange rate (1 Euro = 1.30 Dollars) a new C6 costs 130.000 Dollars in the Netherlands, thanks to our greedy government.
YES, you are reading this right, that's the price for a base C6, although it has Z51 and 3LT as standard, it's an insane price.
It's the same with houses, land, food, performance parts for the Corvette, basically everything is way more expensive over here.
The only things that may be cheaper are hookers and soft-drugs
You guys are so lucky that you live in such a great country, you should appreciate it more, I wished I live in the US
Fred
With the current exchange rate (1 Euro = 1.30 Dollars) a new C6 costs 130.000 Dollars in the Netherlands, thanks to our greedy government.
YES, you are reading this right, that's the price for a base C6, although it has Z51 and 3LT as standard, it's an insane price.
It's the same with houses, land, food, performance parts for the Corvette, basically everything is way more expensive over here.
The only things that may be cheaper are hookers and soft-drugs
You guys are so lucky that you live in such a great country, you should appreciate it more, I wished I live in the US
Fred
#17
Melting Slicks
My wife and I have been traveling in Europe for the past ten days with friends and I have seen only three vettes so far. I saw a black C-6 in Paris and a C-6 and a C-5 in Germany and Austria. But then I have seen few American cars here. I don't know if I would like to drive my GS over here in these small streets.
A widebody car does not do too well in Europe. I would not doubt the C7 will be smaller than the C6, if GM wants to compete in the European market, which it should if it wants to survive in the global economy.
#18
Get Some!
That was one of the reasons why Dave Hill wanted to make the C6 smaller dimensionally than the C5. In order to make the Corvette more of a viable car in Europe the C6 had to be smaller. That was Dave Hill's key factor in designing the C6. Since his departure from GM, things have changed a bit.
A widebody car does not do too well in Europe. I would not doubt the C7 will be smaller than the C6, if GM wants to compete in the European market, which it should if it wants to survive in the global economy.
A widebody car does not do too well in Europe. I would not doubt the C7 will be smaller than the C6, if GM wants to compete in the European market, which it should if it wants to survive in the global economy.