Telepierre

GM Aims to Raise Profit Margin to 10%: Report
http://www.cnbc.com/id/46278497

So we got the C7 design nailed down..want to poll on prices?

I say start at 53ish..? with wheels and steering..

BluegrassMotorsport

I don't know that they will need to raise the price much. I think it may mean less discounts. I.E. less dealers offering 10-15k off sticker like they do now.

m48xhp

GM doesn't make its bread on the Corvette. Plus, lets say their profit on a Corvette right now is $5k. That means it would only go up for $500, nothing crazy. They need more profit, so my stock can go up!

$49600 for a 2012. i bet the 2013 will be $49900 or so. 2014, ill bet is either also $49900 or $54900. They are going to want to make a price point impression, just like every new car model does. sneak it right under a round number, sometimes less than the previous model. Toyota did that with the 2012 camry. 2015+ will take off though. I would expect a $150k Corvette by the end of the decade!

Telepierre

I don't know...I got a feeling Corvette may bear the brunt of profit seeking due to the nature of the car. If the up scaling efforts of the C6 are any indication: 2012 C6 Z06 (07 package) $102,230. At this pace we could possibly hit a 150K vette by mid-decade.

Endeka

I doubt it; companies rarely make their bread on their halo cars (many companies, like VW, Porsche, and Lexus actually lose money on their top models).

It's easier to spread a $200 increase across tens of thousands of Cobalt and Sonic sales than a $3,000 increase across a thousand Corvette sales.

Corvette also has to watch out for the new Viper, which I think may turn out to be the C7's biggest competition. If Fiat brings the interior design sensibilities of some of its other brands to the Viper, and we end up with a well put together viper interior with Recaros or similar, that's going to be a big problem for GM.

BlueOx

Given the "show me your Rolex collection" crowd here, I don't think a rise in base price would really affect most Corvette buyers.

LS1LT1

I was never under the impression that there was going to even be a sub $50k C7, I've just assumed that the car was absolutely going to have a starting MSRP of over $50k actually.
Though I would GLADLY WELCOME a starting price of $49k.

quick04Z06

The Corvette needs to go up in price. It should be real 911 fighter, not an overpriced Camaro (both in perception and in reality). The notion that the Corvette is a "red neck sports car" needs to end as it kills Corvettes in higher price ranges. Now GM needs to upgrade content, too, and not just raise price to be raising it; but, I think the base price should be about halfway between a base Cayman and a base 911. This should be about 59,000.00 as I see it, for a base Corvette. And, even the base car should look solid on the inside (competitive with the Germans) and have top notch fit and finish.

Telepierre

Therein lies the challenge and my "worry" about profit taking.
So I have seen a video excerpt from Tadge Juncter stating that corvette started being a profitable business with C4 going to C5 and then the C6. He was making the point to outline the fact that that is how they can build a credible Corvette.

Now let's fast forward to C7 and I see profit to mean "same thing for more". I hope I am wrong with this sentiment but I see a big challenge hitting past volumes with what I see a +50K barrier breaker. May as well be a red neck car which is actually fine if there are a lot of red necks I suppose..

Racer X

You do understand that we set the selling price, right? GM sets the suggested selling price and the dealer price. If the price is too high we don't buy them and they have to start giving rebates to get us to buy them.

Their floor merely sets the volume of Corvettes we buy.

Also, as someone suggested above they improve they average selling price by producing a better car and reducing rebates. They improve profit, by buying cheaper. Now Carbon Ceramic brakes cost like 10k in a apckage with other things, Maybe if they made the package available on all models they could get the package price down $1000. Or they develop or license a new carbon fiber lay-up process and the carbon package drops by $1000 or they make 1000 more on the ZR1.

Maybe they switch to platic based Alcantara for the base model and save a couple hundred bucks and improve their image among those that think it brings and "exotic" flair.

There are many ways to improve margins.

zland

My biggest fear is not MSRP for the first year, it is dealer greed of what they want over MSRP.

jackhall99

Topic beat to death a month ago.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...he-new-c7.html

Jinx

Every topic has been beaten to death already.

Fat lot of good that does us now. Posts must be made. Opinion must be stated. Those who disagree must be vanquished. The Internet demands tribute!

shawnvettefan

....I suspect the C7 will be on par or better than the 911 in all/most aspects (given the interior is a big step up). There is no way the 911 should be $30K more than than the Corvette!!

IMO it's over-priced and the Corvette is under-priced. I would be perfectly happy with a base car starting at $60K that has a world class interior and is a bit more exclusive.

SLEV3N

It's a shame, blue collars can afford a corvette my ***! :/

As I'm getting close to getting done with college and internships and getting closer to a big boy salary job soon(cross fingers). I'm dreaming to one day own a USED $35k Z06 one day.

But as soon as I get get out I'll be buying a 02+C5Z

jackhall99

texvette2

first year will be a problem child. Maybe part of second. So there
will a few I got to have one and pay a prem to have. But most
are sensible, and will hold out. So chevy could shoot themselves
if price too high. The corvette dreamers are dwindling with all the
stuff out there today. So will be interesting to watch the new
crowd.

Telepierre

Great input as I better understand how pricing really works in this market.

In Europe for example is a bit different...for cars like Corvette and Porsche is about how much people are willing to pay..hence my belief that a 911 is really not 30K "better" than a Corvette.

Sorry for re threading the subject...I was in a "Corvette state of Mind"..

jimmyb

Look at it this way: The CHEAPEST MSRP on a new generation Corvette is always the first year of the car. That said, dealer markups on the first year are what they are.

For fun, I just looked at Kerbeck, I can buy a 2012 GS Convertible (3LT) for LESS than I paid for my 2LT Convertible in 2008.

Jimmy

FloydSummerOf68

I too hope they don't try and bargain-bin the Corvette. It need quality materials to compete with the M cars, AMGs and 911s. Performance is only one part of the equation in a world-class car.