BlueOx

There seems to be a LOT of discussion about the C7's competition here but few really are specific about what MODELS (not just brands) a potential buyer is really going to cross-shop with the C7.

So what are your top 3 picks?

If you go to the Corvette web site, they show 3 cars to compare the base C6 (MSRP: $49,600) with:
-2012 Porsche 911 2dr Cpe Carrera S - MSRP: $96,400
-2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i 2dr Roadster sDrive28i - MSRP: $48,650
-2012 Porsche Cayman 2dr Cpe - MSRP: $51,900

JoesC5

A boat.
A weekend cabin in the woods.
A weekend house on the lake or river.
A RV.
A 1970 Malibu SS454.
A beauty makeover for the mother -in-law.

Lots of things that that money could be spent on, as many people will buy a C7 as a toy. It's just not sports cars that is in competition for the $$$$$.

skank

The last few Vettes have been developed with the Ferrari 550/575 Maranello and the F599 Fiorano as a design directive. The Corvette designs directly correlate to the front engined 50/50 weight distributed grand touring cars of Ferrari. Team Corvette has also paid a lot of attention to the marketing mantra of Porsches 911 but also relates to the 928 mechanicals which Corvette drew from. The Corvette relates to quite a few cars in the fact that it is a sport touring car but also happens to dominate at the track (Nurburgring Nordschliefe, Lightning Lap at VIR, Laguna Seca, ETC. ETC.) Overall I think the 911 is their biggest competitor with the Jag XKR, Aston Martin Vantage, Ferrari 458, Lambo Gallardo as their fringe competitors. Then there's the new Viper which will draw some away. The C7 will have the visual impact of the Italians with the solid reliability of the Germans and overall performance capability that nobody can touch at their price point.

BlueOx

I can always leave it to you to not really answer a question.

WaxWeekly

The Corvette Coupe and ZR1 have different audiences. This is 'of course' a generalization. There are always folks who will not fit into any category you create, but they are the exception, not the rule.

The Coupe (starting MSRP of $49,600) is more geared to to average joe who saves to get something he can actually afford to drive. This competes with the Cayman, STI, Evo and Z4. In some cases, they also compete with the muscle car market.

The ZR1 (starting MSRP of $112,600) is more of a toy for people who can have two or three cars. This competes with the 911 Turbo, SRT Viper, and other $125k+ two seater sports cars. No so much of a competitor to the GT car market.

The Grand Sport and Z06 are in between, partly because there is a huge gap in customers between the coupe and ZR1. I tend to think moreso because of the progression from Coupe to Z06 to ZR1, which showed the demand for a widebody at a lower pricepoint which brought in the GS.

JMHO.

Nitrous Oxide

GM nailed it. Not too surprising.

C3DeedlyDee

I agree with this list considering past car comparisons I've read for the base vettes. Off the top of my head, I remember a comparo in Car and Driver between a C5 vette, a Z3M Roadster, Porsche Boxter S, and a Mercedes-Benz SLK332 AMG I think.

Jinx

Twist my arm and make me pick the top 3 non-GM models that C7 conquers or gets conquered by in individual head-to-head buyer decisions? Leaving out ZR1, I say:

1. M3
2. Cayman/Boxster
3. 911

because they are the standards. Every other sports coupe/sedan is chasing and trying to differentiate itself from the M3. Every other small two-seater of substance is chasing and trying to differentiate itself from the Cayman/Boxster. And everything under $100K is measured against the 911.

Corvette already wins the price/performance checkbox battle against these three. What it lacks, and what C7 must strive to earn, is the reputation for uncompromising excellence that these three models exude.

.Jinx

CRABBYJ

I agree with Jinx and would not consider the BMW Z4 28i and I speak from direct experience. Maybe in price only. As a soon to be 69 year old, I sold my '05 C6 then bought an '11 Z4 30i. Why? Because I want to taste more than one flavor before I lose interest in sports cars. They are two totally different classes of sports car sharing a similarity only on the sticker.

My Z4 is smaller and fun to tool around similar to the old sports cars from way back. More like an elegant Miata, but with decidedly more spunk and class. The fit and finish is perfect. And you don't see too many on the road. My C6 was also a fun cruiser that I never raced but it's power and stance felt more like a scaled down muscle car you can throw around curves equally as well, probably better. The interior design with the dough boy wheel and painted pieces was not quite perfect. But when I looked at the '13 C6 and the improvements made over the years, I will say right here the current C6 interior is as good as any Z4.

What does the future hold for me on my next sports car purchase? the C7 will not disappoint and I will own one next. This time a convertible when it is available. Maybe I'll keep it until the C8, but that's a long way down the road, isn't it? But hopefully before I'm 80!

chaase

Maybe include the C63 or SLK550 roadster

BlueOx

Good writeups guys. It is always interesting to see why people pick the cars they do to cross-shop.

In case you didn't know, the Corvette site does allow for quite a few other cars to be compared to the Corvette via pull-down menus. A nice touch.

larryfdx

My top 3 Vette competitors are:
1. Viper.

2. Porsche 911.

3. Ferrari 458.

BlueOx

Yeah, I mentioned 'base' Corvette because the feeling is that the 'base' C7 is what will come out first. Who knows what competitors will be around when (if?) the higher tier C7 comes out.

Notch

GM may use those three cars as a comparison with the Vette, but I doubt that very many people are considering them versus a Vette. I suspect many shoppers look at the Vette from a Mustang and/or Camaro comparison.

chaase

The viper is definitely one I forgot. I tend to ignore the Ferrari because they cost so much more that it is just a different set of priorities.

JoesC5

I own three Corvettes. Why? Because I like Corvettes. I'm not a person that HAS TO HAVE a sports car but I like my Corvettes, so I own them. If there were no Corvettes, I wouldn't own a sports car, thus there are other things that would vie for my money.

Not everyone that owns a Corvette is interested in another sports car thus there is no competition from those cars you listed, for my money.

Erase the Corvette and I would spend my money elsewhere, as would others.

Tell me, how many sports cars have you owned? Namely Corvette, Porsche or BMW?

Why is it when I check your profile, it is empty? No mention of the many sports cars you own. This is a Corvette forum. Give us some details and photos of your Corvette(s).

John T

I think what Joe said is comical but accurate because unlike a few years back when all the young bucks had them as their only car , a Corvette is rarely used as a daily driver, It may fit better in a category that competes more with swimming pools, vacation homes or just pleasing wives somehow.

A good question that may be for another thread is " how many of you use your Corvette for a daily driver ?"

I am going to get heat for this but unlike a 911 a Corvette always seemed more fragile and kinda race car like, almost too much to drive daily.

CaryKen

My 2000 FRC has 105K miles on it. I have driven it cross country and on many long driving trips. It takes us to the store, the library, the symphony, and to Home Depot. It also has traversed Sears Point Raceway and back roads at speeds I don't want to divulge in a public forum.

I have looked (and continue to look) for comparative "sports cars" that can fill the double duty for me as my only car, with enough comfort for casual driving, enough cargo space for trips and errands (goodbye Porsche), and enough ***** out fun for performance driving. And they have to look stylish and beautiful to my eye. And they have to come in at a price point well, well below $100K. I have not found any that cover all the bases for me (and obviously many/most of those aspects are highly subjective). So for me, the alternatives are not what the standard "equivalent class" performers are as mentioned in the car magazine matchups. I'm going to buy a new car next year. If I don't like the upcoming C7, my alternative is going to be a switchover to a sporty 4-door. I have been looking seriously at the Jaguar XF-Supercharged.

This is just one person's viewpoint, and not a universal. I'm probably atypical. But it does give validity to the philosophy that for some people there is no exact match for the Corvette. You either want a Corvette, or you want something else that falls into a different category.

POSTSCRIPT EDIT: I should make it clear I am talking about base-level (or maybe GS) in this discussion. Once you get into serious ultra performance $100K+ territory, the equation is different. That is not my area of experience or investigation.

Notch

Luggage in a Porsche 911...

SouthernSon

None of the cars listed compare to the vette in track manners. I have been in all those listed at various times on various tracks. The vette is unique.