Corvette Chief Reveals C7's New Mission...
01-10-2013, 05:52 PM
#21
Race Director
Thread Starter
Trust me. Overseas is out and always will be. Nearly every European country are going to have high import fees and taxes applied to the Corvette, just like they always have. A C6 with all the fees is Porsche 911 and Aston DB9 money over there.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
01-10-2013, 05:57 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
General Motors as a whole have been striving towards a younger market with virtually everything they do. I expect the C7 to be no different. While younger buyers may not have the money, they may aspire towards a C7 as opposed to a Viper, Porsche, etc. That is my take on what it should be anyhow.
The statement released sounds a lot like they may be trying the Euro market again. And while I respect the effort, the reality is that nothing they do is going to make a difference.
The statement released sounds a lot like they may be trying the Euro market again. And while I respect the effort, the reality is that nothing they do is going to make a difference.
01-10-2013, 06:02 PM
#24
Race Director
Thread Starter
General Motors as a whole have been striving towards a younger market with virtually everything they do. I expect the C7 to be no different. While younger buyers may not have the money, they may aspire towards a C7 as opposed to a Viper, Porsche, etc. That is my take on what it should be anyhow.
The statement released sounds a lot like they may be trying the Euro market again. And while I respect the effort, the reality is that nothing they do is going to make a difference.
The statement released sounds a lot like they may be trying the Euro market again. And while I respect the effort, the reality is that nothing they do is going to make a difference.
I certainly agree that part of it's mission is to break into the younger, affluent buyer demo.
01-10-2013, 06:11 PM
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
01-10-2013, 07:01 PM
#26
Trust me. Overseas is out and always will be. Nearly every European country are going to have high import fees and taxes applied to the Corvette, just like they always have. A C6 with all the fees is Porsche 911 and Aston DB9 money over there.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
01-10-2013, 07:06 PM
#28
Melting Slicks
So you do agree that the new mission is to increase overseas sales. The real question is will they succeed and the answer is probably not, especially since the economy there sucks.
I certainly agree that part of it's mission is to break into the younger, affluent buyer demo.
I certainly agree that part of it's mission is to break into the younger, affluent buyer demo.
Correct, if they lived here.
01-10-2013, 07:21 PM
#30
Safety Car
Here are some benchmarks for a new model. These are the production numbers from the past.
1984 - C4- 51,547
1997 - C5- 9,752 ( 31,084 for '98)
2005 - C6- 37,372
It's not easy to develop a new target for the C7 here. 2012 production was down to 11,647. GM has spent a lot of money on the C7. I suspect they would like to at least double the '12 numbers. There is just no way they'll hit the old numbers though.
The Corvette has a problem. The development costs have to be spread over fewer cars. That means higher prices for each Corvette sold. Higher prices could well mean fewer younger buyers.
btw - Is a younger buyer anyone under age 60?
Richard Newton
1984 - C4- 51,547
1997 - C5- 9,752 ( 31,084 for '98)
2005 - C6- 37,372
It's not easy to develop a new target for the C7 here. 2012 production was down to 11,647. GM has spent a lot of money on the C7. I suspect they would like to at least double the '12 numbers. There is just no way they'll hit the old numbers though.
The Corvette has a problem. The development costs have to be spread over fewer cars. That means higher prices for each Corvette sold. Higher prices could well mean fewer younger buyers.
btw - Is a younger buyer anyone under age 60?
Richard Newton
01-10-2013, 07:49 PM
#31
Le Mans Master
Perhaps this is just more marketing BS. Technically the C7 is new so any mission given it is a new mission. If they'd said "Corvette's new mission," different story. --Even if that's not what they meant, it's just marketing BS.
I am hopeful but not expectant.
.Jinx
01-10-2013, 08:06 PM
#33
Le Mans Master
I don't know. I can't think of anything they could say that would (a) make sense and (b) not be a goal they've set for Corvette before.
Except "sell to younger buyers," which we got tired of hearing 18 months ago but some people might think is a new goal. Of course, the aging demographic has been a Corvette worry since C5. Probably C4. Younger, more upscale, more popular in Europe -- three ways of saying the same thing: we want more people to recognize how cool Corvette is.
Admirable, not new.
.Jinx
Except "sell to younger buyers," which we got tired of hearing 18 months ago but some people might think is a new goal. Of course, the aging demographic has been a Corvette worry since C5. Probably C4. Younger, more upscale, more popular in Europe -- three ways of saying the same thing: we want more people to recognize how cool Corvette is.
Admirable, not new.
.Jinx
01-10-2013, 08:37 PM
#34
Instructor
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Trust me. Overseas is out and always will be. Nearly every European country are going to have high import fees and taxes applied to the Corvette, just like they always have. A C6 with all the fees is Porsche 911 and Aston DB9 money over there.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
Here, we love the Corvette because you can't buy more car for the money. There, it's the same amount of money as everything else. Outside of price, cars sell in Europe based upon exclusivity. The Corvette isn't a household name like it is here, no one there sees it as anything special.
01-10-2013, 09:48 PM
#36
Melting Slicks
Oh really?
Here are a few examples as perspective.
Here is a lightly used Z06 for the same price as this lightly used Maserati GranTurismo S. Here in the States, the price gap between those two same cars would be at least 20k, more likely towards 30k. Here is a list of many cars for sale in the same price range. Almost every last one would be much more expensive than a Z06 here.
Also at the same price as that Centennial is an Audi R8 V10 Spyder! The price difference here would be at least 35-40k for a similar comparison.
There, buyers will choose Maserati > Corvette, R8 > Corvette every single time. That's just how it is.
I didn't say that.
They aren't. Fact. 
First saying a car that starts around $80K is the same money as a car that is around $200K.
Here is a lightly used Z06 for the same price as this lightly used Maserati GranTurismo S. Here in the States, the price gap between those two same cars would be at least 20k, more likely towards 30k. Here is a list of many cars for sale in the same price range. Almost every last one would be much more expensive than a Z06 here.
Also at the same price as that Centennial is an Audi R8 V10 Spyder! The price difference here would be at least 35-40k for a similar comparison.
There, buyers will choose Maserati > Corvette, R8 > Corvette every single time. That's just how it is.
And then saying people buy Corvettes here simply because you can't buy anything else more which is basically saying people only buy Corvettes because of the price.
And third saying the Corvette is not seen as special overseas.
Last edited by BluegrassMotorsport; 01-10-2013 at 10:02 PM.
01-11-2013, 12:50 AM
#37
Le Mans Master
All this hype leads me to think something epic has been done here...they better not disappoint me!
Last edited by Tact; 01-11-2013 at 01:57 PM.
01-11-2013, 12:54 AM
#38
Safety Car
01-11-2013, 01:46 AM
#39
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Member Since: Dec 2012
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I estimate C7 will cost 80-100k€ in my country when imported(at least I hope so). A new carrera S from retail is 168k€.
01-11-2013, 04:57 AM
#40
Instructor
I'm in the Air Force and I have been stationed here in Italy for the past 2 years. I can be the first one to tell you that the Italians know what the Corvette is and they appreciate it for its world class acceleration and wonderful track times. On the other hand, there are far less car enthusiast over here than in the states. They are also extremely loyal to Italian brands. My neighbor often tells me how as a little boy everyone grows up wanting to own a Ferrari because of the great Enzo Ferrari and the great heritage of Ferrari racing. Also how people love the Lambo for its owner Furricio, and how he went from building tractors as a farmer to building supercars that battle Ferraris. The Corvette, to Italians, I can't speak for Europe, is a nice car but not on the same level. I showed my neighbor my C6 and he was impressed but in the same breathe asked me how it compares to the 458? He said that my car was nice but he has always wanted a Ferrari.
In my opinion, the goal of the C7 is to shake the image of what to expect when you see a Corvette pull up, not some older gentleman. GM knows that they have to go after the future. The future is the youth. I myself, feel like that is still me, 34. The GTR sold off of being a user friend digital wonder car......not counting the looks. But to think that a 18 yr. old can work and save for a few years and get one and the day he gets it, he can out run almost every street car 0-60 and in the qtr. Most of all, the younger people feel that the GTR is cool. Just like the Scion sells cars with dancing hamsters! They want the car to be cool, and not seen as a car that a prerequisite is you have to have to be older. The first thing is that it has to perform and hopefully they will not disappoint!
In my opinion, the goal of the C7 is to shake the image of what to expect when you see a Corvette pull up, not some older gentleman. GM knows that they have to go after the future. The future is the youth. I myself, feel like that is still me, 34. The GTR sold off of being a user friend digital wonder car......not counting the looks. But to think that a 18 yr. old can work and save for a few years and get one and the day he gets it, he can out run almost every street car 0-60 and in the qtr. Most of all, the younger people feel that the GTR is cool. Just like the Scion sells cars with dancing hamsters! They want the car to be cool, and not seen as a car that a prerequisite is you have to have to be older. The first thing is that it has to perform and hopefully they will not disappoint!