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If GM offered a "stripper Vette", would you buy?

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Old 03-10-2017, 11:38 AM
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cv67
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Default If GM offered a "stripper Vette", would you buy?

Not everyone wants lots of gadgets, electronics power everything

Could regulations keep GM from making it (wheres Tadge)
Rather than how trim levels? do the ZR1, a base no frills deal or one thats just fully loaded

Less complicated elecronics, modules bumper to bumper
Lighter weight
Deeper gears say 3.70, simple 6 spd close ratio trans noone needs 7+ gears
Manual trans
no VVT if they could get away with it
Minimal power accessorys, manual seats, manual ac power windows tunes thats about it....maybe ABS; just remove as many nannys and sensors as possible
Could be much funner to drive, light quick; make plenty of them so it didnt become some high buck ltd production deal; Base engine nothing smaller or larger as most would mod em

Lower price of course

Think GM could sell a ton of these if they made them or would there be some huge surcharge with the "its special" thing


Still could drive a vette for Camaro money
(should offer the same option for that car too!)

Couldnt afford one myself but if I could Id buy one in a hot second.

What say you?

Last edited by cv67; 03-10-2017 at 12:17 PM.

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03-10-2017, 11:58 AM
RFBHD
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ill take a stripper in a vette any day
Old 03-10-2017, 11:48 AM
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Bmwmike
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GM has done that in the past with the Camaro. Will they do it again? I doubt it. BMW is currently making a lightweight edition M2. A Grand Sport that was stripped down to be an autocross warrior would be great. I bought a 1lt to keep the wight down as much as I could.
Old 03-10-2017, 11:57 AM
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Steve_R
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If GM thought they could sell "a ton" of them they'd be selling them. They know their target market much better than people on the internet.

And no, I'd have no interest in such a car.
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Old 03-10-2017, 11:58 AM
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RFBHD
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ill take a stripper in a vette any day
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Old 03-10-2017, 12:17 PM
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Rooster OG
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Nah, I'd pass. I like my electronics and fancy stuff.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:24 PM
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Snowwolfe
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Sign me up. My last 2 were 3LT's, one a Grand Sport. Now my 2017 is a 1LT base coupe and I enjoy it even more.
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Old 03-10-2017, 12:25 PM
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juanvaldez
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Call it a light weight special racer edition and the collectors will all snap 'em up and they will never see a track.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:29 PM
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AORoads
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Porsche's done it, too, and it has sold very well in the distant (and now, as well) past. But, as Steve says above, GM's not dumb. They've tried it before in the C5 with the Fixed Roof Coupe FRC. Didn't sell. They switched it over to the Z06; sold like hotcakes.

Cuisinart, you also know that for several model years in the C6 run, they made and sold lots of 1LT coupes for under $50K and actually, under $49K. These were considered 'el strippos'---not max stripped but pretty close. Definitely no frills.

As it stands now, the C7 is not very stripped at all (even in its least-optioned form) and I'd say there might be a small, or very small market for a more stripped model. But if it costs GM more money to make a car with less content, that will sell for less money, it's a no-go for sure. I am pretty certain someone has run the numbers, and they don't add up. For GM, that is. Other, smaller companies, maybe it makes sense.

Kinda reminds me of 3M way back when...they were selling off inventions sitting on the shelf to anyone for very reasonable costs (even to their own employees). They were money-making inventions but it wasn't financially worthwhile to bring them to market ----just not enough payback for a big company.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:50 PM
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Rebel Yell
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Originally Posted by AORoads
Porsche's done it, too, and it has sold very well in the distant (and now, as well) past. But, as Steve says above, GM's not dumb. They've tried it before in the C5 with the Fixed Roof Coupe FRC. Didn't sell. They switched it over to the Z06; sold like hotcakes.

Cuisinart, you also know that for several model years in the C6 run, they made and sold lots of 1LT coupes for under $50K and actually, under $49K. These were considered 'el strippos'---not max stripped but pretty close. Definitely no frills.
I paid $47K for a '06 1LT Vert. Now, the 1LT C7 is equipped like a 2LT C6. You're correct, from past sells GM knows what sells today.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:51 PM
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ersatz928
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It would be interesting to see how many stripper/base Camaros they sell, compared to the higher trim levels.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:56 PM
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TEXHAWK0
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I ordered my 2014 just to keep options down...
Base price was $51K then, so I still got 2LT, Z51 spoiler, red calipers, for $55K.
Old 03-10-2017, 12:59 PM
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juanvaldez
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I'm driving a stripper, Z51 1LT M7, only option black badges and wheels.
Old 03-10-2017, 01:05 PM
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ersatz928
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Other than the lack of the removable targa roof, the C5 FRC had pretty much the same amount of gadgets and "nannys" as loaded Corvette, except for auto climate control, and a self dimming rearview mirror.
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Old 03-10-2017, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ersatz928
Other than the lack of the removable targa roof, the C5 FRC had pretty much the same amount of gadgets and "nannys" as loaded Corvette, except for auto climate control, and a self dimming rearview mirror.
Electric seat, only black interior.
Old 03-10-2017, 01:11 PM
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Kent1999
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At this point, GM would have to spend a lot of money to create such a car.

These days you can't just throw in the 6-speed instead of the 7... the powertrain would have to be re-certed. $$$

Can't just delete VVT/AFM for the same reason. $$$

Developing a whole new set of 'less complicated electronics' would be obscenely expensive for a car already in production. $$$

Not to mention that this isnt some car being built in someones garage -- all those new parts have to be inventoried and inserted into the build process and supply chain. $$$

And there is no way GM would risk taking out 'safety nannies' in today's litigation-happy protect-me-from-myself climate.

So -- spend all that money, take all those risks -- just to be able to sell it for LESS?

As much as I'd like to see a 'club sport' C7 -- I don't think it makes sense for GM to do it.

You can already get a "poor man's Corvette" with the Camaro SS.

Last edited by Kent1999; 03-10-2017 at 01:13 PM.
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Old 03-10-2017, 01:18 PM
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SK360
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Unfortunately most of the Corvette market doesn't care about performance. They just want big numbers to print on their car show boards. It's why you see it over on the Camaro side.
Old 03-10-2017, 01:24 PM
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JoesC5
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Originally Posted by ersatz928
Other than the lack of the removable targa roof, the C5 FRC had pretty much the same amount of gadgets and "nannys" as loaded Corvette, except for auto climate control, and a self dimming rearview mirror.
The Fixed Roof C5 was not produced as it was originally conceived.

Originally, it was going to have cloth seats and other "cheap" items to hold the price down. Before it was put into production, GM realized a "stripper" wasn't what people wanted, so they added some features back to the "Billy Bob", but it still wasn't what people wanted, and it's sales numbers proved it.

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Old 03-10-2017, 01:31 PM
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juanvaldez
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One of the coolest Corvettes, ever.
Old 03-10-2017, 01:31 PM
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C5North
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No.
Old 03-10-2017, 01:35 PM
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SteveSoCal
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Less is more...... AFAIK

heck, yeah


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