Let me admit this to start, I LOVE the styling of the C3 Vettes and think they are some of the hottest styled cars ever made.

I was watching a program on Corvette Racing the other day and they were talking about all the new technology that went into the C5 and now the C6 to make it more aerodynamic, when I had a thought. These cars, although much faster with lower wind resistance, are having the best parts of the styling taken out of them.

Could GM do a C3 inspired C7 like Mustang did or has the pursuit of 2 additional top speed MPH made styling take the perverbial back seat?

Does anyone else even lament this development?

 

I don't see them doing anything like anytime soon. They just switched to the C6 and that will be around for awhile. As long as sales stay up there is no reason for them to try something as radical as putting the curves back in it. Now a few years back I did see someone from England, I believe. He took C5s and reworked the body and gave them the C3 style fenders. It was really a sharp looking car. Didn't look anything like a C5. I have tried searching the net for a picture of his cars but haven't been able to find them.

The C6 was made to appease the europeans. That's why it is smaller than a C5. It seems that everyone is trying to sell their cars to them nowadays. I guess there's more profit in it with the euro over the dollar.

 

I personally wouldn't be suprised if chevy came out with a "retro" vette. That seems to be the in thing in muscle car design these days. Ford did it with the mustang and literally drove the camero out of business and did it with a much less powerfull car. Chrysler is coming back with a retro challenger, and chevy is bringing back with a camero styled after the older cars. Now with the popularity of the C6 vettes this may be a special edition - for which they could charge more - but I think it would be a great move on chevy's part.

 

I like the look of the C6. To me, it is instantly recognizable. I hope they continue to keep it modern and up-to-date, without looking to the past for inspiration. I don't want to see a bunch of C3 wanna-bes on the road.

 

Chevy will never make a "retro" inspired Corvette. Hell, look back at Corvette's history. It has ALWAYS been the cutting edge design of General Motors. Why would a company take a step backwards to where it's been and cannibalize their strongest image just to follow some sort of automotive "trend"? There don't appear to be any problems with Corvette sales, so the General isn't going to change anything. Don't expect the C7 (if there even is one with the current trend of fuel prices, but please, let's NOT get into that) to have any retro inspired cues other than the basic Corvette shape. Every opportunity to improve the performance of the vehicle as well is it's ability to remain affordable, reliable, and daily-drivable will be taken, and those opportunities very rarely include taking steps backwards.

That is why GM is going to bring back the CamAro (note the spelling). This will be the car to compete with the Mustang and Challenger and play the "retro" game. Corvette is a step above playing that game (nothing wrong with Camaros, mind you. I own one myself). It has always been a level above the Camaro in everything: Prestige, power, handling, class, wow-factor, everything.

In short, Corvette has always been and will continue to be a "world player" competing against Porsches and Ferraris.

Camaro has always been and will resume being a "domestic player" competing against Mustangs, Challengers, and recently Japanese imported cars.

Class dismissed.

 

what he said.

 

If GM were to even consider this idea, I think a cross between the C-2 & C-3 would look great and fit into todays styling trends

 

The c3 was built with styling being the #1 concern, and engineering more or less secondary.
The c6 reversed this thinking--why do you think they dropped the pop up head lights? Partiallly price, but more because of engineering. The stock c6 is rated at what? 185mph, and rides super smooth.
But I still love my c3!

 

I don't think they will make a retro vette based on things already said...

With that said, I love the C3 body style the best, I owned a C5 and it was a great car and had everything you could want, but I love the rawness the C3 is, the lines, the curves and the long hood, the whole car is perfect.

I also noticed my C3 seems to get more looks then my C5 did

 

I love the C3 curves, long nose and pontoon fenders- like all of you. But I don't think GM is gonna make a "retro vette" because its always been the cutting edge flagship, and aero is more important than ever for better milage. Funny thing is that the C6 was touted as having some of the curves inspired by the C3, so don't be too quick to criticize that styling. I won't be too surprised if the C7 arrives around 2012 with a rear engine (yeh, I'll perpetuate that rumor) sexy curved fenders, a long nose and the 2 round tail lites on each side -- and you will immediately recognize it as a vette and lust for it just like me..

 

A retro '58 would be so great! However.....as Ford proved, you have to go a lot farther toward replication to succeed. That T Bird they made a few years ago was a big loser in my opinion, not near enough like the parent to trip the triggers of all those nostalgic for the old days.... and while they are at it, make the interior look 'old style' too, but with all the modern amenities hiding there for use. The PT Cruiser was a pretty nice repo,,,,,until you look inside and see how plain and modern it was...just MHO....

 

...Sorry to have gotten everyone off on a tangent. I didn't mean to imply that GM should make a retro Vette, I was just lamenting that there would be no more crazy styling clues that we all love so much as they try to gain marginal amounts of top speed performance.

I may just be an idiot, but I think a lot of supercars look VERY similar because they are all dealing with the same no holds bar aerodynamic goal. I think making the Vette into a angular wedge (like the C6 is starting to hint at) losses a lot of the car's soul.

I was just wishing they would be more like Porsche designs and stay truer to the styling features that made them different (although in recent years they have gone to a more soulless - but faster - wedge insiration as well especially with their top of the line cars).

 

If Chevy ever did that it would sell out, but the best we can do is update our C3's to try to keep up....

 

I think the notion that the cars are done setting the bar in styling is well taken. We bought a new '03 because we liked it, but I waited impatiently for the C6... anticipating (foolishly) a knockout home run like the '63 or '68. I hated it, still do. The car isn't ugly, but with an NSX rear molded onto the Viper nose, all the undersized rounded curves are obviously a sell-out to the Euro crowd. Corvettes used to be the epitome of American sports car, and now I can't tell it from just another Eurocar. Don't care for Europe anyway, and the idea we are trying to please those clowns makes me dislike the C6 even more.

Oh well, Ill stick with the '58 and the '69 when I want style.

 

What's funny is I bought my 07 Z06 because it reminded me more of the C2s and C3s than any Corvette built since... (the same does not hold true for the regular C6s)

 

I disagree with what you just said - When you look at the C6 you see the C3 on up through the C5 in it's design. That's why you instantly recognize it as a "CORVETTE".

 

Class in session: What the General is bringing back is not a retro Camaro in my opinion. There is something vaguely retro to the rear quarter panels but to what comes to mind isn't clear.

GM originally came out with two designs for the Camaro - One that was retro and one that was NOT - the "WAS NOT" retro won. Here's what was said at the Chevy styling department when the decision was made - Retro will only sell for a few years and then sells will drop off because the customer will get tired of the design.

Take that idiot out and shoot him. All he has to do is look at Ford's numbers for the Mustang. Now the Mustang is comes in many styling accessory fashions, where they originally only had the Base, GT and Cobra. They have added many more in between and above (or beside the Cobra as the case may be).

GM had their chance to retro the Camaro to the 67-69's and they let it slip through their fingers. Heck I may have even bought one. That thing coming out looks like a Mustang would have looked if Ford Had Not Retroed it.

 

I wish the C7 would look like this limited production european designed corvette.



http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z...3_Concept.aspx

 

That top shot you posted is the only decent looking one, the ghetto wheels throw off the rest of it and make it look kind of tacky. Not too thrilled with that front slope or windshield/roof thing either. I guess the only thing I like is the early C3-is rear.

I say if someone wants a "new C3 inspired" car, it's easier than we think - just buy the SR-III frame with full suspension, your favorite crate or dealer-ordered LS motor, and find a rust-free C3 to drop on top of it, paint in a modern color, and if you really want to look more modern go for the digital gauges. You now have a "brand new" C3, with all of the latest technology and handling/reliability improvements, with the classic C3 look. The cost to do all of this is around what you would pay for a new Z06 anyway, so why not? If it's not something you can do yourself, you might be able to hire your local restoration shop to do it for you. Heck I've always wondered if doing this very thing would be a viable business ... just modernizing classics and selling them at modern prices with a warranty and everything else just like new cars.

I sense a picture of Frankensport coming...

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1959881

its called the Z03 and I think its already been made, from what I understand, aside from the name and the engine, Chevy had nothing to do with it though

Miles