I got a blurb in VETTE Magazine which said only 12,000 2010 C6s were built. Wouldn't that be the lowest production number since about 1961?

 

That's not a good sign.

 

We have not sold a new Corvette in over 2 months, nor can I tell you when the one before that was...........worst part is, NOONE is even inquiring about them at all...............!!!

We used to sell an average of 10 per month !!!

This keeps up, the Corvette could wind up on GM's chopping block sooner then you think to stop the bleeding !! I wouldnt be suprised if it is discontinued for a few years & then brought back to create excitement again !!!

 

That's right. 2008 production was 35,310, 2009 dropped to 16,956 and 2010 was down to 12,194. For comparison, 1960 was 10,261, 61 was 10,939 and 62 was 14,531.

Of the 12,194, about half were Grand Sports, 1,577 were ZR1s and 518 were ZO6s.

It's a little scary, I mean how long they can justify a dedicated assembly plant, for a single car line, that has those kind of production numbers?

 

T h e y - C a n ' t !!!

 

I'd never have guessed it. I see C6's every day and everywhere around here. I figured they were more successful than that.

 

yep I saw that stat and just couldn't believe it!

 

I wonder if the Camaro took a way from the vette sales

 

I'm sure the Camaro stole some of Corvette's potential prospects. You get the same power for much less money. The Corvette is better at handling and the WOW factor...but you can get more than two people in a Camaro, and who needs the handling capabilties of a Corvette on US city streets? {Not to mention the difference in initial cost between the two cars....}

 

Ummm, well, in my opinion, they are kind of ruining it. I thought about buying a 2010, but decided it would be best to wait until 2012 or 2013. Now, I look at the 2011 line-up, and I question whether I will buy one at all. The loss of the base car is the reason. I don't feel like paying an additional $11,000 for a few badges that say "Grand Sport" on them. I'm sure GM folks would freak to hear potential buyer's saying that, and probably have a billion reasons in their minds of why it isn't true, but that is what their advertising is telling me. They need to get off the grand sport thing, and get back to making great cars at a price that the average weekend yahoo like me can afford, like they did in 2008/2009.

Just one man's opinion.

PK

 

Oh, and another thing I noticed: When I was looking at new 2010s, it seemed like 60+% of dealer stock was "Cyber Grey". Now, I'm not saying that is a bad color, because I think it is OK, but with my classic being a kind-of boring blue, if I was to buy a new one, I would want one with some real visual punch to it! Cyber Grey doesn't fit that bill. What happened to Velocity Yellow? Atomic Orange? Or that copper color that I don't know the name of? None in dealer stock that I ever saw. If it wasn't Cyber Grey, it was black or white. Dull.

 

Nope not at all................ 2 different buyers............. !!

A Vette buyer is a Vette buyer, is a Vette buyer.

In most cases, we have found Camaro buyers to be Corvette wanna be's & settle for the next best thing........ !!

Significant depth difference in the pocketbooks ...... !!!!

Lets see what happens in Feb, when the Camaro Convertible makes it's debut just in time for spring !!!

 

Corvettes were NEVER produced for, nor did they ever try & target the
" AVERAGE WEEKEND YAHOO "

They were 2x's the price of the average car then & they still are now.........

 

I'm sure some people have opted for a Camaro over a Corvette, but that probably won't last too long. Although it might happen some with Camaro verts.

 

Hi,
I guess this is going to impact the late model aftermarket manufacturers too. They'll have a considerably smaller potential market.
Regards,
Alan

 

Of course I understand that, but I guess I didn't make my point clear. I'm not a rich man, but I can afford a $50,000 car if I want one. But when GM suddenly increases the price 25% because they put a few badges and some fancy stripes on it, I see a dramatic reduction in value per dollar spent, and I'll tend not to buy. If they are targeting only the part of the population that can buy whatever they want regardless of price, then their actions are probably based on sound business principals, but then they would be unreasonable to expect to sell 50,000 cars per year.

The market I THOUGHT they were after (and I could be wrong here) is the oodles of folks like me. I have a decent job and make enough money that I CAN spend $20,000 more for a car than it takes to get a car that will simply "do the job". Guys who are into their cars, such that the higher cost of owning a Corvette is justified in their mind by the greater enjoyment they get out of owning that particular car. Guys who are likely to buy a relatively expensive car, drive it for 10 years, and then buy another new car of the same model because they like it. IMO, that is good business, and a profitable market space if you can maintain it.

However, they seem to be moving away from that, and more towards the $100,000+ market of Mercedes, Ferrari and Maserati. That's fine if that's what they want, but they should expect unit volume to decline as they move into that space. First the Z06, then the ZR-1 (both recycled badges, but I'm talking price points here), then the loss of the base model with the replacement with the Grand Sport (also a recycled badge) makes me think it's obvious they are moving away from the $45,000 price point seeking the higher dollar sale.

 

The lowest since 1997 actually. Production for 1997 was 9752.

 

The base car is still available at a starting MSRP of $48950. You'd probably have to order it though as most dealers won't stock a base car. I wouldn't look for a C7 until 2014 at the earliest IMHO.

 

Good times/bad times.
We've all seen them. The Corvette wasn't made for the masses. That's why we have the Camaro.

 

Corvette-Camaro-Trans Am.........or Station Wagon???

The only time I opted out from owning a Vette was in 1979 when my first son was born. The wife said STATION WAGON!.. I compromised and bought a black Trans Am complete with the chicken on the hood. I told my friends it was a "family mans Corvette".. Baby car seat fit in the back. The only problem was, I gave up my 66 Vette. She later found the error of her ways and we were the proud owners of my "late" 1980 Vette. I owned that one for 20 years. Now, I'm the proud owner of a 98 C5 (18k mile garage queen) and a up and coming 1979 L48 MM4 close ratio 4 speed (tomorrow I will have owned it for a week). I bought the 98 about 10 weeks ago with 17k on it from the original owner for a drastic price of $20k. I knew it was at the top of the book value, but it is a pristine car with all the options and color I wanted. Myself, I'm putting off the purchase of a C7 until we get someone else in office and the economy comes back.. Until then, Ill continue to drive my "new to me" Corvettes with a smile and enjoy the fact that I still have some $$$ in the bank that I saved over the price on a new C6.
I drove the 98 on a 500 mile trip down to Northern Calif today. Beautiful weather and lots of CHP's on the road. No tickets, just a lot of waves and thumbs up!