When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
GM said Thursday it will spend $439 million to build a new 450,000-square-foot paint shop and make other upgrades at the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant that makes the sports car. The investment is part of $5.4 billion that GM plans to spend on its U.S. facilities over the next three years.
Wow... That doesn't bode well for the idea of keeping the price down and attracting a younger demographic eh.
It's the proportions of the spending that are a head-scratcher to me.
When are they going to build an inexpensive 2 seat sports car with a V8 that the average enthusiast can afford. They have the technology. My C5 will probably be the last GM car I will own.
When are they going to build an inexpensive 2 seat sports car with a V8 that the average enthusiast can afford. They have the technology. My C5 will probably be the last GM car I will own.
This is satire, right?
The C7 is very affordable. Just as affordable as the C6 was, and the C5 before that. Maybe even a little bit more so.
If you personally can't afford the latest generation, that's why you buy a gen or two back. The C6 was in full swing when I bought my C5; now that the C7's are out, I've been seriously considering a C6Z06 (though the wife keeps saying no, no, no, and no).
The Corvette was never meant for something any college student should own, but it's definitely not 'expensive.' Price/performance you will find no better vehicle anywhere.
Too bad it took this long to get decent paint. My vette has the worst quality paint of any vehicle I've ever owned. Earl Schieb / Maacco quality for sure.
I read somewhere that the there are rumors that the future hot rod Caddys will be built there too, because they share a few parts. Has anybody else heard this?
Just how many Corvettes are they planning on selling each year that they need a half-billion-dollar paint facility?
Methinks they are setting up Bowling Green for production of other vehicles.
[EDIT] I typed before I read this:
Originally Posted by o2bnkc
I read somewhere that the there are rumors that the future hot rod Caddys will be built there too, because they share a few parts.
Makes sense. Probably more than just "a few parts" at this point, and more so in the future.
Last edited by Lee DeRaud; May 22, 2015 at 01:15 AM.
The C7 is very affordable. Just as affordable as the C6 was, and the C5 before that. Maybe even a little bit more so.
If you personally can't afford the latest generation, that's why you buy a gen or two back. The C6 was in full swing when I bought my C5; now that the C7's are out, I've been seriously considering a C6Z06 (though the wife keeps saying no, no, no, and no).
The Corvette was never meant for something any college student should own, but it's definitely not 'expensive.' Price/performance you will find no better vehicle anywhere.
Not satire at all. New Corvettes are expensive. They is over engineered with all the unneccessary bells and whistles and have more power than anyone would ever need. I don't want a supercar. I want a new 2 seat removable top sport car with decent power and handling that I can drive all over the country and put a ton of miles on. I am not buying another used Corvette.
The last time I was at the plant, which has been several years now, there was a lot of empty space and the guide told us the empty space was taken up by the Cadillac XLR when it was in production. I don't know how many of you know that the Corvette facility was once a Chrysler Air Temp factory that was shuttered for years before GM took over. But I suspect that even with upgrades made over the years, it's time for more improvements.
From: Central PA. - - My AR15 identifies as a muzzleloader
I believe in the Beer Fairy
Originally Posted by o2bnkc
I read somewhere that the there are rumors that the future hot rod Caddys will be built there too, because they share a few parts. Has anybody else heard this?
Good point. My first thoughts were, there is no way Vette sales will recoup that cost. Just no way.
Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud
Just how many Corvettes are they planning on selling each year that they need a half-billion-dollar paint facility?
Methinks they are setting up Bowling Green for production of other vehicles.
Perzaktly...
Originally Posted by JR-01
Not satire at all. New Corvettes are expensive. They is over engineered with all the unneccessary bells and whistles and have more power than anyone would ever need. I don't want a supercar. I want a new 2 seat removable top sport car with decent power and handling that I can drive all over the country and put a ton of miles on. I am not buying another used Corvette.
They were never cheap. There are other cars better suited to your purpose if that's what you want. Miata comes to mind, even if you stuff an LS in a used one, it can be a pretty badazz car. S2K some guys like,I"m not one of em. Mini. Used Jag or Aston, there's a ton of options but most of those aren't exactly cheap when new either.
Good point. My first thoughts were, there is no way Vette sales will recoup that cost. Just no way.
Perzaktly...
They were never cheap. There are other cars better suited to your purpose if that's what you want. Miata comes to mind, even if you stuff an LS in a used one, it can be a pretty badazz car. S2K some guys like,I"m not one of em. Mini. Used Jag or Aston, there's a ton of options but most of those aren't exactly cheap when new either.
I am talking about new cars. Miata is underpowered and too small. GM could have had a real winner had they done the Solstice right. Made it a little bigger with a 300 to 350 HP V8 and kept costs down. Made it a purist sports car, keeping it simple. There is no way I can justify spending 60 to 70K on a car that spends 6 months a year in storage. There really are no good options out there for a decent, affordable new 2 seat sports car. And there is a market out there for one.
From: Central PA. - - My AR15 identifies as a muzzleloader
I believe in the Beer Fairy
Originally Posted by JR-01
I am talking about new cars. Miata is underpowered and too small. GM could have had a real winner had they done the Solstice right. Made it a little bigger with a 300 to 350 HP V8 and kept costs down. Made it a purist sports car, keeping it simple. There is no way I can justify spending 60 to 70K on a car that spends 6 months a year in storage. There really are no good options out there for a decent, affordable new 2 seat sports car. And there is a market out there for one.
Well, in 2013 Gm was unloading Vettes, you could buy a coupe w/2LT for $42,000 out the door and that was with 0% financing for 72 months. The biggest reason the prices on them are higher now is that the demand is up for the C7 and the dealers are not discounting much off the sticker. Give them a few years and that'll change. That'll be especially true around the time the C8 is ready to release. Currently the sticker on the car starts at low 50's, and could easily be discounted down into the 40s for a brand new C7.
Not satire at all. New Corvettes are expensive. They is over engineered with all the unneccessary bells and whistles and have more power than anyone would ever need. I don't want a supercar. I want a new 2 seat removable top sport car with decent power and handling that I can drive all over the country and put a ton of miles on. I am not buying another used Corvette.
The 2016 MX5 Miata might just be for you. No, I'm not being sarcastic. If you want HP, You have to pay to play.
Last edited by CriticalmassGT; May 22, 2015 at 12:36 PM.
Well, in 2013 Gm was unloading Vettes, you could buy a coupe w/2LT for $42,000 out the door and that was with 0% financing for 72 months. The biggest reason the prices on them are higher now is that the demand is up for the C7 and the dealers are not discounting much off the sticker. Give them a few years and that'll change. That'll be especially true around the time the C8 is ready to release. Currently the sticker on the car starts at low 50's, and could easily be discounted down into the 40s for a brand new C7.
They can't make one car to please everyone.
No, but there is a lot of demand for Miatas at the 20 to 30K price range. GM is missing out on a huge market. Especially now that baby boomers are retiring, want a weekend sport cruiser, don't want or need 500 hp and want to pay less than 30K.
You can not get a C7 in the 40s around here. Closer to 60K.
They have the perfect balance of fun and cost of ownership. Loved my old one.
Sadly everything is creeping in price these days. A nice Miata is probably 27k...still that's half of basic z51 money. A mustang GT is 40k now.
If the camaro was more sports car and less 2+2 tank cruiser it would work; however those traits make it practical and not steal from corvette sales. If GM made such a car; Corvette would die.
Miata is sadly about the only 2 seater open roof car left. A new s2k would be awesome but that ship has sailed. Ford sells too many mustangs to give a ****.
The only mfr would be dodge and between a dart and a challenger base; I'm not sure there is room. If fiat spun off such a car then I think it'd come over as a dodge variant; but right now it doesn't and isn't viable.
They have the perfect balance of fun and cost of ownership. Loved my old one.
Sadly everything is creeping in price these days. A nice Miata is probably 27k...still that's half of basic z51 money. A mustang GT is 40k now.
If the camaro was more sports car and less 2+2 tank cruiser it would work; however those traits make it practical and not steal from corvette sales. If GM made such a car; Corvette would die.
Miata is sadly about the only 2 seater open roof car left. A new s2k would be awesome but that ship has sailed. Ford sells too many mustangs to give a ****.
The only mfr would be dodge and between a dart and a challenger base; I'm not sure there is room. If fiat spun off such a car then I think it'd come over as a dodge variant; but right now it doesn't and isn't viable.
The Solstice didn't hurt Corvette sales, but it might have, had they done it right. Someday a car company will build the perfect affordable sports car for the masses and they will wonder why they didn't do it decades ago. The demand is there.
Too bad it took this long to get decent paint. My vette has the worst quality paint of any vehicle I've ever owned. Earl Schieb / Maacco quality for sure.
Junk *** quicksilver.
If you bought your Corvette used it could have been a re-spray, that would explain the poor paint job. Personally my black '03 Corvette has the best quality paint of any car I have EVER owned, period!