Corvette Quarterly
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 5
From: Germantown, TN
Originally Posted by dfwroadkill
I like the C6 and remember the same stuff being said about the C5 when it came out......and the C4 before that. Some people adapt to change better than others, whether it's underwear or cars.
.....and as for the new headlights, I've seen/heard plenty of comments about issues with the popups for years. The new lights will eliminate this potential service issue.
Hide and watch, the car will be well accepted.
Roadkill
.....and as for the new headlights, I've seen/heard plenty of comments about issues with the popups for years. The new lights will eliminate this potential service issue.
Hide and watch, the car will be well accepted.
Roadkill
And the interior is GREAT!!!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 6,456
Likes: 2
From: D/FW Area TX
I've said most of this before, but it still applies.
With regards to Corvette, I look for style, performance, and heritage. I don't like what I see in styling (regarding the C6) and much of the visual Corvette heritage to me has been lost with the change in headlight implementation. They could have designed fixed HID headlights with simple moving covers to achieve concealed headlights if it was that important to have HID lighting.
This is not about improvement in technology and performance. This is a spirited discussion in exterior design.
I may not speak for everyone in the C5 General section, but I absolutely loved the C5 when it was introduced. I also really liked the C4 when it was introduced. (I wasn't born yet when the C3 and prior generations were released.)
I've seen alot of negative comments about the C6's styling, not just here, but in reader's comments to magazines, on the street, and from friends. What I've seen with the C6 is something I did not see to anywhere near the same degree with the C5. There is a huge amount of negative views on the exterior styling from actual potential buyers, not just published magazine articles.
Even "Corvette Quarterly" Summer 2004 issue had an interesting comment on p.2. One of the three Corvette loyalists they interviewed made a comment about not being sure about liking the C6's headlights. This was published in their own magazine!
More than half (57.14%) of the 245 members that participated in the Corvetteforum.com "What if" poll seem to feel that Chevrolet should have retained the concealed headlight look through the use of Fixed HID headlights with simple moving light-weight body panel(s). If you add in the 51 members (20.82%) that voted for Moving headlight assemblies (such as flip-ups/pop-ups or roll-overs), you have 77.96% that would have preferred concealed headlights on the C6. Only 22.04% would have chosen the exposed headlight implementation we know to be on the C6. See
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=719364 for the discussion and the poll results.
Another example of dissatisfaction with the C6's exterior design is from Corvette Fever, a very popular Corvette magazine for Corvette lovers. In the July 2004 issue, beginning on p. 6, four of the five reader letters state their dislike of the C6 exterior styling.
Three readers made the following comments:
"The '05 is not a nice-looking car, and I'm not going to buy one."
"The angular/creased look of the new C6 is not attractive."
"I appreciate and applaud the improvements in performance and quality, but can't get past the styling, which I consider borderline ugly."
And for a non-Corvette specific magazine, check out some of the reader's letters in the May 2004 Motor Trend:
"The new Corvette is an unholy mess."
"I feel sick. That is the ugliest Corvette ever made. It may be the best one mechanically, and you rave about the improvements in the interior. But the outer skin is horrible." ... "This may appeal to the 18-25-year-old "fast 'n' furious" crowd, but I don't believe they're the ones purchasing $50K sports cars."
"I'm a Corvette guy. I've owned a 1992, a 1997, and now have a 2002 Convertible. I also own a 1961 Corvette. The 2005 made me want to cry. The front is stubby and cheap-looking, like a Ferrari-copy kit car. Not sleek at all. The fender arches and side vent/cove don't flow gracefully. The wheels are uninspired. The decklid contains an oddly chopped-off boattail."
I'm not saying anyone is doing this, but don't assume anyone that says they don't like the C6 exterior styling is a C5 owner that just doesn't like it because they're so attached to or invested in their C5. There are many and I mean MANY current generation owners that were really looking forward to the next generation. I was one of them. I mean, who wouldn't want to have the next best Vette. For me, it's not about moving to a new generation. The problem lies with the exterior styling of that generation. The final exterior design as it is just doesn't grab me and say, "This is an awesome looking sports car." It just doesn't. There are too many things about it that I do not like. I suspect that the exterior dimensions and overall shape (not necessarily styling) were highly influenced by the other Y-body car, the XLR.
The "next generation" has to make a current owner see value in buying it or else they won't. It's that simple.
That's the beauty of a free market system. There are other alternatives available. If GM drops the ball on this generation Corvette, I'm sure another manufacturer will find a way to fill the void. If that happens, maybe GM will correct what went wrong. Money talks. I for one don't believe for a second that anyone should just "get used to" the styling over time. That's like saying, "it's a Corvette so it doesn't matter what it looks like. Just buy it. It will grow on you." That's certainly not the kind of buyer I am. If I don't like the way it looks, I'm not going to buy it. When I traded my previous Vette in and bought my 2002, I had a choice... Z06 or Coupe (I had already ruled out the Convertible). I chose the Coupe because although I liked the performance advantages of the Z06 better, the styling of the Coupe won my decision. That's just how I am.
These are my 2 cents.
With regards to Corvette, I look for style, performance, and heritage. I don't like what I see in styling (regarding the C6) and much of the visual Corvette heritage to me has been lost with the change in headlight implementation. They could have designed fixed HID headlights with simple moving covers to achieve concealed headlights if it was that important to have HID lighting.
This is not about improvement in technology and performance. This is a spirited discussion in exterior design.
I may not speak for everyone in the C5 General section, but I absolutely loved the C5 when it was introduced. I also really liked the C4 when it was introduced. (I wasn't born yet when the C3 and prior generations were released.)
I've seen alot of negative comments about the C6's styling, not just here, but in reader's comments to magazines, on the street, and from friends. What I've seen with the C6 is something I did not see to anywhere near the same degree with the C5. There is a huge amount of negative views on the exterior styling from actual potential buyers, not just published magazine articles.
Even "Corvette Quarterly" Summer 2004 issue had an interesting comment on p.2. One of the three Corvette loyalists they interviewed made a comment about not being sure about liking the C6's headlights. This was published in their own magazine!
More than half (57.14%) of the 245 members that participated in the Corvetteforum.com "What if" poll seem to feel that Chevrolet should have retained the concealed headlight look through the use of Fixed HID headlights with simple moving light-weight body panel(s). If you add in the 51 members (20.82%) that voted for Moving headlight assemblies (such as flip-ups/pop-ups or roll-overs), you have 77.96% that would have preferred concealed headlights on the C6. Only 22.04% would have chosen the exposed headlight implementation we know to be on the C6. See
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=719364 for the discussion and the poll results.
Another example of dissatisfaction with the C6's exterior design is from Corvette Fever, a very popular Corvette magazine for Corvette lovers. In the July 2004 issue, beginning on p. 6, four of the five reader letters state their dislike of the C6 exterior styling.
Three readers made the following comments:
"The '05 is not a nice-looking car, and I'm not going to buy one."
"The angular/creased look of the new C6 is not attractive."
"I appreciate and applaud the improvements in performance and quality, but can't get past the styling, which I consider borderline ugly."
And for a non-Corvette specific magazine, check out some of the reader's letters in the May 2004 Motor Trend:
"The new Corvette is an unholy mess."
"I feel sick. That is the ugliest Corvette ever made. It may be the best one mechanically, and you rave about the improvements in the interior. But the outer skin is horrible." ... "This may appeal to the 18-25-year-old "fast 'n' furious" crowd, but I don't believe they're the ones purchasing $50K sports cars."
"I'm a Corvette guy. I've owned a 1992, a 1997, and now have a 2002 Convertible. I also own a 1961 Corvette. The 2005 made me want to cry. The front is stubby and cheap-looking, like a Ferrari-copy kit car. Not sleek at all. The fender arches and side vent/cove don't flow gracefully. The wheels are uninspired. The decklid contains an oddly chopped-off boattail."
I'm not saying anyone is doing this, but don't assume anyone that says they don't like the C6 exterior styling is a C5 owner that just doesn't like it because they're so attached to or invested in their C5. There are many and I mean MANY current generation owners that were really looking forward to the next generation. I was one of them. I mean, who wouldn't want to have the next best Vette. For me, it's not about moving to a new generation. The problem lies with the exterior styling of that generation. The final exterior design as it is just doesn't grab me and say, "This is an awesome looking sports car." It just doesn't. There are too many things about it that I do not like. I suspect that the exterior dimensions and overall shape (not necessarily styling) were highly influenced by the other Y-body car, the XLR.
The "next generation" has to make a current owner see value in buying it or else they won't. It's that simple.
That's the beauty of a free market system. There are other alternatives available. If GM drops the ball on this generation Corvette, I'm sure another manufacturer will find a way to fill the void. If that happens, maybe GM will correct what went wrong. Money talks. I for one don't believe for a second that anyone should just "get used to" the styling over time. That's like saying, "it's a Corvette so it doesn't matter what it looks like. Just buy it. It will grow on you." That's certainly not the kind of buyer I am. If I don't like the way it looks, I'm not going to buy it. When I traded my previous Vette in and bought my 2002, I had a choice... Z06 or Coupe (I had already ruled out the Convertible). I chose the Coupe because although I liked the performance advantages of the Z06 better, the styling of the Coupe won my decision. That's just how I am.
These are my 2 cents.
Last edited by Tiger Shark; Jul 26, 2004 at 08:33 PM. Reason: Added additional stats
Uber Waxer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 8,651
Likes: 5
From: Hanover MD
Cruise-In 8-9-10-11 Veteran
CI 9, 10 & 11 Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '08-'10
i got my issue as well. at first i didnt like it at all, but its starting to grow on me. but i love the C5 and it will probably be my favorite style for years. im glad i got my 2004 when i did, i got a good price on my dream car, and im not looking back!
