americanretrodave

C3's went 14 years in a similar situation, C4's went 12 years and during that time we had the recession of the early 80's! C5's were relatively quick, for Corvete at 8 years, but those 8 years were in flourishing times. I think 'far too long' is wishful thinking to describe 9 years for the C6! Just looking at the longivity of the past models would suggest the opposite, especially when you add a double dip recession, GM near bankruptsy, a financial bail out, and fuel costs going through the roof. Do you honestly think 9 years is out of line? I I'd love to see a new model introduced, but I think it will be closer to 11 or 12 years instead of the 7 or 8 suggested here. I just hope the 11 or 12 years doesn't turn into wishful thinking.

BMadden

Yes, I do. This isn't the 70's or 80's anymore where you could keep a design for a very long period of time. Re-designs on most cars come every 5-6 years now so 9 for the C6 is an eternity by comparison. Sales numbers from the past couple years show that the Corvette is in serious need of a revamp and that has to come sooner rather than later. I think GM knows this and that's why we will see a C7 for model year 2013.

americanretrodave

BMadden let's agree to disagree; I hope you're right and come April next year we'll have a 60th anniversity C7 Vette on the table and "not a lot more hype". If we do, I'll be glad to come back to this thread and say you were right!

vette.mix

ALMOST is your key word

BRTC5

I can't wait that long!

americanretrodave

I bought my first Vette 42 years ago and I've always had one every since, sometimes I've had as many as four at once. Currently I have three, a C1, C5 and a C6. I can't tell you how many times I've went through discussions like this all suggesting the next generation years before it happen, note, it has never happened. Two of my favorite Corvettes of all time weren't suppose to be made (the 62' and 67'); I don't want to even talk about the C3's or the C4's. As for the C5, how many thought the C6 would make the 50th anniversity? So all you out there that are "sure" we'll see the C7 in 2013, I wish you luck. You certainly have the chips stacked up against you.

I Bin Therbefor

"GM’s new V-8 engine line set to begin production in February 2013; equipment for the line will start arriving in September" at the General Motors Corp.’s Town of Tonawanda engine plant.

The St. Catharines GM engine plant has provided Vett engines in the past and I believe is slated to do so in the future.

If the C7 is to be a 2013 model intro'd in 2012 at the NCM in the spring with the new Gen V engines, then the St. Catharines plant will need to start production of those engines in Feb of 2012 to meet fall 2012 deliveries. New equipment for the engine production line should have started to arrive at the St. Catharines plant the fall of 2010 if the program for change over at St Catharines mirrors that at Tonawanda.

I can find no public announcement that this equipment has started to arrive at St Catharines in the fall of 2010.

We need input from the Canada's Corvette fans. Did the equipment start to arrive in the fall of 2010?

vettedoogie

There has to be major changes to the C7. Just look at the competition both internal and external to GM. If they are smart they will have aluminum framed convertibles and an auto tranny at every level. GM has to prove that you can have AFFORDABLE fun in a very performance-oriented Corvette.

SCM_Crash

Some people in this thread are just funny...

All I care about is if it's going to be a revolution or an evolution. From what Mr. Reuss is saying, it sounds like it's going to be an evolution. If that's the case, I'll have a C5 and a C7. I didn't see a point to buying a C6. The only thing that seemed different to me was that it was tame and has no door handles. LOL

ST Graveyard

I have to say, I don't think we'll see the C7 soon ... That being said, I do think chevrolet is behind in this department. Like Bmadden stated, these aren't the 70's and 80's anymore. When checking the European brands, we have complete new models after 6 to 7 years, but in between (every 3 years or so) there is a smaller facelift.
I think GM definitely has to wake up here. I know we have the Z06, ZR1 and other special editions, but still ...
I truly am afraid if the C7, after all these years, will only be a small evolution design, like the C5 to C6 ... I don't know if this will suffice this time ... Let's wait and see I guess ...

Just my 2 cents ...

range96

There is really little need to completely revamp the C6 to make the C7. Major changes are in the plans for C8, that's the grapevine.

HarryWild

Mark Ruess knows that Corvette designers have to broaden the potential buyer base for the Corvette. The average age of the buyer is in the 50s. If this the current trend continues; their will not be many future buyers since people in the 70s do not drive sport cars and in the 80s usually do not drive at all. All cars going forward are suppose to be sold worldwide. That will save a lot models and make each model much more profitable since it is sold in nearly every country with little modification.

zland

I believe people buy Corvettes often in their 50's because of the cost of the car. Likewise, Porsche, Ferrari etc I bet also have an older group buying their cars.

Certainly GM could expand to younger buyers by dropping the price of the Corvette. The question is do you really want a lower performance Corvette that a bunch of you kids are driving? to me the logical solution is the Camaro which is a more affordable car for those with less income.

BRTC5

This is what they did for the C5 according to "All Corvettes are Red".

HarryWild

There are probably equal number of affuent 30-50 range that work as lawyers, doctors, investment bankers, engineers, consultants, business owners, etc... pulling in anywhere from $100K-$350K that could or would consider a high end sport car or a low end supercar.

They just need to see it as a cool looking car that is in keeping with their image. Currently, I think the Corvette has nice lines on the outside but the interior needs to be upgraded along with the mechanics of the car - suspension, dual clutch, audio, things that Chevrolet left on the table in 2004 and just did not care to keep up on.

If Corvette is to grow in market share, these people are current looking at the 911 and Cayman, Audi RS8, Mercedes SL line, BMW 6 series and 3 series, Lotus, Aston Martin, etc....

I think people in this crowd want cutting edge electronics, nice interiors and state of art suspension. Corvette needs to upgrade that to compete full with the European sport cars.

Racer X

I agree on the automated manual, interior, electronics and would add Direct injection which is coming. I do get the idea that the Corvette does not have a state of the art suspension. What, the transverse leaf? It does what a spring is supposed to do, allow wheel travel and to keep it off the ground. The mag shocks are top of the line. Good enough for Ferrari. The transverse leaf is not used for location the chief limitation of using a leaf. As a composite the weight compasts favorably to a steel springs. The only real limitation is that it is not easy to swap springs to different weights. 90%+ of buyers do not do touch their springs. This is not a prdouction car problem. It may not be sexy, but that does not mean it is outdated or substandard to "state of the art".

RubyZR1

GM is a global company.....why aren't "all" of its products available globally?

I'm referring to customers located in countries that drive on the "other" side of the road like Australia, New Zealand, Sth Africa, Japan, and parts of the UK etc.

IMHO GM missed an opportunity to access the RHD market when designing the C6. Although the then Vice Chairman Mr Bob Lutz made reference to a RHD C6 Corvette being manufactured by GM, it never materialised.

We/I envy you USA based Corvette owners. We Aussies are legally obliged to re-engineer our Corvettes(for models newer than 30 years old) from left to right hand drive. This costs us $49000AUS for a C6 Coupe, Convertible, GS or Z06 and $55000AUS for a C6ZR1.

Buying a new Corvette is made difficult by the fact that GM HQ prohibits its USA based dealers from selling new Corvettes for export!

WTF, didn't I hear/read that Mr Bob Lutz claimed that GM was a global company? If that's so, then why the ban on the sale of cars for export out of the USA? I understand this prohibition is more aimed at protecting the USA based dealerships. What about the rest of the global village/market? I guess you guys could tell us to "get stuffed", but the fact remains the Corvette has world wide appeal; and, GM's BOD & "Bean Counters" failed to capitalise on this opportunity.

Over the past five decades thousands of Corvettes from C1 to the current 2011 C6ZR1 have made the trip across the pond to Australia and New Zealand.

We aussie's & Kiwi's consider ourselves as passionate about our Corvettes as you guys. Although we don't have the numbers like you guys in the USA, we also have our corvette clubs, runs and gatherings the same as you do.

In both countries the expertise exists to re-engineer the Corvette from left to right hand drive. If we can do it, why can't GM?

I came into this hobby at age 40 when I bought and imported my first Corvette, a 1993 40th Anniversary Rubyred ZR-1 which is now right hand drive.

I've since bought and sold a Red/red 1981 coupe, bought and imported an authentic 1969 L88 Coupe in June 2004 and in May 2009 bought and imported a Cyber Gray C6ZR1 which is also right hand drive.

I hope to own a C7 when they become available; and, a C8 should I live long enough.

From across the pond in Oz.

Racer X

I applaud you enthuasiasm and dedication. It should be simple enough to engineer a RHD if the car is pretty much mechanically symetrical. I would think the biggest issue is the Dash and maybe some extensions to some wiring looms. With a electronic throttle that linkage is not a broplem, the brake being central should not be a problem and the clutch having smaller master shouold not be a problem and being hydraulic makes it easier than the old days of mechanical linkages.

Do you move things like starters and airconditioning and pumps?

Maybe they are concerned about the small volume and maintianing parts availability for however many years the local government requires (7 years in the US IIRC). That is why they did not sell the EV1, they would have been required by law to maintian parts for 7 years, and the logistics of training dealerships outside of the very small area they were leased in.

You must be quite the fan to go through the conversions.

RubyZR1

Hi Racer X, and thank you for your reply.

Here's a link to my Corvette engineer's website: http://www.corvetteclinic.com.au/

FYI, if you watch the intoduction on their wesite, that's my 2009 C6ZR1.

I have been requested by my Corvette engineer not to divulge any of their C6ZR1 proprietary details, so I am sorry I am unable to be very specific about what gets relocated to where.

As for the C6 Coupe, Convertible, Z06 and GS, the re-engineering process requires using a replacement steering rack (unfortunately we can't simply invert the OEM rack) that is relocated to the right side of the car, along with the throttle, clutch and brake pedal assemblies.

The brake and clutch reservoirs are relocated from the left to right side of the engine bay on the "bulkhead" or "firewall" (which ever word best describes that section).

The wiring loom requires lengthening to accomodate the relocation of the dash and associated gauges from the left to right side of the interior.

The gear shifter is also relocated from the left to right side of the torque tube for driver convenience, although, was not done in my 93ZR-1. Shifting gears is easy with my left hand in my C4ZR-1 even with the shifter located in its OEM location.

The windscreen wipers are repositioned as they must sweep from the opposite direction from OEM in order to clear the required area as required by federal laws.

Clear indicator lamps with amber globes are attached mid way up the side front fenders which links to the left/right turn indicators.

I'm sure I have missed other vital components that are either relocated, repositioned or removed entirely in the re-engneering process.

This process takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks to complete and the car is ready for customer delivery.

During the C6ZR1 re-engineering process my Corvette engineer decided to use leather to completely cover the dash instead of shrink-wrapped vinyl as used on C3's, C4's and C5's before. To that end, he was able to obtain permission from GM to access the same leather from GM's suppliers. The finished result is very nice indeed and looks like OEM.

FYI, there are two pics of my RHD 2009 C6ZR1 in the "My Garage" section of my Avatar here on CF along with a few pics of my 69L88 and RHD 93ZR-1.

This Easter our Corvette Club is hosting the 23RD Annual Australian Corvette Clubs Convention here in Melbourne, Victoria. It will be a smaller gathering compared to the last one we hosted back in 2004 when we had 237 Corvettes from C1's to C5's.

I'm told we only have 150 entrants for this years event....probably due to the natural disasters(Flooding in Queensland and Fires In Western Australia) and the lingering impact of the GFC.

Here's hoping GM's BOD & bean-counters keep making the Corvette for us all to enjoy where ever we live!

UE Triplefi

Corvette might as well be a BRAND ITSELF, not under Chevrolet's badge.