Automotive News: Next Corvette to aim for younger buyer
11-05-2011, 01:48 PM
#141
Burning Brakes
Vintagevetter was the rare exception in 1961 also! 
At $4,000, trust me when I say 18 y.o. kids didn't go out and buy a new Corvette back then either. Daddy and mommy, or gramps, etc. had to pop for that treat. 
He didn't EARN it himself. 
As to your second point: I got my license at 16 and drove rear wheel drive cars (that's all their was!) in W PA, up and down hills, on highways and country roads. You learned how to do it. Winter tires were required, obviously.
In '61 I bought a Sprite Mk I and drove it every day of the year. If snow was too deep, we stayed home, but snow, ice and fog was a way of life. I had another Healey in there and in '67 I bought my first Corvette. I guess we didn't have 'garage queens' back then. A car was transportation, and I drove that Corvette every day of the year.
Today's 'vette can be driven 'carefully' in the snow if shod with proper tires. I have mounted Michelin A/S for this winter, but some friends mount Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero to handle snow even a little better.
As far as not driving RWD cars in the winter: are you serious?
At $4,000, trust me when I say 18 y.o. kids didn't go out and buy a new Corvette back then either. Daddy and mommy, or gramps, etc. had to pop for that treat. He didn't EARN it himself. As to your second point: I got my license at 16 and drove rear wheel drive cars (that's all their was!) in W PA, up and down hills, on highways and country roads. You learned how to do it. Winter tires were required, obviously.
In '61 I bought a Sprite Mk I and drove it every day of the year. If snow was too deep, we stayed home, but snow, ice and fog was a way of life. I had another Healey in there and in '67 I bought my first Corvette. I guess we didn't have 'garage queens' back then. A car was transportation, and I drove that Corvette every day of the year.
Today's 'vette can be driven 'carefully' in the snow if shod with proper tires. I have mounted Michelin A/S for this winter, but some friends mount Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero to handle snow even a little better.
As far as not driving RWD cars in the winter: are you serious?
Yeah, I am serious, are you?
How many Corvettes do you see out in the winter? I am certain there are BMW's and Cadillacs that drive in the winter but no low slung sports car with monster wide tires. Any car can be driven "carefully" in the winter, and every car should be driven "carefully". It is not the driving it is the getting going from a stop in 6 inches of snow on a slight hill that is the problem, compounded by 400+ horsepower. Get real.
Sprite, really, what width size tires were on that beast of a power plant....185's??? Nothing compared to the width of modern performance cars. Did a SPRITE top 50 HP? Are you serious about making your point with a pint sized go cart with a lawn mower engine. You could literally get out of the car and pick it up over a snow bank. C'mon, use some sense.
Again thanks for proving the point. A Corvette is no longer just transportation. Just transportation does not cost $75-95k.
BTW, I wasn't born 10 years ago. I drove RWD cars only until 1994. So yeah, I have driven my fair share of cars in the winter including Trans Ams, IROC Camaros, Muscle Cars, etc. Non of them were fun. I got stuck plenty. I slid around plenty, and they all stopped like crap.
I doubt too many working today have the option to "just stay home" when the weather gets bad.
11-05-2011, 04:38 PM
#142
Le Mans Master
..... How many Corvettes do you see out in the winter? I am certain there are BMW's and Cadillacs that drive in the winter but no low slung sports car with monster wide tires. ..... It is not the driving it is the getting going from a stop in 6 inches of snow on a slight hill that is the problem, compounded by 400+ horsepower. Get real. ..... A Corvette is no longer just transportation. Just transportation does not cost $75-95k.
BTW, I wasn't born 10 years ago. I drove RWD cars only until 1994. So yeah, I have driven my fair share of cars in the winter including Trans Ams, IROC Camaros, Muscle Cars, etc. Non of them were fun. I got stuck plenty. I slid around plenty, and they all stopped like crap.
I doubt too many working today have the option to "just stay home" when the weather gets bad.
BTW, I wasn't born 10 years ago. I drove RWD cars only until 1994. So yeah, I have driven my fair share of cars in the winter including Trans Ams, IROC Camaros, Muscle Cars, etc. Non of them were fun. I got stuck plenty. I slid around plenty, and they all stopped like crap.
I doubt too many working today have the option to "just stay home" when the weather gets bad.
... One more thing, back in the 60's and 70's how many drove their Corvette in the winter? It did not really matter since every car was rear wheel drive. ..... The perception today is you don't drive RWD in the winter, especially a CORVETTE with tires that act like snow shoes.
Yessiree Bob, I did. And all of my friends drove their Corvettes, GTOs, 428 Fairlane 500s, Mustangs, 426 Dodges, etc. Hell, I even drove my '69 Camaro Z28. Now THAT was an adventure.The Sprite was an example of a low clearance car that I used in the Western Pennsylvania winters. That's all. That car was followed by a string of other sports and muscle cars, along with my wife's sedans and a damned motor-home.
They were all RWD and all driven in snow. I agree getting started on an uphill grade was interesting, but we did it. We also (mostly) stopped albeit with our hearts in our throats at times. My point was that WE DID IT. Capish?
You also stated the (your?) perception today is people don't drive RWD in the winter. Rather poor perception, IMHO, since there are many RWD cars driven daily. In the winter.
And my Corvette is transportation. Nothing more; nothing less. It is not a status symbol or ego builder, or garage queen. It is driven: carefully. And I didn't say anything anywhere about doing so ion 6" of snow. Two inches is fine though.
Oh, as to taking off for a snow day? Hell yes. In Pennsylvania, a heavy snow was cause to stay home. Today, in Chicagoland, it is acceptable if it's really bad outside. Also, I can walk the mile to the train station and catch the Metra into the Loop.
11-06-2011, 08:56 AM
#145
Drifting
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11-08-2011, 03:04 PM
#146
4th Gear
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C6 ZO6 A Performance Bargain
I have driven BMW M3s since 1997, e36, e46 and now a 2009 e92 with DCT. The last M3 has been heavily tracked.
BMW marketing creates the impression that this car is ready for the track. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The OE brakes are single piston and lack cooling ducts. They will smoke the first time you track the car. I had to install real 6-piston fixed caliper brakes and cooling ducts. This sets you back about $7K.
The crappy strut front suspension (invented by GM engineer after WW2 for economy Chevy--way to go Deutschland) creates bad turn in and horrible front tire wear. It is easy to kill one set of front tires in one track day.
The OE suspension is too soft so the car rolls heavily. Fix is a new coil over suspension with Koni shocks and camber plates. Will set you back $3K.
The OE tires can't support the weight of the car--275 x 10" rims fixes the problem at a cost of $2K (tires omitted to be fair to Vette).
Engine and DCT are wonderful but the car is too slow due to weighing 3700 Lbs. What you see in the rear view is a 911 GT3 RS or C6 ZO6 or a GTR.
I was thinking about buying a 911 GT3 RS at $160K. Someone suggested a C6 ZO6 to replace the M3. I laughed really hard as all I could think of was lousy quality. I finally caved in a bought a 2009 ZO6 for $52K--it had just 7K on the odometer.
All I had to do to take it to the track was to install race pads and fluid. I also replaced the run flats with some serious tires. The turn in is fantastic thanks to the double wishbone suspension. And guess what, front tire wear is a thing of the past. The gearbox is integrated with the diff. and the engine is pushed back far enough to allow for 50/50 weight distribution of a car that weighs less than 3200 LBS. It does not rattle and has an excellent ride. I love the LS7 engine with massive torque. Gas mileage is 28 on the highway while my M3 gets 21. The only thing it needs is a 7-speed DCT.
Am I saying all this because I am 61? Don't think so--the problem is GMs marketing. GM does not know what it has.
BTW, when BMW races M3s in ALMS they do so with 6-piston fixed calipers and a double wishbone suspension. The asked for special permission from the rules body as the M3 otherwise wouldn't be competitive.
Keep the Vette coming for many years!
BMW marketing creates the impression that this car is ready for the track. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The OE brakes are single piston and lack cooling ducts. They will smoke the first time you track the car. I had to install real 6-piston fixed caliper brakes and cooling ducts. This sets you back about $7K.
The crappy strut front suspension (invented by GM engineer after WW2 for economy Chevy--way to go Deutschland) creates bad turn in and horrible front tire wear. It is easy to kill one set of front tires in one track day.
The OE suspension is too soft so the car rolls heavily. Fix is a new coil over suspension with Koni shocks and camber plates. Will set you back $3K.
The OE tires can't support the weight of the car--275 x 10" rims fixes the problem at a cost of $2K (tires omitted to be fair to Vette).
Engine and DCT are wonderful but the car is too slow due to weighing 3700 Lbs. What you see in the rear view is a 911 GT3 RS or C6 ZO6 or a GTR.
I was thinking about buying a 911 GT3 RS at $160K. Someone suggested a C6 ZO6 to replace the M3. I laughed really hard as all I could think of was lousy quality. I finally caved in a bought a 2009 ZO6 for $52K--it had just 7K on the odometer.
All I had to do to take it to the track was to install race pads and fluid. I also replaced the run flats with some serious tires. The turn in is fantastic thanks to the double wishbone suspension. And guess what, front tire wear is a thing of the past. The gearbox is integrated with the diff. and the engine is pushed back far enough to allow for 50/50 weight distribution of a car that weighs less than 3200 LBS. It does not rattle and has an excellent ride. I love the LS7 engine with massive torque. Gas mileage is 28 on the highway while my M3 gets 21. The only thing it needs is a 7-speed DCT.
Am I saying all this because I am 61? Don't think so--the problem is GMs marketing. GM does not know what it has.
BTW, when BMW races M3s in ALMS they do so with 6-piston fixed calipers and a double wishbone suspension. The asked for special permission from the rules body as the M3 otherwise wouldn't be competitive.
Keep the Vette coming for many years!
11-14-2011, 05:26 PM
#147
Instructor
Today, their are even more people that are in their 30s that are millionaires who are small business people, investment bankers, CPAs and other professionals that could easily afford a $120K car. Of course, the way the Corvette is put together; it is not a daily driver like a Porsche or a GT-R or other similar cars.
Your right about the millionaires, But a million just doesnt go that far not in todays world , specialy when the average person in there 30's are just starting a new family , if they dont already have one. A CORVETTE isa very much desired car by younger peeps, people , especialy younger people just don't have the money . AND NOT A DAILY DRIVER??? omg i drive mine every single day and love it. I didn't buy it to sit in my garage and look pretty, i get my moneys worth and then some ...
