To your first point, neither do I. However, my brain is not dead and I do remember most general points made on topics discussed on this forum. The search function works to refresh my memory to specific details.

To your second point, no one has stated anything as factual, just stating opinions based on analysis of different written reviews. For example, see my comments earlier in this thread starting with:

"More or less, but not interior specific, just Corvette in general. In many reviews, the Corvette will show up the competition in most objective areas, but in any subjective area the Corvette rates lower."

and your response

It is all opinion amigo. The points I raise on subjective ratings by the writers does make me wonder. You can believe the written word and subjective ratings as gospel if you wish.

 

 

Your own points make you wonder?

Magazine articles don't influence my opinions.

I do know that an auto magazine writer's subjective opinion favoring a European car does not necessarily mean he arrived at his opinion through a pre-existing bias towards European cars.

 

Yes Notch, the points I outline regarding C&D's subjecting point assignments makes me wonder if those writers have some bias to Euro cars.

 

Not all the points you made in a previous post in this thread were subjective assessments by the writers. For example, regarding your following comments...

"On subjective ratings, the 911 beat the 'vette by 3 points in the "vehicle" subtotal, 2 point coming to Porsche for their rear seat to zero for the Corvette. In most other areas, the Porsche beat the 'vette by 2 points. Sez who? The writer!"

Not all of the assessments under "Vehicle" are subjective. Five of the items (rear-seat space, trunk space, features/amenities, rebates/extras (zero points for any car in this test), and "as-tested price") are based on objective assessments. And in terms of rear-seat space and trunk size, the point total for these two items resulted in a +1 point advantage to the Vette. The bottom line is there isn't any bias towards European cars in these areas.

Here's another point you made in the same post as the comment quoted above...

"The "powertrain" subtotal favored the German car by one point, with the Porsche getting a THREE point edge in mileage."

Once again, the points assigned in three of the five areas, including "fuel economy" are objective assessments that carry specific point values, so they are therefore not based on subjective Euro bias.

 

RECARO seat option is a no brainer.

 

As a minimum I would expect:

1. A true high tech Info/Audio/Tainment center
2. Improved HUD
3. Cooled seats with an Air Scarf feature

I assume the fit/finish and quality of materials especially the leather will be vastly improved over the C6.

Tom

 

The interior of the C7 will be upgraded vs. the C6 only if GM research indicates that is HAS TO BE.

They will use, have used I'm sure, various proven marketing research methods to determine if interior quality is really that important as a purchasing decision. Up to now they clearly have decided that it is not otherwise the interior would be better.

I would much rather see other improvements in areas that are lower quality than they should be simply because buyers will put up with it. For example, brakes of the quality of those on the CTS-V should be standard on all vettes right now. However, buyers will take the cars with cheap solid rotor fifty year old swiss cheese design. Those who care will upgrade at their expense to two piece better quality etc.

The big thing for me in the interior would be a firm well constructed seat. The present seats are really sub par....but again.....buyers still buy the car. The research question, directed to prospective buyers, goes something like this:

" Is there anything about the present interior that would make you not buy a new C6?"

I think most people who hunger for the Corvette image in their lives would buy the cars if the interior were all vinyl seat covers and plastic trim. In fact, I'd prefer seating surfaces that were vinyl exactly the same as was in my first '68 Camaro ( custom interior option ). That vinyl , and the seat, was superior in all respects to the C6 seat ( up to the most recent changes ).

One thing is certain: The MSRP of the C7 will probably go up a LOT. My prediction is that the base MSRP, that's the lowest priced model, will be at least 10% higher than it has risen ( for no good reason ) to at the present and possibly as high as 15%.

I've said it before....I think the marketing model for the C7 will be lower volume and much higher price. They will improve quality if and where their research shows it is absolutely necessary and nothing more.

Not that I'm cynical....I just understand marketing.

 

They should start by having whoever picks out the sound system taking a hearing test. I'm pretty sure the C6 radio was designed by a deaf person.

 

I strongly suspect that GM has determined that the interior quality on the C7 must be improved over the C6. It will be on par with the CTS and will match the Euro competition. It's hard to imagine GM failing in this regard with the rest of the field having set the bar so high.

I also think that the Corvette will rise in price for a couple of reasons. The first is that I don't believe that GM can afford to sell cars at a loss any more. They've tried that and we all know where that got them. More importantly, it costs more to build a better, higher quality car and people will pay more for a better product. As for lower volume, I sure hope not. They've tested the depths in recent years and I don't think the Corvette can remain viable unless sales volumes improve, even with the higher prices. This car needs to sell well in the US and start to get a foothold internationally.

 

I expect that the next Corvette would be around $55K base. But the options we all want will bring a base Vette into the high $60K range. I suspect with a handling package, HUD, leather wrap interior and navigation we're going to be looking at near $70K.

 

Listen to this guy. I don't think this is completely right, but it has a lot of truth to it. My brother just got a brand new Merc 300-C. Cost as much as a base Corvette. Beautiful car. Yet, after hearing about how bad my Corvette's interior was supposed to be vs. a Merc (and I can't say I recall ever having been in a Merc in recent memory), I was blown away by how... not blown away I was. Were the seats luxurious-oh yeah. Was the six-speed transmission butter smooth? Yes. Was the engine nearly silent, even at 5,000 RPM? Yep. Was the emergency break dead-silent when engaging and disengaging? You bet. Yet, I also observed some negatives-there was a fair amount of black plastic in the cabin. The sound system was great, but not awe-inspiring, and the door panels didn't take my breath away. The way people hate on Corvettes, you'd think that every European car had the interior of a V12 Vantage (which I have ridden in in recent memory). They don't. Corvette's problem is that it takes years for a bad taste to be washed out of people's mouths. The last of the haters who claim the Corvette can't go around a corner are all but gone, but that took 10 years of outstanding C5 and C6 track performance to manage. They're going to have to outdue Porsche to get the same level of recognition for a while, and then, when they've got international respect, things will be more fair.

 

I don't know how true that is. I don't think any amount of time will do. I think that the Europeans just like bashing American cars.

Jeremy Clarkson bought a ZR1 because he loved it, but the BBC told him to get rid of it (or else).

I don't think it's just a matter of time. I think it's pure ignorance on an almost racist level.

 

You can't be serious.

 

Eh, Clarkson wrote this about the ZR-1 in The Times, when he named it "Car of the year."

Also, his views on the C6 base model (glowing) from his Heaven and Hell DVD, his Kudos to the C6 after testing the Viper Roadster ("I came to America to see if the Corvette was the only good American sports car-it is"), and his generally positive review of the Z06 on Top Gear, tempered with some hyperbole at the end, are all out there for the world to see. I think the Anti-Americanism is part of the TG shtick, but if the Corvette continues to be brilliant, I'm sure they'll find other cars to put down.

 

And it actually can't sell in lower volumes, there is no way they can price it as competitively as they do if they are expecting/planning to sell fewer units. I'm sure their business plan/model is for at least 25k (probably closer to 35k initally) total cars per year.





Though not all of us want all of the comforts of home in our sports cars of course ...I know it's not the norm here but I typically order my cars with the most basic/minimalist of options/packages as I can for it reduces weight, reduces complexity (less trinkets and doodads to break) and it of course reduces cost (both initially and later on - out of warranty).

 

^ This ^

 

Completely agree, 100%. I do think that the interior deserves some major improvment, but near as much as everyone claims. Many Europeans simply cannot handle the fact that an American car is good.

Just the other day I was watching the episode of Top Gear where they tested the C6 when it was new. Of course, like always, they knocked their fists on the dashboard, complaining about the "hard plastics". Now, I realize that the Top Gear hosts have an audience to entertain, and that all three of them actually enjoy American cars. What I find puzzling is that those comments are entertaining to anyone at all. Has anyone checked out a European car from 2005? Yup, they have the very same hard plastics everywhere.

 

The Corvette has a niche to fill. It needs to be a top performer that the average middle-class joe can reasonably aspire to own. You hear two basic arguments:

1. If [insert cheaper car] can have an interior like it does, then why can't the Corvette?

Answer: Find me any cheaper car that has the performance capabilities of the Corvette... there aren't any.

2. If GM can do it with the CTS-V then why can't they do it in the Corvette?

Answer: Last I checked the CTS-V was a good bit more expensive than the Corvette

At the end of the day GM nees to do two things. First, offer an upgraded seat option along the lines of what Caravaggio produces. Second, offer an optional top notch NAV/info-tainment system because people really value/use that stuff these days. Don't bundle them in a bunch of odd options packages either.

Just my $0.02

 

This is true... but the C6 interior is so long in the tooth that cars costing half as much now have more compelling interiors, especially with respect to technology. GM cannot expect the interior to last the full model life cycle; it needs a refresh after four years. Interiors are simply evolving too quickly. It'd help if they didn't come up short in the first place too.

How about this: they did it with the CTS, and it looks like they've done it with the ATS. The next Corvette needs to match them feature for feature, no corners cut.

You know they're gonna bundle. Want the HUD? Only in LT3. Want the nav? LT3, plus $1500. Want the sport seats? LT2 at least -- and maybe LT4. Wish it wasn't so, but GM has little incentive to change their ways on this score.

I'm particularly curious to see whether they come up with a brain-damaged console for LT1, or they just hold back the infotainment system's features across the board so they can use the same hardware from bottom to top of the line. I'm betting they do the latter.

.Jinx