sprtplt

I mean, it is just a car. If the C7 is something to really be proud of, release all the details! THAT is how you gin up interest. The info for current Camaro was out years ahead of the introduction and they had people begging dealers to take their deposit. A system was put in place allow orders to be taken far in advance of production.

The (serious) Corvette community would be all over something like this and would queue up to get a build sequence, if the C7 looked (looks and specs) amazing. I know I would.

Who cares "what it might do" to the 2013 Corvette sales, the numbers will be so low anyway. There will always be enough people who don't like something about the C7, to buy the tiny production of the 2013 C6.

shindig

I agree, most potential buyers will hold off until they at least have a chance to see the production version. At that point, being able to order a 2013 may be too late.

jb_va2001

First, google "Osborne Effect".

Why show the C7 publicly before they are ready to build it? And while they are still building C6?

How would showing the C7 now hurt the revenue and profit they need from the C6 today?

Cheers,
JB

BluegrassMotorsport

At the end of the day, Chevrolet is in the business of selling cars and making money. If they released major info about the C6 this early, 2013 C6 sales may tank. Some people are very skeptical about the C7 already (though I cannot understand why), and if Chevrolet hides major details a while longer, those people will buy 2012 and 2013 models.

jaki30

If too many details are released, the decision to buy a C7, C6 or even a competitors car would be made much earlier than GM would like. This could be a self fulfilling event. If the C7 bombs, the C6 goes up in value and the competition gains a few sales. If it is a great success, they sell even more than expected.
We also shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this is not a Cruze or Malibu, but, a very expensive toy. The market can be really fickle for toys. Especially in a down economy. GM needs to build the anticipation and expectations to generate more than just a small spike in sales upon release.

Rapid Fred

Good analysis

Jinx

GM was selling nothing like a Camaro at the time.

Also, we just had this conversation. Twice within the past couple of weeks, and still active as of yesterday. Many C7 Discussion regulars had interesting things to say on the topic; they're worth reading.

.Jinx

michaelinmech

This is what I said in a previous thread and I stand by it as my current thinking:


"The C7 Buzz is out there - anticipation is priceless.

Chevrolet still has an entire model year worth of C6 Corvettes to sell. And while GM certainly has made it's share of mistakes over the years, one thing they have been very savvy about is not giving away the upcoming model 'change secrets' while the current model still needs to ring the register. The 60th Anniversary and 427 Convertible offerings wet the appetites of potential buyers to keep general Corvette interest and sales going. No price increases for the new model year furthered that interest.

I'll bet a dollar there are some good and high priced marketing folks at Chevrolet that know exactly what they are doing regarding the C7 info timing and teasing. IMHO"

chaase

The Camaro details were put out too early on top of that. A lot of the buzz was gone by the time it was released. There is a balancing act they have to play and so far, I think they doing a pretty good job of maintaining that balance.

jb_va2001

How many really think the C7 is going to bomb?

The recent Viper and Mustang announcements should end the wacky nanny state less-power small-engine speculation. And while the C6 looks and performs great, there is no reason to think a C7 can't look and perform better.

Cheers,
JB

BlueOx

I'm sure GM has it's reasons for the secrecy. That secrecy leaves a LOT of room for people to imagine bad things like all this silly V6 nonsense while others are pushing the envelope and telling everyone about it.

Heck, the 2013 Mustang has something new almost everyday like today's announcement that Motor Trend ran an 11.6 sec. 1/4 mi. in a stock GT 500.

SOMETHING needs to be said...

Jinx

That's the 2013 Mustang, not the 2014 Mustang.

What manufacturer is, today, saying anything substantial about a 2014 model who has an equivalent 2013 model for sale? Seriously, if there's an example I'm not thinking of, call it out. I can't think of any, which is why I think it's unfair to criticize GM for failing to do what nobody else does either.

.Jinx

catbert

The very reason for secrecy, and even misinformation, is to build up interests and anticipation. Every new generation has been preceded by this kind of hype and conjecture. All the BS, including all the various forum threads are free advertising in an era of $250.000 a minute prime time ads, AND it's targeted at no addional cost. Grab a box of popcorn and enjoy the show.

BlueOx

You know me Jinx, I'm just one unfair bastage!

Maybe the Mustang reference is unfair but they have been CONSTANTLY talking for years. Their PR machine is never-ending. I think there is a big plus in that for not only their sales but associated after-market vendors, etc.

So I'm curious about your thoughts on the Corvette concept vehicle that was in the Transformer movie. Why do you think they did that and what purpose did it serve? Did that affect C6 sales?

How about the Camaro's long slog to production? Did that affect C6 sales? How about the CTS-V? How about all the C6 tech that was used in both cars? Does that affect C6 interest & sales if you spread that out to too many other cars?

Jinx

The "Transformers" Corvette was actually a one-off show car called the Centennial Corvette, built to celebrate General Motors' (NOT Chevrolet's) 100th anniversary. That makes it, what, four years old? IIRC the design was headed by Tom Peters who headed C6 design. I think he took credit for the Camaro too.

It appeared in Transformers 2 because Michael Bay saw it and wanted it in his movie

To me the Centennial Corvette is a futuristic C6. The fender lines meld into the door the same way, the fender vent/cove is the same design exaggerated, the center spine is the same, just carried down into the window split... The endcaps are radical, but I see more of the Stealth Fighter that Peters referenced when discussing the C6. Point is, it was probably conceived in answer to "we need a show car," without a lot of regard for the next Corvette. I bet they hadn't settled on C7's design language yet.

As for the Camaro and CTS-V, I'm sure they stole a few Corvette owners... but I bet just as many buyers added one to their Corvette garage. Call that a wash I think it's appropriate to have a "pony" car and a luxury car that borrow some Corvette technology. Indeed, it's part of Corvette's mission to blaze a trail for other GM vehicles to follow. I think it adds to Corvette's allure more than it detracts from it. Take for example the XLR and STS-V, which didn't use a Corvette engine, though it surely would have fit. Imagine what they could have been. GM looks ready to repeat the mistake with the ATS-V.

.Jinx

BlueOx

Hmmm, the 2014 Chevy SS announced and pictures provided by GM...pretty early don't you think?

BluegrassMotorsport

Sorry, I know this is off-topic, but...

That is the NASCAR version, which will more than likely bare little resemblance to the actual vehicle. It is being designed at the same time that its Holden sibling is being redesigned. So until the Holden variation is shown, we don't really have an idea of what it is going to look like.

BlueOx

OK, here is the steering wheel of the 2014 Impala anyway...kinda looks like my '05 Vette wheel!

briando

What is the C7 really going to improve over the past corvette. What is Chevy up to

SanDiegoBert

That is the question of the day, if no the hour, my friend.

Lotsa speculation out there, most of it rather unpleasant to me . . . But, it's a waiting game.

Some vendor or supplier will spill some beans, I'm hoping.