Originally Posted by Smiley1

The front view is absolutely stunning but the rear is extremely disappointing. I was holding off on buying an R8 or an AM until I get to see the new corvette. I've alway been a vette lover and have alway gave it shot before purchasing an new cars. Had a c5 and C6. All were great for its time but when I saw the c7.....I was very disappointed. Vettes have alway been in a class of its own but when they decide to redesign the rear to have a similar look to the Camaro its kind of like "lets change the escalade to be similar to a yukon".
Why would I want to buy a car that copied a cheaper cars looks. Shouldn't be the other way around? Like" Holy cow the Vette looks like the aventador but only 1/4 of the price" now its holly cow it looks like a camaro but double the price. SOOOO DISAPPOINTED. Hope its not too late to change it.

Originally Posted by hklvette

My first reaction: "Meh, I'll keep my C5."

but.....

After reading F22's post, If form indeed followed function (integral cooler vents, hood vent, etc), I can learn to like it. Not a fan of the 18/19 wheel combo still, but I think that was a style choice easily rectified. I did and do like the air inlets right behind the doors. Wonder if the General finally put coilovers on from the factory?

Originally Posted by 08Indy

Love the new technology! Not sure about the design. I like the car from the front end to the "B" Pillar. From that point back it doesn't resemble any corvette I've ever seen. Weilborn said the car was more "International" and I'd agree with that, if he means it looks like a GTR or some of the European offerings. But I think he and GM are missing the mark. I believe Europeans and the rest of the world would buy a new Corvette because for it's performance and it's American design that stays true to the Corvette brand identity. This car unfortunately doesn't stay true to the brand identity from what I can see. Would like to see it in person though.

Originally Posted by WRXtoVette

FUGLY. Highly dissapointed in Chevrolet. All I kept thinking was please don't use the Camaro tail lights while waiting for this unvail. Stupid GM. Round tailights=Corvette. Will never like it. Happy I own a more traditional looking Corvette. Keeping the C-5.

Originally Posted by DJD

Hate it, everything about it is wrong, "nothing will be the same" effing right its not, I don't like corvettes so I can say...Hey cool Ferrari mated with chevrolet and produced the C7. its true that you can polish a turd, just get some meguiars and give it a rub down. I hate to say it but chevy dropped the ball. What was wrong with making the C6 even more badarse? I own a C6 and will own nothing less. Whoever approved this p.o.s should be put in the stalks and have crap flung at him. You dont mix camaro with corvette, and really viper?! what the f?! are they not our vehicular enemy? I understand that they were trying to get a broader fan base, but really? thats the best GM could do? I'm sorry but you people dropped the ball, i feel like its the transition from the C3 to the C4. If i pulled up to a C7 at a stop light I would roll my window up and shun the C7.

Originally Posted by Smiley1

The front view is absolutely stunning but the rear is extremely disappointing. I was holding off on buying an R8 or an AM until I get to see the new corvette. I've alway been a vette lover and have alway gave it shot before purchasing an new cars. Had a c5 and C6. All were great for its time but when I saw the c7.....I was very disappointed. Vettes have alway been in a class of its own but when they decide to redesign the rear to have a similar look to the Camaro its kind of like "lets change the escalade to be similar to a yukon".
Why would I want to buy a car that copied a cheaper cars looks. Shouldn't be the other way around? Like" Holy cow the Vette looks like the aventador but only 1/4 of the price" now its holly cow it looks like a camaro but double the price. SOOOO DISAPPOINTED. Hope its not too late to change it.

Originally Posted by Rasidel

I said it before and I'll say it again. This car is a work of art. It's the next-generation Vette, clearly. Bravo Chevy and GM, bravo.

Originally Posted by F22

Hey, if any of the HATERS would read the details below the hi-res photos, they'd see how GM and Chevrolet busted butt to bring out something that didn't look like a rehash of anything else AND reworked just about every single detail in this car!

On Jalopnik, you'd be amazed at the response from the NON-Corvette crowd. You've got people WANTING a Corvette and that's amazing! Sometimes, you've got to throw tradition out the window, or things will just get stale (and ahem...old!).

I'l bet that despite the Camaro resemblance to the tail lights, this thing will look absolutely bad-*** sitting in traffic alongside anything else. If you can't look at this and imagine yourself being unhappy sitting in it, waiting for the light to turn green, then you've got problems.

Some of the details from Rasidel's linkee

While no single detail is repeated from previous generations, the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray include the distinctive profile defined by a long dash-to-axle ratio and the greenhouse evoking the canopy of a fighter jet with dual-element taillamps. To this foundation, designers built a form vocabulary from two very different sources: aerospace and nature.

"For the new Corvette to be called a Stingray, it had to deliver an incredible, purposeful visual impact - just as the original did in 1963," said Tom Peters, exterior design director. "That visual impact is evident in fighter jets and the Stingray animal itself. Their beauty comes from their purpose, designed to cut through air or water as quickly and efficiently as possible. As with aircraft and living forms, every transition on every surface of the Corvette Stingray serves a purpose executed with beauty and proportion."

I own two 'vettes, a 74' Stingray and a 95' C4. What I like about the 95 C4', I saw in the C7. That's what the C5-C6 lacked, was that 'fighter pilot' feel to the cockpit.

The new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray interior blends fine materials and craftsmanship with advanced technologies that contribute to a more connected and more engaging driving experience, said Helen Emsley, interior design director.

"Every feature and detail in the interior is designed to enhance the driver's connection to the Corvette," Emsley said. "It starts with the fighter jet inspired wraparound cockpit; continues to build with the smaller steering wheel, more supportive seats, and high-definition, configurable screens, and is finished in gorgeous materials."

Hell yeah and thank you!

"The new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray interior blends fine materials and craftsmanship with advanced technologies that contribute to a more connected and more engaging driving experience, said Helen Emsley, interior design director."

"All-new, dual-element taillamps represent the greatest departure from tradition and are among the car's most dramatic elements. The three-dimensional, sculpted lenses house innovative indirect LED lighting. The state-of-the-art lighting uses hidden LED lamps that cast their light up from the bottom of the housing into a reverse reflector, creating an even glow (you're not going to see the overly bright LED's blaring at you sitting behind this 'Vette, unlike many new cars). LED lamps are also used for the white backup lamps. The taillamps integrate functional aircraft-style air outlets for the available differential and transmission coolers. (diff coolers! Only real race cars come with differential coolers and now you can buy a production Corvette with one? Wow...)

"From the front or rear, the signature lighting brings the new Corvette to life," said Peters. "It looks beautiful, sinister and more than a little intimidating. It gives the Corvette a nighttime appearance unlike anything else on the street."

When it comes to aerodynamics, the new Stingray is in a league of its own. Advanced computer-aided modeling programs were employed to predict and track airflow over, under and through the new Corvette's body. Engineers and designers also relied on data gleaned from the Corvette Racing program - the most successful program ever in the American Le Mans Series and the 2012 GT class champion - to help balance front and rear grip for high-speed stability.


And look at what they've done for the chassis!!! It ain't no overwarmed C6. Hell no!

"The technologically advanced foundation is an all-new aluminum frame structure that is 57 percent stiffer and 99 pounds (45 kg) lighter. The greater torsional rigidity reduces unwanted noise and improves ride and handling.

Compared to the previous generation, which used continuous hydroformed main frame rails with a constant 2mm wall thickness, the new Corvette's frame features main rails composed of five customized aluminum segments, including aluminum extrusions at each end, a center main rail section and hollow-cast nodes at the suspension interface points. Each segment is tuned - varying in thickness from 2mm to 11mm - tailoring the gauge, shape and strength properties to optimize the requirements for each frame section with minimal weight.

The frame is assembled at an all-new welding shop at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant using a unique laser welding process in which a computer-controlled beam of high energy joins the components with exceptional precision and tolerances of about 0.001-inch.

Supporting the frame's greater strength and lower weight are complementing chassis elements, including hollow-cast aluminum front and rear cradles that are approximately 25-percent lighter and 20-percent stiffer than the solid cradles used on the previous structure.

Then this:

The new Corvette Stingray's chassis and suspension are designed to take advantage of the lighter, stiffer structure. The reduced structural flex allowed engineers to more precisely tune the suspension and steering for a more nimble and responsive driving experience.

"An important goal for the seventh-generation Corvette was to create a more intimate and connected driving experience, said Mike Bailey, chassis vehicle system engineer. "Whether on the open road or on the track, we wanted drivers to feel comfortable and confident behind the wheel."

While the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray retains the racing-proven short/long-arm suspension design, front and rear, the components are all-new. Improvements to the suspension include hollow lower control arms which save approximately nine pounds (4 kg) per vehicle and new aluminum rear toe links which save 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) over previous steel links.

The Corvette Stingray rides on new 18 x 8.5-inch front and 19 x 10-inch rear wheels, while models with the Z51 Performance Package roll on 19 x 8.5-inch front and 20 x 10-inch rear forged aluminum wheels. New Michelin Pilot Super Sport run-flat tires developed specifically for the seventh-generation Corvette deliver comparable levels of grip than the wider tires of previous models.

As a result, the track-oriented Corvette Stingray with the Z51 Performance Package is capable of 1g in cornering acceleration - comparable to the 2013 Corvette Grand Sport. Significantly, that is achieved with narrower and lighter wheels and tires. The reduced "footprint" reduces rolling resistance, steering effort and road noise, contributing to a more nimble feel, more immediate steering response and greater touring comfort and efficiency.

I think they hit it out of the ball park!!! Get over the taillights and love what they've given you. Chevrolet put this under the Xmas tree and now I see a bunch of ingrates. They worked hard and there's been GM Designers on this thread and damn right, they should be proud and we should too!