- not who else may own one.
If I could afford a Lambo I'd rather just get a Vette and spend the difference on the house or save it for kids, travel, etc.
How much would you pay for Exclusivity???
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
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Sports cars are not all about the build, or really even all about objective performance measurements.
What manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini bring to the table are sports cars that hit it with high marks on many different assessments, but what they really do is deliver the driving experience at an overall package level that other cars really don't reach. Honestly, the mid-engine platforms from these manufacturers is a huge factor in presenting a great driving experience, not only in the affect it has on the driver (the driver feels like his seat is actually what is carving the corner), but also the affect it has on steering feel. The forward sight lines from their mid-engine cars offers a visual experience that really is hard to beat. Their interior design, flow, and proportionality are all well executed and are homogeneous, not just in "build" (materials and attachments), but more importantly in design. And IMO, the sound that comes from a Lamborghini V10 or V12 is not matched by any other car in the world.
What manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini bring to the table are sports cars that hit it with high marks on many different assessments, but what they really do is deliver the driving experience at an overall package level that other cars really don't reach. Honestly, the mid-engine platforms from these manufacturers is a huge factor in presenting a great driving experience, not only in the affect it has on the driver (the driver feels like his seat is actually what is carving the corner), but also the affect it has on steering feel. The forward sight lines from their mid-engine cars offers a visual experience that really is hard to beat. Their interior design, flow, and proportionality are all well executed and are homogeneous, not just in "build" (materials and attachments), but more importantly in design. And IMO, the sound that comes from a Lamborghini V10 or V12 is not matched by any other car in the world.
at the front end treatment but if the real deal ends up looking like this I believe it will give the Italian mid-engines a run for the money:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
OK, let the bashing begin, and I have a good idea who will be right in there.
Safety Car
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From: GA (some days)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,593
Likes: 959
From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
There is a Ferrari dealership just down the road from me. He sold out of his annual allotment before he ever opened. Those people were not worried about what they had to give up to have that new Ferrari.
Safety Car
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From: GA (some days)
As long as you have assembly line workers under the control of the UAW, no American car will ever be in the same class as the European exotics. Those people in Maranelo build that car with true love and passion. I am not say our friends at Bowling Green don't care about the Corvette and their job, but it is just something different in the two places.
Race Director
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Not having the finances (and I am not saying you don't) to simply go out and buy whatever cases people to think this way. In reality the vast majority of those that do buy the 458 Ferrari's and the F12 Ferrari's or the Lamborghini Aventador have the finances to buy the super homes, put the kids through the better colleges and not think a thing about it.
There is a Ferrari dealership just down the road from me. He sold out of his annual allotment before he ever opened. Those people were not worried about what they had to give up to have that new Ferrari.
There is a Ferrari dealership just down the road from me. He sold out of his annual allotment before he ever opened. Those people were not worried about what they had to give up to have that new Ferrari.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
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The Corvette is already semi exclusive, but I would pay a little more for more exclusivity. I would pay more for better dealer service, better warranty (the car should come with a four year warranty anyways), better quality (which the C7 seems to have).
I would also pay more if it was NOT a Chevrolet and was its own brand sold through very select Chevrolet dealers and Cadillac dealers.
I would also pay more if it was NOT a Chevrolet and was its own brand sold through very select Chevrolet dealers and Cadillac dealers.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,003
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From: Fort Worth TX
none -- not with GM anyway.
They have proven multiple times that "exclusivity" only applies until they need a boost or quick buck.
If I had known the Z06 body style was going to be duplicated in the GS 2 years after I'd bought mine -- I'd have reconsidered getting a Z06. Part of the "worth" to me was the fact it was a unique style, and instantly recognizable as one of the ultimate corvettes.
Same thing goes with the engine -- 427 isn't exclusive anymore.
Doesn't matter how they style or what they do to the C7Z06 (if they make one) because you will see carbon copies of them running around a year or two later for $20,000 less
Same thing happened with the "SS" badge for a while - they started slapping it on everything till it lots it's mystique.
so the ultimate answer to the question is 0 dollars -- at least when it comes to GM.
They have proven multiple times that "exclusivity" only applies until they need a boost or quick buck.
If I had known the Z06 body style was going to be duplicated in the GS 2 years after I'd bought mine -- I'd have reconsidered getting a Z06. Part of the "worth" to me was the fact it was a unique style, and instantly recognizable as one of the ultimate corvettes.
Same thing goes with the engine -- 427 isn't exclusive anymore.
Doesn't matter how they style or what they do to the C7Z06 (if they make one) because you will see carbon copies of them running around a year or two later for $20,000 less
Same thing happened with the "SS" badge for a while - they started slapping it on everything till it lots it's mystique.
so the ultimate answer to the question is 0 dollars -- at least when it comes to GM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,593
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From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
none -- not with GM anyway.
They have proven multiple times that "exclusivity" only applies until they need a boost or quick buck.
If I had known the Z06 body style was going to be duplicated in the GS 2 years after I'd bought mine -- I'd have reconsidered getting a Z06. Part of the "worth" to me was the fact it was a unique style, and instantly recognizable as one of the ultimate corvettes.
Same thing goes with the engine -- 427 isn't exclusive anymore.
Doesn't matter how they style or what they do to the C7Z06 (if they make one) because you will see carbon copies of them running around a year or two later for $20,000 less
Same thing happened with the "SS" badge for a while - they started slapping it on everything till it lots it's mystique.
so the ultimate answer to the question is 0 dollars -- at least when it comes to GM.
They have proven multiple times that "exclusivity" only applies until they need a boost or quick buck.
If I had known the Z06 body style was going to be duplicated in the GS 2 years after I'd bought mine -- I'd have reconsidered getting a Z06. Part of the "worth" to me was the fact it was a unique style, and instantly recognizable as one of the ultimate corvettes.
Same thing goes with the engine -- 427 isn't exclusive anymore.
Doesn't matter how they style or what they do to the C7Z06 (if they make one) because you will see carbon copies of them running around a year or two later for $20,000 less
Same thing happened with the "SS" badge for a while - they started slapping it on everything till it lots it's mystique.
so the ultimate answer to the question is 0 dollars -- at least when it comes to GM.
I also agree with you on the 427 engine. When it was announce that the 2013 model year would have a 427 in a convertible for teh first time since 1969 and it would be available in the 60th Anniversary edition, I thought and expected that the only way to get the 427 convertible, was if you ordered the special 60th Anniversary package. Not only did GM allow you to order the 427 in and color convertible, they also offered the anniversary edition with the LS3 engine. So if they (GM) can sell a Corvette in any trim and cross over, they will. So the idea that a Corvette will ever be an exclusive car is just a pipe dream.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 1
From: Danbury CT
Ditto!!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,377
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From: Danbury CT
I work for Acura and was just in Atlanta Motor Speedway for the new RLX release, the NSX will happen in a very close form to what you posted. The powerplant and the car overall will be the most state of the art sports car in the world!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
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Here is another facet for the screamers, but will it be hybrid in terms of individual wheel high torque electric assist motors for launch?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Danbury CT
Yes, three wheels will be driven by electric motors, similar to the RLX AWD that is coming out in Sept. The supposed hp will be rated near or over 500 out of a V6 with lots of torque! They won't tell us too much but if I know I'll post it!
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 567
Likes: 31
interesting.
exclusivity is what you buy when you have bought everything else. and sometimes its the emperor's cloths..
i was in the little nell several years ago in aspen. there was a jeweler there with some cool watches. i am a watch freak so i had a look at their inventory. one of the first words outta the salesperson's mouth was
'we dont sell those mass-produced watches like rolex'.
however, some food for thought. sure a ferrari is a work of art (usually) and exclusive. and built with loving care.
but i wonder how well it would hold up and still perform if you were to drive it 100k and just change the oil every so often and the filters etc.
so yes ferrari might be built with greater care but would it last as well and still do what it was designed for if driven like a lot of vettes?
dunno.
me, if i had the unlimited dollars, it would be a veyron, simply because (the new super bug) simply because of its performance and not because of its exclusivity. and i'd drive the damn thing every day..
exclusivity is what you buy when you have bought everything else. and sometimes its the emperor's cloths..
i was in the little nell several years ago in aspen. there was a jeweler there with some cool watches. i am a watch freak so i had a look at their inventory. one of the first words outta the salesperson's mouth was
'we dont sell those mass-produced watches like rolex'.
however, some food for thought. sure a ferrari is a work of art (usually) and exclusive. and built with loving care.
but i wonder how well it would hold up and still perform if you were to drive it 100k and just change the oil every so often and the filters etc.
so yes ferrari might be built with greater care but would it last as well and still do what it was designed for if driven like a lot of vettes?
dunno.
me, if i had the unlimited dollars, it would be a veyron, simply because (the new super bug) simply because of its performance and not because of its exclusivity. and i'd drive the damn thing every day..
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: GA (some days)
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
The answer is quite easy to answer. See how many $90,000 Vipers sold with the "Dodge" name on them. I think annual production was in the 2,000 a year range, and they went out of production a couple of times in the past five years.
Just looked it up, not many years hit 2000 or more.... http://www.theviperregistry.org/build.php
Just looked it up, not many years hit 2000 or more.... http://www.theviperregistry.org/build.php
Last edited by jschindler; Feb 5, 2013 at 08:29 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: NorCal
The question was about whether one would pay more for exclusivity. My point was that performance and styling are higher priorities to me. The cars you list fill that bill, as do some Corvettes. Again, here where I live, there is an AM dealer and a Lambo dealer (both of whom sell used Ferraris as well) right in town - but no Chevy dealer! Corvettes are actually more rare (exclusive?) than those makes, unless exclusive is getting confused with expensive....................
Safety Car
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From: GA (some days)
Exclusive - restricted in distribution, use, or appeal because of expense.
From the Macmillan dictionary:
Exclusive - very expensive, and therefore available only to people who have a lot of money.