C7 Generation Life Span?
#41
Race Director
Thread Starter
The other potential variable, of course, is the CAFE standards. They are also subject to revision, for better or worse, as politics and circumstances dictate. Again, technology might take us places we could never have dreamed of and we could be looking back at these times and laughing. Never forget that the under 200 hp Corvette era in the '70s appeared to signal the end of high performance consumer vehicles due to the gas shortage.
#42
Team Owner
#44
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Refresh may mean a new fascia, and rear bumper like the change from 1972 to1973, 1979 to1980, and 1990 to 1991.
#46
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#48
Le Mans Master
#49
Le Mans Master
#52
OK, I'm not a fan of Peter DeLorenzo (Autoextremist) but I finally watched the Autoline After Hours show from Detroit. In that, they are talking about how short the generations will be and DeLorenzo specifically mentions that GM VP Mark Reuss "promised" him that the C7 generation wouldn't last more than 5 years.
Look here from 17:00 to 17:30 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkcWg...layer_embedded
BTW, if you want to see them interview Harlan Charles on the floor of the show, go to 22:25.
What do you think of that? Would that change your thinking about buying a C7 if you knew the C8 was that close behind?
Sorry if this is a dupe.
Look here from 17:00 to 17:30 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkcWg...layer_embedded
BTW, if you want to see them interview Harlan Charles on the floor of the show, go to 22:25.
What do you think of that? Would that change your thinking about buying a C7 if you knew the C8 was that close behind?
Sorry if this is a dupe.
#53
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I think the redesign will come with the next way point for CAFE. I don't think it's possible for C7 to make it close to the 36 combined MPG it needs to have in 2020.
That's a monumental jump and may required technology that doesn't even exist right now.
That's a monumental jump and may required technology that doesn't even exist right now.
#54
Team Owner
In the 50's and 60's, 1/3 of American jobs had something to do with the automobile. Now, with the out of control EPA, the automobile industry is dying.
#55
Safety Car
#57
Le Mans Master
The market hasn't yet felt the pain of CAFE escalation. So far improved fuel economy has been a selling point, and buyers haven't been hit with sticker shock or the discontinuation of packaging/features they want.
But soon there won't be any more low-hanging fruit to pick. When midsizers and crossovers are faced with buying less car for more money, there will be hell to pay, especially if there's no fuel crisis to scare people into accepting less.
The mainstream won't shed a tear for Corvette, but when they have to trade in their loaded Camry for a base Camry or consider a Corolla, CAFE escalation will come under heavy fire.
.Jinx
But soon there won't be any more low-hanging fruit to pick. When midsizers and crossovers are faced with buying less car for more money, there will be hell to pay, especially if there's no fuel crisis to scare people into accepting less.
The mainstream won't shed a tear for Corvette, but when they have to trade in their loaded Camry for a base Camry or consider a Corolla, CAFE escalation will come under heavy fire.
.Jinx
#58
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The market hasn't yet felt the pain of CAFE escalation. So far improved fuel economy has been a selling point, and buyers haven't been hit with sticker shock or the discontinuation of packaging/features they want.
But soon there won't be any more low-hanging fruit to pick. When midsizers and crossovers are faced with buying less car for more money, there will be hell to pay, especially if there's no fuel crisis to scare people into accepting less.
The mainstream won't shed a tear for Corvette, but when they have to trade in their loaded Camry for a base Camry or consider a Corolla, CAFE escalation will come under heavy fire.
.Jinx
But soon there won't be any more low-hanging fruit to pick. When midsizers and crossovers are faced with buying less car for more money, there will be hell to pay, especially if there's no fuel crisis to scare people into accepting less.
The mainstream won't shed a tear for Corvette, but when they have to trade in their loaded Camry for a base Camry or consider a Corolla, CAFE escalation will come under heavy fire.
.Jinx
I tend to agree. I'd bet an extremely large percentage of the public either has no idea what the CAFE escalation actually looks like, or don't yet care because it's had, so far, no impact on them.
#59
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AFAIK, GM has never got a new Corvette into production "on schedule".
The 1967 Corvette was supposed to be a C3.
The 1983 Corvette never was produced because it wasn't ready, even after 15 years.
The C5 development was delayed/stopped so many times, it's a wonder the car ever got into production.
The 2003 50th anniversery car was supposed to be the C6.
If the C8 comes out in only 5 years, I suspect it will be a car that most of us won't want to buy.
#60
AIR FORCE VETERAN
AFAIK, GM has never got a new Corvette into production "on schedule".
The 1967 Corvette was supposed to be a C3.
The 1983 Corvette never was produced because it wasn't ready, even after 15 years.
The C5 development was delayed/stopped so many times, it's a wonder the car ever got into production.
The 2003 50th anniversery car was supposed to be the C6.
If the C8 comes out in only 5 years, I suspect it will be a car that most of us won't want to buy.
C8 will have round tail lights and look more like the 1970 Camaro who by that time switched to a light that runs across the back like a Lincoln. And no one will buy it because they think round tail lights are old school.