Corvette Future?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 22,577
Likes: 250
From: Denison, TX
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'16
Ah, the arrogance of youth! 
I've had vettes for 30 some odd years now: before I had kids, while they were growing up, and now that they are grown and gone from home.
Some kid in a mustang tried to race me tonight in my c5. I ignored him just the same as I've been doing since my 20s. I don't road race, but I love a good day at autocross.
To the youngster who doesn't get why we ancient, decrepit, one foot in the grave folks have vettes: I am rather sad for you with your plan to go totally boring and sensible when you have kids and apparently forever thereafter!
I've had vettes for 30 some odd years now: before I had kids, while they were growing up, and now that they are grown and gone from home.
Some kid in a mustang tried to race me tonight in my c5. I ignored him just the same as I've been doing since my 20s. I don't road race, but I love a good day at autocross.
To the youngster who doesn't get why we ancient, decrepit, one foot in the grave folks have vettes: I am rather sad for you with your plan to go totally boring and sensible when you have kids and apparently forever thereafter!
Pro
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 636
Likes: 60
As many here and like those on other Corvette Forums, I've owned Vettes since I was a young man (21 years old). Now, I'm one of the "oldies"--- and should be driving my C7 in May---I hope!
When I told my daughter (35) I was getting a new Corvette she asked why....and said only Old men buy Vettes because they are the only ones who can afford them---for the most part. After thinking about what she said, she may be correct.
With the C7 at basically $60k without taxes, although it might still have curb appeal to the GenX and milienials--it's out of their price range and "reasonableness". And I'm talking about the vast majority of them...not the top 5% GenX/millenial wage earners---or the DINKs.
Although GM stated they were targeting the younger population with the C7. They have basically kicked the upper middle class wage earners of 20 through 40 somethings to the curb. Sure, the first year and a half the C7 sold like hotcakes.... However, half way through the second year, incentives of around 11-12% off MSRP are common (is this inline with the C5 and C6 sales? I don't know). However, I don't think this bodes well for C7 sales in another 2-3 years...
We can probably expect the base C8 to cost well North of $70k....and will further limit the pool of purchasers who can afford it. As us "Baby Boomers" retire and end up on fixed incomes, the number of buyers will rapidly dwindle.
I think GM realizes this and has made the decision to push the Corvette up to compete with the Lambo's and Porsche's. In 15 years I think GM will only be making 10-12k Corvettes a year (if they're lucky). Thus they'll have to charge North of $100k per unit (for a base) to keep the line in BG open. And GM will still fall short of the $$$'s they're making now.
What replaces the Corvette for GM? Camaro?
Not trying to start a mud-slinging contest....just really interested in what others think about the future of the Corvette Brand....
When I told my daughter (35) I was getting a new Corvette she asked why....and said only Old men buy Vettes because they are the only ones who can afford them---for the most part. After thinking about what she said, she may be correct.
With the C7 at basically $60k without taxes, although it might still have curb appeal to the GenX and milienials--it's out of their price range and "reasonableness". And I'm talking about the vast majority of them...not the top 5% GenX/millenial wage earners---or the DINKs.
Although GM stated they were targeting the younger population with the C7. They have basically kicked the upper middle class wage earners of 20 through 40 somethings to the curb. Sure, the first year and a half the C7 sold like hotcakes.... However, half way through the second year, incentives of around 11-12% off MSRP are common (is this inline with the C5 and C6 sales? I don't know). However, I don't think this bodes well for C7 sales in another 2-3 years...
We can probably expect the base C8 to cost well North of $70k....and will further limit the pool of purchasers who can afford it. As us "Baby Boomers" retire and end up on fixed incomes, the number of buyers will rapidly dwindle.
I think GM realizes this and has made the decision to push the Corvette up to compete with the Lambo's and Porsche's. In 15 years I think GM will only be making 10-12k Corvettes a year (if they're lucky). Thus they'll have to charge North of $100k per unit (for a base) to keep the line in BG open. And GM will still fall short of the $$$'s they're making now.
What replaces the Corvette for GM? Camaro?
Not trying to start a mud-slinging contest....just really interested in what others think about the future of the Corvette Brand....
30% of Millennials have no desire to own a car. 32% have no desire to own a house.
There were other things on the list, but those two struck me as the polar opposite for most people born in the 70's. (Millennials are considered adults born between 1982-1994 I believe).
Basically what the list showed is that a third of this generation wants the least amount of responsibility as possible. They don't want a car and be responsible for payments and insurance on it, they don't want a house. Many don't want children (and that is probably fine because there are a lot of parents out there who never should have had kids).
They see how crazy and stressful our lives are and they want less of it. They are the hippies of the 60's reinvented in an ironic way > they wanted to fix the world. Millennials want smartphones and Internet access anywhere, any time, and the least amount of responsibility possible, they don't want to fix anything because many of them just don't care.
Uber and automated cars are being developed for the Millennial generation.
Last edited by CriticalmassGT; Mar 11, 2015 at 10:12 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe TX
With the C7 at basically $60k without taxes, although it might still have curb appeal to the GenX and milienials--it's out of their price range and "reasonableness". And I'm talking about the vast majority of them...not the top 5% GenX/millenial wage earners---or the DINKs.
.
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Obviously people with no kids are likely to have more disposable income.
The pony cars are for the ones with kids. That's why they have a back seat. These days you have to have a special car seat that ends up taking a dedicated space in the car for however long the govt decides.
Those are my thoughts but in too tired to make them into a coherent argument one way or the other.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,211
Likes: 283
From: Ten Mile TN
Well I fell in love with Corvettes when I was 8 or 9 years old. Guy down the street restored then and had several. I told my dad all the time I would own a Corvette while I was still young enough to enjoy it. He would laugh.
At 16 I bet my dad I would have a Corvette before I was 25 years old. He laughed and took the 500 dollar bet
I bought my first Corvette at 24, was married and an enlisted man in the Navy. It was a used 1980 in 1986. I still have that car today, on its 3rd engine and third trans, second rear end.
I have had several others though the years, while raising 3 girls. Raising them I was never rich, or even top 20% earner, more like a poor enlisted man. Heck my wife an my combined income was never over 55k until after I retired from the Navy, and my oldest had move out of the house.
I bought my last New Corvette at 50 years old Last Feb.
Funny thing, is in my teens I was worried at 50 I would be to hold to have fun with a Corvette. I am having more fun with my C7 than any previous Corvette, car is awesome on a track or a nice twisty mountain road. I sure can drive better now than I could then.
I know this will not be my last new Corvette.....
At 16 I bet my dad I would have a Corvette before I was 25 years old. He laughed and took the 500 dollar bet
I bought my first Corvette at 24, was married and an enlisted man in the Navy. It was a used 1980 in 1986. I still have that car today, on its 3rd engine and third trans, second rear end.
I have had several others though the years, while raising 3 girls. Raising them I was never rich, or even top 20% earner, more like a poor enlisted man. Heck my wife an my combined income was never over 55k until after I retired from the Navy, and my oldest had move out of the house.
I bought my last New Corvette at 50 years old Last Feb.
Funny thing, is in my teens I was worried at 50 I would be to hold to have fun with a Corvette. I am having more fun with my C7 than any previous Corvette, car is awesome on a track or a nice twisty mountain road. I sure can drive better now than I could then.
I know this will not be my last new Corvette.....
