Detroit Steel

Maybe Next-Gen Corvette Should Be a Separate Nameplate



Making Corvette a sub-brand of Chevrolet could actually be a really good thing.

Read the rest on the CorvetteForum.com homepage. >>

1985 Corvette

I disagree. A staple of corvette has been remaining within reach of the blue collar populace. Separate nameplate, higher prices and it's American. We're socially conditioned to understand German and Italian exotics are the top, even if they have lost to American cars. American performance cars are a niche unto themselves, mostly because of their brash chacteristics developed over half a century. Either it appeals or it doesn't. A separate nameplate and all the alcantara wrappings in the world won't change that it's American and perceived to be overall inferior. It's just the part American made vehicles play in the enthusiast world.

rcooper

I like that my Chevy can beat many cars that are high end Euro brands. You can see their faces wince when they have been beat by a Chevy.
Just think how those drivers feel when a 55k car beats their 100+k car.
Not to mention F cars, P cars and more recently V cars getting beaten at places like Le Mans, Daytona and others....for like the last 15 years...
Go Chevy!

1985 Corvette

I agree. Embrace the Chevy history and culture of car not run from it. Even a separate nameplate would still be supplemented by GM, an American company. People that want exotic don't want American. They're lured by the Ferrari mystique or the gawk factor of a Lamborghini or the technical triumphs of a Porsche. I enjoy the styling direction corvette has pursued as well as the fact that a healthy American v8 emits that lovely belligerent sound. It's part of what the car is and it will never get away from that.

I'm not saying we shouldn't go rear mid. I think after the c2 and c4, it's time for another revolutionary model in the c8. It opens up new ways to style and design for corvette. I just think it should still be a Chevrolet Corvette. I'm probably in the minority that is proud it's made by Chevrolet.

pokerpro

How did it work out for Dodge when they let the Viper breakaway and go to the SRT nameplate. This should answer your question!

djpatrick35

I will agree that the Corvette needs to become its own nameplate for one reason alone: the dealer network. With the exception of some dealers that know how to serve luxury-level customers (and are most likely the most successful Corvette dealerships because of it), the standard Chevy dealership experience is not conducive to stealing people away from Porsche, Jaguar, Aston, Ferrari, etc.

Walking into a Porsche dealership and walking into a Chevrolet dealership and you have two completely different experiences. Heck, it's the same thing with any sports car or luxury marque that I mentioned. The people are just trained up to a higher level.

Now, absolutely there are exceptions - and they are undoubtedly the dealers that move 20+ Vettes a month. I had an excellent experience at Stasek Chevrolet and I'm sure you get the same kind of thing at Kerbeck, etc.

BUT, if you don't believe me, walk into an average BMW/Merc/Jag/Land Rover/Porsche dealership. Then walk into an average Ford/Chevy/Toyota dealership. You'll see a difference in how you're greeted, the quality of the showroom, the amenities, everything.

Covettes go for big boy money. They should treat their customers like the big boys, too. If we give Corvette its own dealer network, it creates that exclusivity, it requires that same level of customer service, so it's one and the same with Porsche, so those customers who are used to it there can walk into a 'Corvette' dealer and feel at home, love the car, be amazed at the inexpensive price, and get more Vettes on the road.

HogwildC7

I think it needs to be turnover to Cadillac. They are the high end of GM.

Dave@Ciocca

You can actually do both. I had this discussion with some GM execs back in 2012.

I said that you could make Chevy dealer have to buy in to Corvette but more than just buying some tools and sending sales people and techs to school.

Let's start by making the dealer pay buy in of maybe $50-100k. After that, have the dealer be required to make some upgrades to showrooms, service bays and waiting areas. Also, dealers must have a minimum Customer Satisfaction Index Score across the board (not just on Vettes) to both qualify for and then keep their Corvette "brand".

This can all still be done at a Chevy store, but it will be for Chevy stores willing to go the extra distance. Obviously, they didn't like my ideas...

Dave

BigJoe

Makes sense but "Caddy Corvette" just doesn't roll off the tongue like "Chevy Corvette" does...

Mr Guns

While I agree, I also like not having to bend over every time I take the car in for service (which is why I do as much service as possible in my home garage). I fear that no longer having the Corvette under the Chevy nameplate would come along with a significant increase in the Corvette Tax. To me, that's the appeal of the Corvette. It looks great and performs great, but at the end of the day, it's still a Chevy, which means an average guy like me can afford to own and maintain one. If I had to pay Porsche prices for parts and service for my Vette, I'd probably own something else.

mcginna

A separate line of dealerships didn't work so well for Hummer...

Glen e

Dave I think there are a few that would do this but not many.,the sales velocity is too volatile for this type of imporovement. Bmw tried this with the m products and failed miseably. All it takes is a market correction like 2009 and c7 will drop measurably. The car is still sold to a lot of retired people celebrating their strong 401k's, lop off 20% off like 2008 and things will stop for volume. GM knows that. You certainly remember 2009-2010. Besides that, the last half of the product cycle sales drop quickly along with GP.

The vette will stay right where it is in the GM product lineup.

Just my industry opin.

kmil579

I think it is going quite well for Ram, Don't you? I guess it all depends on whether or not the Corvette nameplate will be able to churn out multiple hit vehicles (or more importantly is this the direction the GM brass want to go). Having a separate dealership for one car with 2 or 3 variations would make about as much sense as Ram with only the 1500, 2500, and 3500. Now if you make it Ram with the Dakota, sprinter(promaster), and commercial line of vehicles, you have a decent lineup.

dbdave

He was talking about the Viper fiasco that failed. Quite different than their Ram split.

sTz

Like Ram? It's still a Dodge... Fiat... or whatever. Sure, why not...

ratman6161

Its a meaningless discussion.

Where I live there are NO separate RAM dealerships. No separate Cadillac dealers etc. Like my local dealership is a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/RAM dealer. Across the street is a Chevrolet-Cadillac dealer (i dont think we have ANY dealers that are just Cadillac) and in the next town over is a GMC-Buick dealer and a Ford-Lincoln dealer.

Whats the point?

dvilin

Well stated.

kmil579

My point exactly. You can't point to the Viper "fiasco" that "failed" and say that it won't work without pointing to the Ram model that has worked out well for Chrysler. It all depends on how it is executed. It could work well or be a "fiasco". At this point I think this is a lot like pissing in the wind.

ratman6161

And RAM trucks are still sold at the same dealership as before. It used to be a Crysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership and now its a Crysler/Dodge/RAM/Jeep dealership. Same place, same salesman, same shop...so why does this matter? Its just marketing.

Corvette ED

Here is the problem with GM. Too many Chevrolet dealers who are clueless when it comes to Corvettes. There was a reason why GM told every dealer in December 2012 they had to sell 4 Corvettes to get the 2014. Only 900 did it. Now 3400 were crybabies and wanted the car.

So GM only being interested in money somebody in the company came up with this Idea. We will let the rest sell Corvettes if they pony up $3k to go to Spring Mountain buy some tools. 3,000+ dealers @ 3K =9 million dollars that GM made for doing nothing.

Now the 900 dealers just got screwed out of cars that they could have sold. So when you were waiting for your car because Z-51 or the roof was on constraint some small dealer just got a car for stock. I know for a fact that GM let all the small guys order unrestricted cars.

Was that fair to the 900 dealers who played by the rules? Now I will say several of the small dealers will turn down Corvette allocations and go away until the C8.

GM needs to put the cars in the hands of the dealers who can sell and service them in volume!!!