What can GM do to get more younger/millenial buyers to buy Corvettes?
11-22-2017, 01:54 AM
#161
16 Vettes and counting…..
This is going to sound really bad, but I actually scoffed out loud at the dog part.
Being 36, the amount of people younger than me who have dogs is annoyingly high. Not only am I a cat person (but grew up with both most of my life). I feel the need to take them everywhere as annoying and childish. Add on to that most people DO NOT TRAIN said animals and therefore they are misbehaved. I know this won't win me friends, but I love animals and hate the way Millennials treat them. They are not children.
11-22-2017, 01:56 AM
#162
Advanced
The last one I remember was for the C5 corvette when it first came out in like 1997. They had a C5 screaming across a desert near dusk if I remember correctly.
Popular culture drives millennials. Most millennials only know of corvettes as an old man's car. Why? Because they only see mostly old men driving them around there town. Go to a local corvette club meeting and it's manly retirees, no offense to anyone.
Look at all of the pop culture items that you see...never do you see a corvette. Not in a music video, not in a song(except for Prince decades ago), not in an ad...nothing.
Talk to any millennial that has an interest in cars and they will talk about BMWs, mercedes, GTRs, jettas and other imports...Why? because they see them as cool cars to own based on pop culture. They may drive a C class but they think hell-- it's a Benz. They drive a 25 year old 3 series BUT it's BMW.
Chevy needs to up there game in the marketing department to the younger crowd for Corvettes if it is going to survive in it's current form.
Popular culture drives millennials. Most millennials only know of corvettes as an old man's car. Why? Because they only see mostly old men driving them around there town. Go to a local corvette club meeting and it's manly retirees, no offense to anyone.
Look at all of the pop culture items that you see...never do you see a corvette. Not in a music video, not in a song(except for Prince decades ago), not in an ad...nothing.
Talk to any millennial that has an interest in cars and they will talk about BMWs, mercedes, GTRs, jettas and other imports...Why? because they see them as cool cars to own based on pop culture. They may drive a C class but they think hell-- it's a Benz. They drive a 25 year old 3 series BUT it's BMW.
Chevy needs to up there game in the marketing department to the younger crowd for Corvettes if it is going to survive in it's current form.
11-22-2017, 02:05 AM
#163
16 Vettes and counting…..
Im 26 and love my 2016 Z07 as do all of my friends. They just aren't in a situation where they can afford the car. I am fortunate enough to be able to afford the car and figured I rather do it now then later down the road when I do have a family and other obligations/expenses.
I see A LOT of younger guys driving older C6s simply because they can afford them. If GM created a sub $30k Vette to compete with Camaros/Mustangs/370z I am sure all the younger guys would be buying a corvette instead. I was in that price range years back and really had no options except those.. A corvette was just out of my price range at the time being a base stingray is still over $50k new..
I see A LOT of younger guys driving older C6s simply because they can afford them. If GM created a sub $30k Vette to compete with Camaros/Mustangs/370z I am sure all the younger guys would be buying a corvette instead. I was in that price range years back and really had no options except those.. A corvette was just out of my price range at the time being a base stingray is still over $50k new..
Mark Twain said "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." I don't think the Corvette is ready for the death knell just yet. They can sell every one they build and the yearly sales numbers pretty much equal the sum of all the other high-priced two seaters combined (or something like that). The C7 turned a lot more heads away from Europe and Japan, and the ME is going to get even more attention. It's funny how the Corvette has to fight for credibility in its own home country.
GM doesn't want (or need) to sell 200,000 Corvettes per year. A long as they remain vigilant with constant upgrading and evolution of the car, the factory will keep running and the bean counters will be happy to sell 20-30,000 of these toys every year. Short term, they couldn't care less about the age of the buyer....the color of the money is still the same. Long term, all they need to do is build the best Corvette they can.
IMHO, the real concern for GM is the failure of the new improved Cadillac to sell as they had hoped.
Last edited by VETTE-NV; 11-22-2017 at 03:06 AM.
11-22-2017, 08:13 AM
#164
Race Director
Cadillac is doomed brand. That idiot running Cadillac from Audi publically stated he was raising the price of the CTS by like 8 grand for the same content to elevate its image.
The public revolted. We aren't idiots. I kept my second gen CTS awd fe2 and have a reservation for that little tesla. Cadillac can blow me.
The rear mid engine Cadillac based off the next gen corvette will be a halo vehicle like the R8 except it ll be ultra low volume...and halo vehicles for brands has switched from rear mid engine vehicles to hot rod cuv s like the Lamborghini urus or the recently released electric tesla supercar..
Cadillac is always out of step..you have every right to question the logic of this upcoming rear mid engine Cadillac.
Hopefully the new paint shop will create an exterior finish that challenges the Germans with their aluminum bodies and the interior will be so lavish it will justify its much higher price tag than the c8....
Hopefully corvette will offer a dct and the Cadillac will offer a torque converter automatic...Cadillac will hopefully offer a twin turbo Dohc v8 while the corvette uses the shared ohv LT1 and LT4 and 5 and can be produced less expensive to create a pricing differential...
I would have hoped the Cadillac was an aluminum body paneled version of the composite bodied c8 to give the panel gaps not required for the expansion of composite body panels during hot weather compared to cold weather...
I'm just guessing...
The corvette will sell 30k a year and Cadillac will be lucky to move 3 to 6 k units a year...
Bowling green is profitable at those levels...
Add in some sales in the middle and Far East and those numbers shouldn't be too difficult.
Screw Europe...they have been banging GM for years. Glad they finally sold off Opel as there is way over production capability in Europe and once the Chinese vehicle invasion hits with its low cost labor...one or two brands will be going down.
GM stock price is up because they finally got smart and stopped selling in markets that have over capacity...
this Cadillac halo sports car will trickle along about the same as the R8 does...if they are lucky...showroom stopper for other products to be purchased..i.e. Cuv s.and a few sedans...
Unless GM brings Cadillac to full electricfication sooner rather than later..then maybe...
The public revolted. We aren't idiots. I kept my second gen CTS awd fe2 and have a reservation for that little tesla. Cadillac can blow me.
The rear mid engine Cadillac based off the next gen corvette will be a halo vehicle like the R8 except it ll be ultra low volume...and halo vehicles for brands has switched from rear mid engine vehicles to hot rod cuv s like the Lamborghini urus or the recently released electric tesla supercar..
Cadillac is always out of step..you have every right to question the logic of this upcoming rear mid engine Cadillac.
Hopefully the new paint shop will create an exterior finish that challenges the Germans with their aluminum bodies and the interior will be so lavish it will justify its much higher price tag than the c8....
Hopefully corvette will offer a dct and the Cadillac will offer a torque converter automatic...Cadillac will hopefully offer a twin turbo Dohc v8 while the corvette uses the shared ohv LT1 and LT4 and 5 and can be produced less expensive to create a pricing differential...
I would have hoped the Cadillac was an aluminum body paneled version of the composite bodied c8 to give the panel gaps not required for the expansion of composite body panels during hot weather compared to cold weather...
I'm just guessing...
The corvette will sell 30k a year and Cadillac will be lucky to move 3 to 6 k units a year...
Bowling green is profitable at those levels...
Add in some sales in the middle and Far East and those numbers shouldn't be too difficult.
Screw Europe...they have been banging GM for years. Glad they finally sold off Opel as there is way over production capability in Europe and once the Chinese vehicle invasion hits with its low cost labor...one or two brands will be going down.
GM stock price is up because they finally got smart and stopped selling in markets that have over capacity...
this Cadillac halo sports car will trickle along about the same as the R8 does...if they are lucky...showroom stopper for other products to be purchased..i.e. Cuv s.and a few sedans...
Unless GM brings Cadillac to full electricfication sooner rather than later..then maybe...
Last edited by JerriVette; 11-22-2017 at 08:20 AM.
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VETTE-NV (11-22-2017)
11-22-2017, 09:35 AM
#165
Corvette Enthusiast
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Troy & Dearborn, Michigan
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Cadillac's biggest problem is that the Alpha and Omega platforms cannot be scaled to SUVs. So while GM created two great platforms, they have to use the "pedestrian" platforms like K2XX (and soon T1XX) as well as C1XX to build the Cadillac SUVs and CUVs. This would work (it has for VW/Audi, BMW/Mini, and even for Ford/Lincoln recently) if the Cadillacs were sufficiently differentiated and upgraded versus the Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick counterparts. The problem is they are NOT. GM doesn't know how to run a luxury brand. The only brand they are any good at is Chevy. GMC is rebadges (that sell, so it stays around) and Buick owes its life to China (and Opel). I feel Buick could go away. Honestly GM needs to kill Buick (outside of China), and someone think of a way to fold GMC into Chevy.
11-22-2017, 10:42 AM
#166
Race Director
The acts and the CTS will be merged into one platform in the next iteration. The pricing structure on Cadillac now mimics Audi without any demand. Foolish unnecessary and unsuccessful move.
Electrification can save Cadillac if they integrate the battery into the structural integrity of the vehicle much like tesla has done.
Tesla s flat battery tray is a much smarter space utilization aspect than even Chevy has done with the bolt.
Tesla two trunk solution and dual motors front and back also eclipse the bolt ...
By 2020 or 2023 whatever Mary Barra called for recently should give Cadillac, Buick and Chevy a leg up on this electric revolution...
Battery chemistry may change as shown by a recent advance by an Israeli company ..which supposedly charges in 5 minutes....but other than that advance battery only powered vehicles will surpass the internal combustion engine rather quickly.
I'm not greenie, could care less about the environment but having driven tesla s on several occasions they are the future of the automobile industry.
No shifting gears, instant torque quiet operation and simplicity ..it's over for the ICE ..
Even corvette will eventually move to all electric.
I feel for GM s wasted dollars in the amazing volt extended range but even that is going to wasted dollars soon enough. Two powertrains ? Why bother...there is no need when quick charge development reaches production...
According to autoline.tv yesterday...the Israeli battery advance will be available in three years on the market..
I think they got rid of the graphite as it couldn't handle the quick charge ..but don't quote me on that...
Next up..whose got the lithium raw materials to supply this industry...
Sorry to go off topic...
Young people with the disposable income and the guts to live with a two seat vehicle will always clamor to own corvettes..
The next rear mid engine corvette will offer mclaren like looks and performance for a third of the ridiculous pricing...
Even I'll open my god wallet for one if it's got a 500 hp LT1 and dct priced where normal people buy cars...
Electrification can save Cadillac if they integrate the battery into the structural integrity of the vehicle much like tesla has done.
Tesla s flat battery tray is a much smarter space utilization aspect than even Chevy has done with the bolt.
Tesla two trunk solution and dual motors front and back also eclipse the bolt ...
By 2020 or 2023 whatever Mary Barra called for recently should give Cadillac, Buick and Chevy a leg up on this electric revolution...
Battery chemistry may change as shown by a recent advance by an Israeli company ..which supposedly charges in 5 minutes....but other than that advance battery only powered vehicles will surpass the internal combustion engine rather quickly.
I'm not greenie, could care less about the environment but having driven tesla s on several occasions they are the future of the automobile industry.
No shifting gears, instant torque quiet operation and simplicity ..it's over for the ICE ..
Even corvette will eventually move to all electric.
I feel for GM s wasted dollars in the amazing volt extended range but even that is going to wasted dollars soon enough. Two powertrains ? Why bother...there is no need when quick charge development reaches production...
According to autoline.tv yesterday...the Israeli battery advance will be available in three years on the market..
I think they got rid of the graphite as it couldn't handle the quick charge ..but don't quote me on that...
Next up..whose got the lithium raw materials to supply this industry...
Sorry to go off topic...
Young people with the disposable income and the guts to live with a two seat vehicle will always clamor to own corvettes..
The next rear mid engine corvette will offer mclaren like looks and performance for a third of the ridiculous pricing...
Even I'll open my god wallet for one if it's got a 500 hp LT1 and dct priced where normal people buy cars...
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Skid Row Joe (11-22-2017)
11-22-2017, 11:24 AM
#168
Instructor
One thing mfgs needs to stop doing is to stop making ***** vehicles,no young man can have a story about getting laid in a prius!
The problem is that the young is to ***** fied
The problem is that the young is to ***** fied
11-22-2017, 01:47 PM
#169
16 Vettes and counting…..
11-22-2017, 03:45 PM
#171
I love this discussion. I'm 35 and I just bought my first 'Vette. I'm thankful to have it. It costs a significant amount of money to own, but some things are worth the price. To me, it's a dream car. When I sit in it and look over the hood, I think about all of the heritage and tradition that goes into the shape of the fenders, the lines of the interior, the suspension, and the build materials. It's a modern super car with old school spirit. It is a car that lives in the present but draws its appeal from the past. I think in order to truly understand the Corvette, you need to have a mindset that appreciates the past. Not the "the past" in a dusty, nostalgic kind of way, but in the way that considers the Saturn V rocket as a marvel of achievement and technology, even to this day. (Which it is.) . There are certain achievements and inventions that are so central to the trajectory of our history that they are timeless in their relevance and appeal. I think the Corvette is one of them. I also think that in its own way, the Tesla brand is making its own mark as a uniquely "American" product. Tesla makes a product that is high-quality, high-status, and on the cutting edge of technology. Plus, the Tesla isn't some pansy car that appeals to the college professor type; its a broad shouldered blisteringly fast luxury car that turns heads wherever it goes. If I am correct, Tesla will become the Cadillac and Corvette of my generation. I do not know if this is a path that the Corvette can follow without losing its soul and changing into something else. This is not a bad thing. After all, why should John Wayne change his swagger to become relevant to fans of Jason Statham? He really can't change without ceasing to be John Wayne. The same with the Corvette. It's a V8 powered, gasoline burning icon of the mid 20th century, and it is awesome just the way that it is.
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ptran00 (12-13-2017)
11-22-2017, 04:55 PM
#174
Team Owner
11-22-2017, 07:49 PM
#177
16 Vettes and counting…..
11-22-2017, 07:53 PM
#178
16 Vettes and counting…..
11-22-2017, 08:30 PM
#179
Burning Brakes
The Corvette and comparable vehicles are not realistic for the demographic we're discussing. Take a look at insurance- rates on a Mustang or Camaro (and import luxury/performance coupes) are higher than a comparable Corvette based on the market and this is indicative of the "old guy" market vs millennial market.
I am in an odd position as a Gen X guy, married to a Cougar Boomer with Millennial daughters (and a son-in-law).
The Millennial generation and follow-on consumers are not as car focused as their predecessors. This is both a personal and marketing observation. My oldest daughter appreciates cars but my son-in-law not so much and she drives most of the time. They are interested in gadgets and integration, something the C7 improved on over the C6. This is also a big reason why I personally upgraded.
The demographic companies are targeting (Millennials specifically) were force-fed that success lied in obtaining a degree regardless of employability and earning power. Money that previous generations put toward homes and cars is now tied up in paying for often meaningless degrees.
No, the Corvette is not dead but will likely become watered down performance wise in lieu of gadgets or become victim of the green movement. An electric performance car would be an interesting from a torque standpoint but not what a 'Vette is in spirit or heritage.
How does the Corvette remain relevant with younger buyers? Make them (that is market them) as aspirational. Continue to focus on a balance of performance and technology/comfort. If not, kill the model and let the Camaro take over for the muscle heads and expand electro-auto line to compete with Tesla.
I believe the future for the Corvette is bright, as long as GM refines performance while adding tech to augment not replace the experience. That is what they did with the C7 compared to the C6. If tech becomes the focus, the Corvette will become a modern failure chasing the shiny object.
No clue what the bean-counters and marketers will do but thankful I scored a new C7 when I did. If they acquiesce to the shiny and trendy, I won't upgrade to the C8/9 or whatever and my kids won't buy either. If GM doesn't keep perspective, we'll enter another era similar or worse compared to the early 70's...
I am in an odd position as a Gen X guy, married to a Cougar Boomer with Millennial daughters (and a son-in-law).
The Millennial generation and follow-on consumers are not as car focused as their predecessors. This is both a personal and marketing observation. My oldest daughter appreciates cars but my son-in-law not so much and she drives most of the time. They are interested in gadgets and integration, something the C7 improved on over the C6. This is also a big reason why I personally upgraded.
The demographic companies are targeting (Millennials specifically) were force-fed that success lied in obtaining a degree regardless of employability and earning power. Money that previous generations put toward homes and cars is now tied up in paying for often meaningless degrees.
No, the Corvette is not dead but will likely become watered down performance wise in lieu of gadgets or become victim of the green movement. An electric performance car would be an interesting from a torque standpoint but not what a 'Vette is in spirit or heritage.
How does the Corvette remain relevant with younger buyers? Make them (that is market them) as aspirational. Continue to focus on a balance of performance and technology/comfort. If not, kill the model and let the Camaro take over for the muscle heads and expand electro-auto line to compete with Tesla.
I believe the future for the Corvette is bright, as long as GM refines performance while adding tech to augment not replace the experience. That is what they did with the C7 compared to the C6. If tech becomes the focus, the Corvette will become a modern failure chasing the shiny object.
No clue what the bean-counters and marketers will do but thankful I scored a new C7 when I did. If they acquiesce to the shiny and trendy, I won't upgrade to the C8/9 or whatever and my kids won't buy either. If GM doesn't keep perspective, we'll enter another era similar or worse compared to the early 70's...
Last edited by Allen_B; 11-22-2017 at 08:57 PM.
11-22-2017, 08:44 PM
#180
No need to worry...
...they’ll keep making middle-aged and older people.