Originally Posted by joemessman

In general I believe all muscle and sports cars will go by the wayside gradually over the years. Being around teenagers and younger people, they are just not interested nearly as much as us older guys and gals are. In fact a lot of them don't even have, nor want drivers licenses. My grandson and granddaughter and their friends have absolutely not interest in the cars. My son has a Z06 manual. I taught them to drive it, being a stick and all. Still no interest. Just text for a Uber!

Originally Posted by Null Pointer

I think part of the reason the younger generations aren't into cars is that they are so hard to work on. When you look under the hood of a classic muscle car and see the simplicity of the engine vs. todays crowded engine compartments which require expensive computer diagnostic tools to even figure out what needs fixing, there is only frustration vs. the pride of doing/fixing it yourself that many of us experienced during the muscle car era.

Originally Posted by Viking0728

I'm 48 and I got all the "mid-life crisis" jokes when I bought mine last fall.

Originally Posted by Carvin

I went proactive. After I bought my 1st Vette, whenever a neighbor was coming by to chat I announced "the midlife crisis is on!!!".

Originally Posted by US Icon

I have had young guys approach me and ask about my Vettes and I have also seen little Amish kids whip their heads and do a double take stare at my car. Todays Vette might not appeal to every modern day beta male Bernie supporter SJW drone, but I do firmly believe the car has mass appeal to a lot of people of all ages, and from many backgrounds.

I think Corvette still has many years of life left.

Originally Posted by redman76

Move over Harley!!!




These damn things are all over the place. It's a whole new world . . . If you live in a metropolitan area, you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by joemessman

That scooter would look a lot more aggressive with side skirts, splitter, and chrome wheels.

Originally Posted by The HACK

I’ve owned, modded, tracked a plethora of cars mentioned here as “kid’s” cars. My first car was an Acura Integra. The quintessential FnF “ricer” if you will. Even we’ll into my adult years I’ve owned a variety of cars coveted by the “younger” consumers, alongside my BMWs. I’ve had a Fiat 500, Subaru WRX wagon, and Hyundai Veloster.

Each have had their enthusiast followings. And I’ve been active in each and every make and model’s community. Part of the fun and pleasure is meeting like minded people of diverse backgrounds and age. No matter which brand, make, and model, I’ve found car enthusiasts to be generally welcoming of others.

Except Corvette owners.

Don’t get me wrong. THIS community has been very accommodating of my BMW obsession. And I find other Corvette owners to warmly welcome other Corvette owners. And unlike Porsche owners, who tend to truly be elitist sometimes, Corvette owners don’t tend to look down upon you if you own an older, cheaper Corvette (probably because older Porsche’s are not cheaper, but quite the opposite).

From my outsider perspective, Corvette enthusiast population seems to be far more “homogeneous” than just about any other make and mode. BMW ownership, for example. Young. Old. Male. Female. White. Brown. Yellow. Same with Subaru, Hondacura, etc. Sure the population may be skewed one way or another (younger, Asian, whatever) but you’ll find 45 year old white guy in an Integra or a 24 year old Indian in a BMW quite often.

In my experience same can’t be said of the MAJORITY of Corvette ownership. It’s mostly white, conservative, old. I’m Asian, and I know of no other Asian in my huge circle of acquaintances that would EVER dream of owning a Corvette. Not because there’s anything wrong with the car, but the stigma that’s associates with said ownership.

It’s real.

So to OP’s point? In that regard Corvette is very much like Harley Davidson. The ownership and demographic of each are in lock step with the brand image each portrays. As old, conservative, white males start to get older and die out, they’re not managing to bring in a younger and wider audience to supplement said shrinking demographics, because, well...Most people can’t look past the middle aged, suffering from mid-life crisis, middle manager with self esteem issues and balding skull image that’s associated with HD ownership.

And when old, white, semi-retired white folks with disposable income that’s been fans of the Corvette since they were old enough to not wear diapers for the first time decry that the square tail-lights on the car or lack of flip-up lights or no more push-rod V-8 or mid engine design as sacrilege and “un-Corvette,” as if they’re some sort of progenitor of what IS Corvette? Well, just like the struggles HD is facing, the shifting demographics and buying habits of those that are in the prime of their purchasing powers will leave the brand and the make exactly where HD is finding themselves, but all too late, IMO.