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This past week I had opportunity to see the new C8. I was impressed. It certainly fills the bill of a super car. That said, I was a bit disappointed, not a lot, but some that the car did not remind me of the corvette I grew up with. It is a beautiful car, but it isn't the corvette of my dreams. The wonderful rear engine design makes one appreciate what GM intended for this design. It will compete with the super cars of the world. In fact it resembles several of these cars. The C7 is and extension of the corvette from the beginning. Its a corvette no doubt about it. I believe the C8 will take its place in the world of super cars but will not replace the banner of what us older folks feel is a true corvette.
Fair and honest review of a first impression. I think the new car has a lot going for it but after seeing it in the flesh and sitting in it there is something about the design that is overdone to the point of removing a lot of previous Corvette DNA from it. It will appeal to a new base and that is important to keep the car alive and moving forward.
The one thing that sticks in my mind is how big it looks and if they do make a wide body version there are going to be a lot of garage stalls getting expanded.
From: S/W ,Fla-Ohio State Football isn't a matter of life or death,Its Much More serious than that
Originally Posted by Bill929
I have not yet seen a C8 in the "flesh", but certainly agree with you. I just bought a new C7 M7 for the exact reason that it will be the last front engine manual transmission Vette.
From: S/W ,Fla-Ohio State Football isn't a matter of life or death,Its Much More serious than that
Originally Posted by Audacious Nick
Guess the Porsche Carrera GT and the 918 aren't true Porsches, either.
Also, the Corvette is about a cheaper sportcar that can compete with much more expensive vehicles. Personally, if you can't imagine the C8 as a Corvette because it's now mid-engine, you lack imagination.
It’ll grow on you. Similar things were said about the C7. I like everything about the C8 except the lack of a manual. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to the Z06 version.
I thought the same thing as the OP when I saw the C8. It really is a beautiful car in person but it doesn't make me think of a Corvette when I look at it, more like an exotic. That's fine too but IMO I believe the C7 will go down as one of the last real Corvettes. That being said, I would love to have a C8 someday!!
Sorry, not exactly the best pictures but I thought I had a better one of the C7 and C8 sitting next to each other. Anyway both cars look stunning and my only 2 complaints about the C8 is the rear spoiler and no manual transmission. There's already another spoiler that I think looks very good and I'm sad to say but manuals are becoming a thing from the past. Most likely my 19 GS will be the last new car that I buy with a manual. C8 is all about performance and there's no argument about a manual vs a DCT but I just can't understand how hard it would of been to offer a manual. Either way I can't wait to see what the C8 looks like in a GS or z06 model!
This past week I had opportunity to see the new C8. I was impressed. It certainly fills the bill of a super car. That said, I was a bit disappointed, not a lot, but some that the car did not remind me of the corvette I grew up with. It is a beautiful car, but it isn't the corvette of my dreams. The wonderful rear engine design makes one appreciate what GM intended for this design. It will compete with the super cars of the world. In fact it resembles several of these cars. The C7 is and extension of the corvette from the beginning. Its a corvette no doubt about it. I believe the C8 will take its place in the world of super cars but will not replace the banner of what us older folks feel is a true corvette.
I think Mary and Tadge will take your post as a compliment. They want the C8 to separate itself from the former Corvette designs. This has to happen if Corvette sales are to continue. The C6 was a Boomer car. Based on the substantial increase in the average age of a new Corvette buyer during the C6 years, it was rejected by affluent Gen X buyers. The C7 broke that mold and began appealing to Gen X like no Corvette before it. The C8 is designed to appeal to buyers younger than Boomers, mostly Gen X and possible more affluent Millenials. I know some are upset with the shifting paradigm. However, it's a fact of life. Personally, I saw the C8 and love it, but I have too many fond memories of the FE, manual shifting Corvette. So I'm staying with the C7.
I have owned Corvettes since 1972. My first was a 1969 C3 BB Vert, 2nd was a C3 1971 LS6 BB Coupe, 3rd was a C4 1986 Coupe, 4th was a C5 1997 Coupe, 5th was a C5 2003 Z06, 6th was a C6 2008 Z06, 7th is a C7 2015 Z06 Coupe. Now at age 78 wife tells me this is the last one, no more, none. However, the neighbor across the street purchased an orange C8 Z51 that is fantastic looking and sounding and all I want to do is buy one. It feels good to sit in and I just want to head to the track and drive one. Hopefully, when track season reopens I will get a chance to ride in one.
In the 60s we got used to yearly updates in performance and looks. A year old car was almost always outdated. The interval is much longer between changes nowadays but the idea is still the same. The King is Dead, Long live the King. Hale to the new King and lets get on with it.
The C8 Corvette is still "the" Corvette. A low cost high performance sports car available to the masses, just the way Zora intended it to be. We have finally reached what Zora considered Nirvana when it came to performance car design a Mid Engine car. How can it not be a Vette? The father of the Vette wanted to build ME engine cars over 50 years ago and was shot down by the Corporate Execs of the time. Zora never said the car was intended to be Front Engine only. He never said it had to have a reciprocating engine as one configuration of the ME prototypes included a Wankle Rotary engine. If he knew then what we know now about electric drive trains I imagine we would already see an Electric Corvette. Some people call themselves Purists and don't want a ME car, however, Zora was the ultimate purist. He knew the car wasn't limited to any specific design philosophy other than what is the best we can do with the money available.
I have owned Corvettes since 1972. My first was a 1969 C3 BB Vert, 2nd was a C3 1971 LS6 BB Coupe, 3rd was a C4 1986 Coupe, 4th was a C5 1997 Coupe, 5th was a C5 2003 Z06, 6th was a C6 2008 Z06, 7th is a C7 2015 Z06 Coupe. Now at age 78 wife tells me this is the last one, no more, none. However, the neighbor across the street purchased an orange C8 Z51 that is fantastic looking and sounding and all I want to do is buy one. It feels good to sit in and I just want to head to the track and drive one. Hopefully, when track season reopens I will get a chance to ride in one.
In the 60s we got used to yearly updates in performance and looks. A year old car was almost always outdated. The interval is much longer between changes nowadays but the idea is still the same. The King is Dead, Long live the King. Hale to the new King and lets get on with it.
The C8 Corvette is still "the" Corvette. A low cost high performance sports car available to the masses, just the way Zora intended it to be. We have finally reached what Zora considered Nirvana when it came to performance car design a Mid Engine car. How can it not be a Vette? The father of the Vette wanted to build ME engine cars over 50 years ago and was shot down by the Corporate Execs of the time. Zora never said the car was intended to be Front Engine only. He never said it had to have a reciprocating engine as one configuration of the ME prototypes included a Wankle Rotary engine. If he knew then what we know now about electric drive trains I imagine we would already see an Electric Corvette. Some people call themselves Purists and don't want a ME car, however, Zora was the ultimate purist. He knew the car wasn't limited to any specific design philosophy other than what is the best we can do with the money available.
Bill
Well said Bill! Some people just don't get it. But that is what makes the forum interesting.
The C8 is a Corvette period. It's made by Chevy in Bowling green, has Vette styling cues, says Corvette right on it, and as usual is a high performance bargain. Everybody cried when they went away from round taillights lol. I remember people posting how the C7 was going to be a huge flop because of the taillights, they would never buy another one, blah, blah, blah. Chevy is going after the supercar market with the C8.
That said - I've never been a fan of mid-engine style or or usability. I'm close to buying a new C7 as the last of the front engine/RWD breed. Admittedly a lot of that is the huge difference in price right now.
