Is a Corvette Crossover or SUV a Good Idea?
03-30-2017, 03:05 PM
#1
CorvetteForum Editor
Thread Starter
Is a Corvette Crossover or SUV a Good Idea?
Ex-General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz thinks Corvette should spin off from Chevrolet and become its own brand. What do you think?
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03-30-2017, 03:18 PM
#2
Racer
Americans love crossovers and SUVs, so yes, it is a good idea... if they can sell them. I'm not sure if they could price them competitively enough
A Porsche Macan starts at $55,000 while the Corvette's competitor, the 911, starts at $90,000. I don't see how the Corvette brand can create a CUV/crossover/SUV with the same popularity as the Macan while keeping it at a price range that people would be interested in. The Corvette is extremely popular due to its price to performance ratio, right?
A performance crossover just seems like an oxymoron to me. But we have SRT8 Jeeps, supercharged Range Rovers, and twin turbo 4 door porsches... so anything can happen...
A Porsche Macan starts at $55,000 while the Corvette's competitor, the 911, starts at $90,000. I don't see how the Corvette brand can create a CUV/crossover/SUV with the same popularity as the Macan while keeping it at a price range that people would be interested in. The Corvette is extremely popular due to its price to performance ratio, right?
A performance crossover just seems like an oxymoron to me. But we have SRT8 Jeeps, supercharged Range Rovers, and twin turbo 4 door porsches... so anything can happen...
03-30-2017, 07:18 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '16-'17,'22,'24
I've commented on the SUV proposition before. If it's a new platform, I'm all for it. If it's a rebadged Chevy Equinox or Traverse, then No, I would not be interested at all.
The key is, being a standalone platform like the Corvette sports car.
As for Corvette becoming it's own division, that's probably a good idea. They need to identify the dealers that can sell & service Corvettes. Some Chevy dealers are excellent at this, some are terrible because they are focused on low cost economy Chevrolet models. GM needs to weed those out. Also, there are some Cadillac and possibly even Buick dealerships that might be better suited to sell & service Corvettes based on their location and clients. Corvette is a high priced vehicle and should be sold by dealers who know how to cater to that clientele.
The key is, being a standalone platform like the Corvette sports car.
As for Corvette becoming it's own division, that's probably a good idea. They need to identify the dealers that can sell & service Corvettes. Some Chevy dealers are excellent at this, some are terrible because they are focused on low cost economy Chevrolet models. GM needs to weed those out. Also, there are some Cadillac and possibly even Buick dealerships that might be better suited to sell & service Corvettes based on their location and clients. Corvette is a high priced vehicle and should be sold by dealers who know how to cater to that clientele.
03-31-2017, 09:35 AM
#5
Melting Slicks
I've commented on the SUV proposition before. If it's a new platform, I'm all for it. If it's a rebadged Chevy Equinox or Traverse, then No, I would not be interested at all.
The key is, being a standalone platform like the Corvette sports car.
As for Corvette becoming it's own division, that's probably a good idea. They need to identify the dealers that can sell & service Corvettes. Some Chevy dealers are excellent at this, some are terrible because they are focused on low cost economy Chevrolet models. GM needs to weed those out. Also, there are some Cadillac and possibly even Buick dealerships that might be better suited to sell & service Corvettes based on their location and clients. Corvette is a high priced vehicle and should be sold by dealers who know how to cater to that clientele.
The key is, being a standalone platform like the Corvette sports car.
As for Corvette becoming it's own division, that's probably a good idea. They need to identify the dealers that can sell & service Corvettes. Some Chevy dealers are excellent at this, some are terrible because they are focused on low cost economy Chevrolet models. GM needs to weed those out. Also, there are some Cadillac and possibly even Buick dealerships that might be better suited to sell & service Corvettes based on their location and clients. Corvette is a high priced vehicle and should be sold by dealers who know how to cater to that clientele.
03-31-2017, 11:13 AM
#6
Team Owner
What is the difference between a Corvette SUV and a Chevrolet or Cadillac SUV with a Corvette engine and a specialized suspension?
Last edited by JoesC5; 03-31-2017 at 11:14 AM.
03-31-2017, 12:08 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
that's kind of what I'm thinking. And also I don't see anyway how GM would have a completely separate platform for this SUV, they would want to share cost across the board. I think they'd be better off making high-end of versions of the new traverse, or Acadia with more aggressive suspension and a Corvette.
03-31-2017, 12:16 PM
#8
Safety Car
As I said the last time this subject was brought up, a big hell no and it will be the same answer the next time it is brought up. Corvette should be simply a fast sports car, no wagons, no CUV, SUV, or whatever they are called.
03-31-2017, 01:35 PM
#9
Melting Slicks
I don't see it happening for one very important reason - GM doesn't have a rwd/awd platform except for the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban/Escalade, and you can't build a high performance SUV on anything but a rwd/awd platform (which is what the Macan, Cayanne, Jeep GC, Range Rover, F-Pace, AMG Mercedes, BMW X5M & X6M all are.
The Cadillac XT-5, Chevy Traverse & GMC Acadia will never be capable of more than 350 hp.
I am a Jeep GC guy, and my SRT8 is pretty quick - the 2019 with the Hellcat V-8 should give just about any SUV made a run for its money and at only $90k.
The Cadillac XT-5, Chevy Traverse & GMC Acadia will never be capable of more than 350 hp.
I am a Jeep GC guy, and my SRT8 is pretty quick - the 2019 with the Hellcat V-8 should give just about any SUV made a run for its money and at only $90k.
03-31-2017, 11:12 PM
#10
Perhaps but only on the condition that Corvette becomes its own separate standalone brand sold through select Cadillac Dealers.
But it's got to be done right from the beginning. If GM produces a sexy Cayenne sized high performance SUV with a special interior then my guess will be that there will be plenty of people that will buy it.
And those people say what's the difference if Cadillac does it, I say just because someone is a Corvette fan does not necessarily make them a Chevy, Cadillac or any other domestic brand fan and those people would have zero interest in those brands if it wasn't a Corvette.
The Corvette has the brand image and affluent base to make it a relatively boutique brand of its own under GM's umbrella. The existing Corvette could turn some buyers to the SUV version and vice-versa. All that said, I highly doubt this will ever happen.
But it's got to be done right from the beginning. If GM produces a sexy Cayenne sized high performance SUV with a special interior then my guess will be that there will be plenty of people that will buy it.
And those people say what's the difference if Cadillac does it, I say just because someone is a Corvette fan does not necessarily make them a Chevy, Cadillac or any other domestic brand fan and those people would have zero interest in those brands if it wasn't a Corvette.
The Corvette has the brand image and affluent base to make it a relatively boutique brand of its own under GM's umbrella. The existing Corvette could turn some buyers to the SUV version and vice-versa. All that said, I highly doubt this will ever happen.
04-01-2017, 03:42 PM
#11
Safety Car
I always liked the trailblazer SS. I don't see General Motors making a corvette SUV. I think GM could use the Traverse AWD as a platform. Stuff the LT4 engine in it and make some suspension upgrades and it would sell. With that being said, they should know that it would be a low volume vehicle, like 5k ~ 10k units a year.
Last edited by jbc1995fb; 04-01-2017 at 03:42 PM.
