JerriVette

Traditionally corvettes don't cost double the average cost of cars sold in America...at least not the base msrp...of the corvette...

No way the corvette team is starting g corvettes above 70,000 dollars and leaving that space below to camaro s...

That's ridiculous...

The corvette is a dedicated platform so wha it cost is incurred by moving the engine to the back of the car versus the front...

The c7 already had a ton of plumbing with 10 different coolers for the c7...and it had a remove transmission out back and a torque tube connecting the powertrain...

Hell the rear mid engine car could actually be less expensive to produce...(kidding)

Add a few grand to today's c7 stingray msrp and you have a starting price for the c8..

Options will be more expensive though...that's something I could see making for a more rational marketing approach...

Staying on topic...possible manual cars could be an extra cost option...although by making the manual standard it would allow for a lower msrp to start and since 77 percent of all corvettes ordered with automatics anyway...the "real" starting msrp would be higher than the advertised base manual msrp...

It's all shell game nonsense...

All I know is c7 z51 s 1LTs manual are selling brand new on the forum these days under 50 grand....

Sure it's 4 or 5 years into the production run....so discounts are to be expected...

Just stay with the msrp for 2019 models and you can add a few grand for 2020 rear mid engine pricing

JoesC5

I just finished reading an article about the 2018 Porsche GT3 that was driven by Randy the Rocket.

Four things I noticed.

1) the 7 speed DCT car weighs 3247lbs and the 6 speed manual car weighs 3270 lbs.

2) the DCT car's base MSRP is $145,650 and the car with the manual is $146,350.

3). the 500 HP NA Porsche GT3 was quicker around the track than the 750-hp Aventador SV, 650-hp Corvette Z06, a 650-hp 650S, a 610-hp Hurac n, a 600-hp GT-R NISMO, and the 577-hp AMG GT R.

4) the DCT car was noticeably quicker accelerating than the manual.

EDIT: I just found the Porsche press release on the GT3 and the car weights(according to Porsche) don't jive with the magazine article I originally referenced to.

1) the 7 speed DCT car weighs 3,153 lbs(0-60 in 3.32 seconds) and the 6 speed manual car weighs 3,116 lbs(0-60 in 3.8 seconds).

2) the DCT base price is $144,650, not $145,650. The Porsche press release does not state what the optional 6 speed manual transmission cost will be.

JerriVette

Joe can you post a link to the article where the Porsche gt3 is quicker on the track than each of the cars you posted..

Thanks in advance

Jinx

Why is a $70K starting point ridiculous? The assembly plant has been rebuilt to produce fewer cars than before.

I'm not saying that no case can be made for the same incremental bump we've seen before, so you don't have to trot out those transitional MSRPs again -- just that they could go a different way. And taking Corvette upmarket is not unprecedented: they did it gradually during C3's reign.

But I think it's likely C8 sees the manual an extra-cost option. IIRC there was a brief period during C5's reign when that was the case.

JoesC5

Sure can. I don't want folks believing that I just go around posting things from my imagination.

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/porsc...t-test-review/

JerriVette

Anything is always possible although a 14 grand jump in base MSRP off a 56 grand car would be unprecedented based off of the previous history of price upgrades of corvettes..

Sorry if posting previous pricing of previous corvettes annoyed you.

Anything is possible and who knows...the corvette might move the vehicle from 56 grand base price to 70 grand since all corvette owners are truly ballers...

I've read a post where 85 grand is the new number.,.

It's rare that such moves in oricing is meet with great success ...

Traditionally even the Germans find bulking up option pricing is a better way to squeeze money out of consumers wallets without insulting them..

Shifting the base msrp tends to turn previous consumers off the brand.

I would state that pricing history can shed light on future pricing moves but again..Jinx....you could find yourself with a much higher starting price....and you ll be happy?

People hopeful of elevated pricing for the next generation to weed out the riff raff? Seem like Porsche enthusiasts ...those guys literally carry that attitude to the dealer where that attitude allows the Porsche brand and dealer to bend those horses asses over...

Only idiots want to pay more to elevate their image to others..a
Though I guess manufacturers like Porsche do laugh as they collect their money...

Even Porsche enthusiasts laugh at Porsche owners snob like attitude ...where spending more means they are better than the guy who spends like on some inane item...

Good luck to you jinx..,I'm sure all the guys who think rear mid engine dedicated platforms cost much much more than a dedicated front mid engine platform.....are right...

I still remember as the c7 released without round tail lights...and even after buying a couple of new corvettes I didn't even realize how important round tail lights were to other corvette enthusiasts here..

You would have thought the corvette team had committed murder...on this forum...

Another observation of these forums after a decade or two...since I'm actually a member since I bought my first new corvette in 1998 just before the forum started etc...

There are extremes of corvette owners where I have had to listen to that horrible expression over and over again....ad nasuem..."bang for the buck"

But shifts in base msrp 14 from one model year to the next would be quite large...

Options and model dedication price upgrades would be a smarter way to elevate individual average transaction pricing for greater corporate profit...

That's a formula the corvette team has been quite successful with.

I am reminded of JDN s influence at Cadillac with regards to elevating pricing to create an aura of exclusivity and in sales figures he is having a hard time succeeding with that formula..


I would suggest corvettes halo value is not just in its unit sales but rather what it promotes for the entire Chevrolet brand...the marketing message could shift for the Chevrolet branding halo....I'm just not sure a 14 grand increase in price for the standard corvette

We will see I'm sure and if your correct I'll gladly buy you the first round should we meet at Detroit or bowling green..or for me NY autoshow or maybe Carlisle.

If I'm right...I'll take a volka martini...shaken ...not stirred. (Kidding although that is my drink)

DebRedZR1

Getting back to the point of the post, don't care about costs, what is a fraction of a second faster etc. just say NO to NO manual.

JerriVette

There will be both a manual and an automatic (hopefully a dct) as per past generations of corvettes simply based off common sense and a successful sales history.

JoesC5

The new C4 was priced 19% higher than the last year C3 and the new C4 carried over the same engine and auto transmission.

19% increase in the mid engine over a $56,000 front engine would be a $66,640 price. A new transmission could possibly add even more cost.

JoesC5

From the CAD drawings we have seen, the transmission appears to be a ZF sourced DCT(looks just like the PDK used in the Porsche 911 turbo). Since Porsche is also offering a manual transmission as an extra cost option, it's possible that GM might just offer a manual based on the Porsche 911's manual transmission.

Suns_PSD

I swear I think I'm the first one to spout off $85K and I just pulled that number out of my butt. I really don't think it's realistic. The question was "what is the car worth" or something to that effect. I think you'll be able to buy the C8 for mid to high 60s in their most basic form.

I have been shopping in advance HARD for a replacement for my nicely modified C6. Everything from the Miata to the Porsche and everything in between. It's got to be light (ish) but I still want some decent luxury. It's got to be a manual trans and NA, and have some air flow up above. It needs to turn competitive lap times, real competitive lap times actually.

But when I'm really realistic, read through the reviews, assess what is REALLY important to me as I age (and maybe more importantly, to my wife), and so on, I've reached the conclusion that I'll either need to buy a C8 or the new 718 GT4 Naturally aspirated car that is being released. I KNOW which one will have the most absolute performance and value, but although those matter to me, they might no longer be the most critical factors when considering a replacement car. The Porsche does have a certain 'it factor' that is hard to define, even the lowly Cayman. Both in driving, and in status.

Fortunately the money isn't exactly burning a hole in my pocket and I have a solid 3 years to think on it.

elegant

There will be, as usual, a second year Z06-like 600+ HP, ME, and more than a few who have purchased their first year, entry-priced ME with around 510 HP, will quickly sell their first year, and then buy a second year. We saw this pattern for quite a few for the C7.

We all know the depreciation on even a perfect condition, second year Corvette. Thus even if $77,777 for the entry price for the ME (what I am thinking), it will be a $62,500 car when bought second hand just one year later, and so if some are financially “shut out” from the first year ME due to its pricing in the mid/high $70K area, they will get over it and happily buy a traded in, near-perfect, first year ME.

Exception is if, which we do not know, they are golfers and the ME does not have room for their needed two golf bags.

JerriVette

I'm right there with you Sun on the shopping experience. I recently test drove the jaguar f type supercharged v8 coupe and the Porsche with the pdk...

I found both quite nice but the jaguar just came across as a stunningly styled sport sedan with two seats...just didn't do it for me...

The Porsche with the pdk is also entertaining more along the lines of a sports car. I was impressed with the cars immediate turn in.

That was my favorite aspect of the Porsche. A quality to consider and the pdk was more immediate and direct without the disconnected feeling I had with the jaguar even with it's fine ZF 8 speed.

Just my opinion...

Then I got into my z51 manual corvette and the roar of the 450 hp v8 was relatively intoxicating...

As far as Joec5's interpretation of pricing jump from c3 to c4 skipping the 1983 model year traditional price increase...the corvette team stated many times they were very concerned about the price increase from the c3 chassis 1982 corvette that had one of the longest production runs of 15 years of the same platform. Of course the new model would have a much higher jump than we saw with the c4 to c5 price increase of 295 dollars...

The c4 production run was long too with a 13 year run yet even with the massively different platform production technique of the c5 garnered only a few dollar price increase...

C5 to c6 model was again minimal but that was more a mid cycle refresh for Cadillac to produce a xlr variant...imo..

Interestingly enough the C7 dropped the steel hydroformed frame rail production design of the c5 and c6 (other than z06 or zr1 which experimented with aluminum) for a new production and design specification...bit the price didn't jump to far...

If we don't skip a model year for the c8 as occured in the c3 in 1982 to c4 in 1984....which eliminated a price increase for the missing 1983 model year...let's assume at the highest margin a 10 percent price increase from 56 grand to 62 grand....add another 5 percentage to really be baller and we re at 64 or 65 grand tops...so you guys might be right....in the sixties...

So that's a decent estimate..on the absolute high end,

I want you guys to know I'm just having fun with you...

Just from a marketing estimate I'd really be surprised if the corvette standard stingray goes from 56 grand to much above 59,999..

I believe and I've said this before...GM would be much better served to increase cost of options...for improved profitability if it wants to meet a number..

We have seen the camaro 6 th gen take quite a unit sales drop with its elevated pricing...

I'd be surprised if GM followed suit on pricing of the standard stingray a son GM is actually trying to figure a way to backtrack its v8 SS model with a more attractive starting price...

Mustang GT an for even the challenger really are eating the camaro s lunch in unit sales...

The sixth gen camaro SS , SS 1LE and ZL1 are kick *** performance vehicles but the sales are not as impressive as many would have thought...

I do enjoy the marketing analysis aspect of the various vehicles as a part of my automobile hobby...

Glad you guys are such ballers who think nothing of a 85 grand base price for corvettes...jumping from 56 grand ..wow..

You must have much more than the few million I managed to put together with zero debt by the time I was 46...

Hats off to you guys..

I'm expecting a 500hp LT1 derivative first year as a standard stingray with both a manual transmission and automatic possibly a dct as we saw in the early cad drawings...hopefully starting at just a few dollars more than the c7 stingray...

Let the option prices give you guys the higher prices you are looking for...as well as the exclusivity ...with luxury items..and high tech cameras and connectivity etc ...all as options

Sure we will see 2nd and third year 650 hp and 800 hp variants to really pump up that pricing for you guys...you ll be in heaven writing those much bigger checks!

I'll be waving at you as you drive by smiling...

Dutch08

For the record, IMHO, a sports car should have a manual transmission. I'd rather play a guitar than listen to it.

That being said, I went for a drive today to enjoy the perfect weather. In town the roads where clogged as usual. Then leaving the city I had to put up with giant dual cab pickups, SUV's being used as phone booths, and little econo-boxes all in the left lane going below the speed limit. Finally on the back roads I was shifting and enjoying the drive.

As cities get more crowded and self driving cars hog up the road we'll see more and automatics and fewer manuals. Manuals are a thing of the past like timing advance on the steering column. I don't doubt you'll not see any sports cars unless they are going to the track in the future.

My 2-cents

Jackie Chiles

No.

Jinx

JerriVette -- damn, dude, who tinkled in your farina? Please tell me that level of chest-puffing hostility and assumption-flinging isn't normal for you.

Because it certainly doesn't deserve the courtesy of further response. Maybe I'll catch you in a better mood on the next thread.

JoesC5 -- the C4 price hike came to mind for me too, as did the high production volumes that came before it. As for the transmission, in MY2001 GM charged $815 for the manual transmission, which would be $1200 today; I wouldn't be surprised if the third pedal on C8 cost $1800. (Bummed, but not surprised.)

JerriVette

Hey man..I thought the offer of doing a round of drinks together was friendly.

If I in some way typed some words together tha insulted you I can assure you that wasn't my intent. Typed words lose the effect of inflection ..

Peace out and for what it's worth..none of these topics that we may disagree on really matter at all.

Please accept my apology as insulting you in this discussion want my intent.

Have a nice evening

lostsoul

Well if it does come out at 85K then I will have to sell my #1 c8 allocation slot for ..... 20K! I think thats fair.. who wants to buy it from me

Rapid Fred

True — but MUCH higher inflation in those days...

flyforfun