What would an average MSRP of $85K+ do to Corvette sales numbers?
03-03-2018, 01:20 AM
#81
Pro
If you win, MacCallan 18 it is, my good man. I have drank and treasured MacCallan in the recent past. It ranks right up there with Balvanie and Tullibardine.
I should have known you were a man of good taste - you are as intrigued by the prospect of a small block Chevy V-8 in a mid-engine car as I am. Kind of like a McLaren M8C for the people !
I should have known you were a man of good taste - you are as intrigued by the prospect of a small block Chevy V-8 in a mid-engine car as I am. Kind of like a McLaren M8C for the people !
Last edited by ltomn; 03-03-2018 at 01:57 AM.
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JerriVette (03-03-2018)
03-03-2018, 03:35 AM
#82
Skank, I think you are spot on, but I disagree with your estimate of the starting MSRP of the entry level ME C8. I think it will be more like $75K. The real scary example on pricing is the Acura NSX which Honda is building in Maryville, OH. Honda is losing its rear-end on that thing with only selling ~300 a year vs. 2000 planned, due to its pricing at ~$160K. That's not to say that a top end "Zora" couldn't be priced that high, but GM has too much overhead tied up to make any money at the volume of 300 cars a year. (At that volume, they would be much better off outsourcing the ME just like Ford did.) They updated Bowling Green to build cars in volume. That requires elasticity in pricing - the C8 ME will range in price from $75K to $150K, depending on HP, Aero. pkg., etc. About 80% of the volume will be the base model, just like 80% of the C7's sold today are Stingrays or Grand Sports.
BTW, I would guess that if the C7 lives on with a new nano-composite body, (call it a C7.1), it will likely just include the Stingray and the Grand Sport with (potentially) engine options (like in the good old days). The Performance models (Z06, ZR1) will become C8 ME variants.
BTW, I would guess that if the C7 lives on with a new nano-composite body, (call it a C7.1), it will likely just include the Stingray and the Grand Sport with (potentially) engine options (like in the good old days). The Performance models (Z06, ZR1) will become C8 ME variants.
The new NSX has taken all of the modern go-fast features (turbos, hybrids, fancy electronics, AWD, torque vectoring) and with that has become much more complex, and has also greatly diluted the driving experience due to the need for all these systems to be properly choreographed by computers under the hood, rather than the driver's hands and feet. I feel like Acura built a vehicle with a totally different purpose, and tacked on a name with significant historical context that didn't really match the updated vehicle. I do think the NSX is a great car, but I'm honestly not really interested in it.
Also, I think the totally surprising Ford GT reveal completely stole Honda's thunder and overshadowed the NSX release by a mile.
Ironically, I feel similar about the C7Z as I do about the NSX. The Z06 used to be the raw, lightweight, track ready version. With the C7, it seemed like GM took the C6 ZR1 formula and called it a Z06. It was faster, yes, but also gained weight due to the supercharger and initially suffered with issues on track. I loved the C5 and C6 Z06's, but the C7Z left me wanting because it seemed like its mission had changed.
I think the ME Vette is interesting because it does not have a significant heritage to draw from. I believe GM will continue making a front engine version, and will not want to lose the legacy of the Vette being a great GT car, an excellent value, and also extremely capable on track. The ME Vette has the freedom to ignore some of those requirements, and double down on others.
I therefore suspect the ME vette will no longer be as value oriented, and will no longer have the same level of cargo capacity. It will give up in those areas and will put more focus on weight, quality, materials, and balance. It will basically be competing more directly with cars like the 911, rather than on a performance/$$$ basis.
I think the pricing would easily start around $85,000 (likely more), and go to $150,000 in the top level trims (how close does the ZR1 get to this price already?). I think GM is going to use this opportunity to really show what they are capable of when they go all-in on a vehicle.
The C8 (front engine version) will still retain the traditional Vette priorities of performance, value, GT capability, and track prowress.
-T
Last edited by Trackaholic; 03-03-2018 at 03:36 AM.
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03-03-2018, 08:01 PM
#83
The Consigliere
Member Since: May 2006
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ltomn (03-03-2018)
03-04-2018, 03:38 PM
#84
Pro
03-04-2018, 09:08 PM
#87
The Consigliere
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This talk of scotch and over 300 days until the official unveil of the ME is going to drive me to drinkin'. . . . . .
03-05-2018, 06:57 PM
#88
Safety Car
Funny post OnPoint.
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OnPoint (03-06-2018)
03-05-2018, 09:00 PM
#89
Drifting
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Lyons Il
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2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
C8
Sorry folks. GM is stupid. They will kill the car as we know it by pricing most of us out of it. Sales will tank because who is going to buy one for 100 grand. I hope I am wrong but GM still makes boneheaded decisions to this day, albeit not as many of them as they used to. Trust the general? Not this person.
03-05-2018, 09:23 PM
#90
Burning Brakes
I can't remember which one it is, but I will send you a pic of my Scotch collection on my bar. The full bottles are the really peat-flavored ones...not my favorites. (I know that is blasphemy)
I also have bottle of Jameson's in the middle of the line-up, but I have an old friend who flew F-4's once upon a time, (he was a Wild Weasel who survived), and who always gets whatever he wants to drink when he comes to my house. (He never had to buy a drink in Vietnam nor will he at my house. He REALLY likes Jameson's !!)
I also have bottle of Jameson's in the middle of the line-up, but I have an old friend who flew F-4's once upon a time, (he was a Wild Weasel who survived), and who always gets whatever he wants to drink when he comes to my house. (He never had to buy a drink in Vietnam nor will he at my house. He REALLY likes Jameson's !!)
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ltomn (03-05-2018)
03-05-2018, 11:34 PM
#92
Pro
Don, We seem to have like minds. I couldn’t ageee with you more about Walleye. As for Scotch, I have at least 5 or 6 in the bar right now along with a few very good Irish Whisky’s. Of course the Irish don’t believe the British know how to spell Whiskey.
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ltomn (03-06-2018)
03-06-2018, 05:32 AM
#94
Melting Slicks
I'll vouch for the walleye as well. I grew up in Minnesota and went fishing up 300 miles North of the border in Sioux Lookout, Ont. for years. Big cold water walleyes up there. No Corvettes in sight though.
03-06-2018, 12:13 PM
#95
Pro
Sorry folks. GM is stupid. They will kill the car as we know it by pricing most of us out of it. Sales will tank because who is going to buy one for 100 grand. I hope I am wrong but GM still makes boneheaded decisions to this day, albeit not as many of them as they used to. Trust the general? Not this person.
03-06-2018, 12:41 PM
#96
Banned Scam/Spammer
on a side note for those that remember. When the c7's first came out for ordering did GM allow supplier discounts? Its not much but should cut a few K off msrp.
On a side note of a side note. Another thing to throw in the mix that people are not taking into account is interest rates. Its slowly coming up. Some of you are ballers and it wont matter, but the for rest of us that will be a factor. My current loan is 0%. Even with a 824 CS I doubt Ill get that from GM. The "affordable sports car is almost gone.
On a side note of a side note. Another thing to throw in the mix that people are not taking into account is interest rates. Its slowly coming up. Some of you are ballers and it wont matter, but the for rest of us that will be a factor. My current loan is 0%. Even with a 824 CS I doubt Ill get that from GM. The "affordable sports car is almost gone.
Last edited by lostsoul; 03-06-2018 at 12:52 PM.
03-06-2018, 04:40 PM
#97
Burning Brakes
03-06-2018, 08:45 PM
#99
You are so wrong on that topic, sir. Your misconception is that this will be the only car they offer. It is not even remotely possible that they will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs (i.e. - Stingrays, Corvettes and the entire class of FE models). It would be a GM mistake to neglect entrance into the mid engine revenue stream. They will sell hundreds, if not thousands, of these and add to their coffers smartly. All the while allowing those that do not want to spend that kind of money to continue to consider the models that do not carry that price tag.
Last edited by Mrc100; 03-06-2018 at 08:45 PM.
03-06-2018, 09:00 PM
#100
Safety Car
Back to the the OP’s question as to what would an average $85K ME price do to Corvette sales numbers, does anyone have info as to the specific purchase price of the 2017 Corvettes, i.e., might the average price of the ‘17’s — the first year of all three major-sales models, be, or close to being, an average of $85K?
Last edited by elegant; 03-06-2018 at 09:01 PM.