ME’s Reveal Location & Date Reconsidered
03-28-2018, 04:33 PM
#41
16 Vettes and counting…..
If there is a sneak peek for the dealers at the Las Vegas conference next week, I would that expect that some of the forum dealers would be there and perhaps give us some first hand impressions. I don't think acknowledging that the car exists would violate any NDA. It's not as if this car is a secret any longer and dealers are taking deposits.
I don't recall any dealers talking about the 2012 appearance of the C7 at the same show, however. Perhaps the high-profile forum dealers did not attend.
Mike Furman? Rick Conti? Kenny G? Any thoughts?
I don't recall any dealers talking about the 2012 appearance of the C7 at the same show, however. Perhaps the high-profile forum dealers did not attend.
Mike Furman? Rick Conti? Kenny G? Any thoughts?
Last edited by VETTE-NV; 03-28-2018 at 04:34 PM.
03-28-2018, 06:40 PM
#42
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
^^ While I understand what you'd like to see/hear, I don't think it's in the dealers' best interests to do anything that GM brass don't want them to do---NDA or no-NDA. A couple suggestions of what they learned on CF, a few winks and nods, all for what? A bit more of the inside line? No, I don't think so.
Whether the GM roll out plan is right or wrong, good or bad, it is their plan, their car and dealers know where their Corvettes come from, and who will buy them. They'd like to please both, but sometimes you can only please one and not the other.
Better to claim no knowledge or no further information, than make the guys who send you the cars angry (because those guys may stop making those cars so available to you in favor of other dealers who knew how to "keep their counsel."). And yes, I do know where the "green" comes from but for any dealer, if there's no cars coming to them, there won't be any "green" either.
Whether the GM roll out plan is right or wrong, good or bad, it is their plan, their car and dealers know where their Corvettes come from, and who will buy them. They'd like to please both, but sometimes you can only please one and not the other.
Better to claim no knowledge or no further information, than make the guys who send you the cars angry (because those guys may stop making those cars so available to you in favor of other dealers who knew how to "keep their counsel."). And yes, I do know where the "green" comes from but for any dealer, if there's no cars coming to them, there won't be any "green" either.
03-28-2018, 07:49 PM
#43
16 Vettes and counting…..
^^ While I understand what you'd like to see/hear, I don't think it's in the dealers' best interests to do anything that GM brass don't want them to do---NDA or no-NDA. A couple suggestions of what they learned on CF, a few winks and nods, all for what? A bit more of the inside line? No, I don't think so.
Whether the GM roll out plan is right or wrong, good or bad, it is their plan, their car and dealers know where their Corvettes come from, and who will buy them. They'd like to please both, but sometimes you can only please one and not the other.
Better to claim no knowledge or no further information, than make the guys who send you the cars angry (because those guys may stop making those cars so available to you in favor of other dealers who knew how to "keep their counsel."). And yes, I do know where the "green" comes from but for any dealer, if there's no cars coming to them, there won't be any "green" either.
Whether the GM roll out plan is right or wrong, good or bad, it is their plan, their car and dealers know where their Corvettes come from, and who will buy them. They'd like to please both, but sometimes you can only please one and not the other.
Better to claim no knowledge or no further information, than make the guys who send you the cars angry (because those guys may stop making those cars so available to you in favor of other dealers who knew how to "keep their counsel."). And yes, I do know where the "green" comes from but for any dealer, if there's no cars coming to them, there won't be any "green" either.
Point taken, but then why show the car to dealers at all (if they even do)? To get them all fired up about something they can't speak about? Something that's the worst kept secret in the auto industry? What's the point?
I don't expect dealers to start doing their own renderings and posting them, but a few well-chosen words will not hurt the official reveal and they can keep their loyal customers in the loop (and respected) as well.
GM wants to sell as many cars as they can. They're not going to withhold allocations because a dealer dropped a few clues. I don't buy it. Like the obviously staged McDonald's photo op, it's all about controlling the flow of info and keeping interest alive. Granted, they may not drop much info, if any, here on the forum, but there's little doubt they'll be on the horn to their Vette customers as soon they're phones are handed back to them by security.
Last edited by VETTE-NV; 03-28-2018 at 10:00 PM.
03-28-2018, 08:08 PM
#44
Burning Brakes
The ME is like an UFO many believe they exist but nobody can prove it. yet....
If the ME is real (which I believe it is) it will be ground breaking when you look over the past 65+ year history of Corvette. It's not just some next GEN of Corvette this breaks the traditional corvette design in every way.
I would have to believe that GM would want to make the entrance of such a car spectacular! It's a big gamble because GM has no way of knowing for sure how the Corvette world will welcome/accept such a design change.
Many factors will come into play, design, performance, price, etc in how receptive people will be in such a radical change.
You thought the world came to an end when GM went from round to square taillights..
So good luck GM hope you hit a home again run like you did with the C7!
If the ME is real (which I believe it is) it will be ground breaking when you look over the past 65+ year history of Corvette. It's not just some next GEN of Corvette this breaks the traditional corvette design in every way.
I would have to believe that GM would want to make the entrance of such a car spectacular! It's a big gamble because GM has no way of knowing for sure how the Corvette world will welcome/accept such a design change.
Many factors will come into play, design, performance, price, etc in how receptive people will be in such a radical change.
You thought the world came to an end when GM went from round to square taillights..
So good luck GM hope you hit a home again run like you did with the C7!
That is why I think GM is considering a different strategy which has two parts. First, bring a high performance ME sportscar to market at a price point well below its competition - to my mind that is well below $100K for most models. Second, hedge your bet by selling the C7.5 along side the ME C8 for as long as it takes to determine the "consumption function" and "price elasticity" of their addressable market. That may be as short as 12 months, or as long as FOREVER.
That fundamentally, is why GM expanded Bowling Green. If the C8 flops, GM has to have a fallback plan, because the Corvette is too important to fumble away. In my view, the C8 will be a success if and only if it is just as affordable as the current C7, and has some cargo space. Acura and Audi have already shown GM and everyone else if any mfg. beyond Ferrari, Lambo. and (maybe) McLaren tries to sell more than 1000 to 2000 copies of ANY two-seat car for more than $100K.
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JoesC5 (03-28-2018)
03-29-2018, 12:07 PM
#45
I attend a monthly car show (in my C7 convertible) put on by my neighborhood Ferrari dealer. There are usually about 100 cars, mostly exotics. Talking cars with many of the exotic owners, everyone is talking about the forthcoming ME C8. There is a great deal of excitement, and this is L.A., the car capital of the planet. If the C8 is as good looking inside and out as we all hope and expect, and if the sticker is what we would all consider Corvette reasonable, the ME C8 will be a grand slam home run. I have no doubt the car will be in showrooms sometime next year, and I could not care less where it is introduced. I will say that i think that, as far as folks in this country are concerned, the C8 ME is the most anticipated car in memory. Furthermore, I guarantee you that GM has an introduction planned that will rival anything in the past, covered by social media world wide.
03-29-2018, 05:24 PM
#46
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Point taken, but then why show the car to dealers at all (if they even do)? To get them all fired up about something they can't speak about? Something that's the worst kept secret in the auto industry? What's the point?
I don't expect dealers to start doing their own renderings and posting them, but a few well-chosen words will not hurt the official reveal and they can keep their loyal customers in the loop (and respected) as well.
GM wants to sell as many cars as they can. They're not going to withhold allocations because a dealer dropped a few clues. I don't buy it. Like the obviously staged McDonald's photo op, it's all about controlling the flow of info and keeping interest alive. Granted, they may not drop much info, if any, here on the forum, but there's little doubt they'll be on the horn to their Vette customers as soon they're phones are handed back to them by security.
I don't expect dealers to start doing their own renderings and posting them, but a few well-chosen words will not hurt the official reveal and they can keep their loyal customers in the loop (and respected) as well.
GM wants to sell as many cars as they can. They're not going to withhold allocations because a dealer dropped a few clues. I don't buy it. Like the obviously staged McDonald's photo op, it's all about controlling the flow of info and keeping interest alive. Granted, they may not drop much info, if any, here on the forum, but there's little doubt they'll be on the horn to their Vette customers as soon they're phones are handed back to them by security.
Now, what does this do for the dealers? Well, IMO, it gives them the ability to look their sales staff and some customers who approach them in the eye and say, yes, there will be an ME---I have seen disguised parts of it up close (or some such vagueness), and I've heard it from GM brass in a presentation just for us. To an extent, they're saying nothing, giving nothing away except their credibility---and that they won't trade on, and GM knows that.
So, the words will be real, the idea of the car will be confirmed, and potential buyers will (hopefully) walk away smiling. Now they know their local dealer (or CF member dealer) has seen and heard about "the real deal." The ME.
Hey, I'm guessing as much as you are!
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VETTE-NV (05-10-2018)
03-29-2018, 05:38 PM
#47
Le Mans Master
So about this mystery Vegas thing.
It's not showing up on the Las Vegas Convention Calendar. I checked all the way through July.
https://www.vegasmeansbusiness.com/p...tion-calendar/
There was a NADA (North American Dealers Association) event that ended on the 25th. But that would have been all brands. Not just Chevrolet.
It's not showing up on the Las Vegas Convention Calendar. I checked all the way through July.
https://www.vegasmeansbusiness.com/p...tion-calendar/
There was a NADA (North American Dealers Association) event that ended on the 25th. But that would have been all brands. Not just Chevrolet.
03-29-2018, 06:11 PM
#48
Safety Car
Thread Starter
It is strictly a Chevy dealers’ meeting. And during that several day event, the “reveal of future product” part is April 4th.
03-29-2018, 07:14 PM
#49
Le Mans Master
I'm just surprised it didn't show up in the "who's in town" type of list.
04-09-2018, 04:40 PM
#51
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The fact that BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover, Volvo, Porsche, Mazda dropped out doesn't really mean anything. I have attended the NAIAS several times and always thought those companies with maybe the exception of Mazda had a minimum presence. Porsche could still be there in the manner that Ferrari and Maserati are there. A large dealer putting them into the show.
Bill
Bill
05-10-2018, 04:30 PM
#52
Safety Car
Thread Starter
One more major OEM just dropped out of NAIAS.
http://www.autonews.com/article/2018...autonews-blast
Originally Posted by AutoWeek
Audi to skip 2019 Detroit auto show, joining BMW, Benz (Larry P. Vellequette)
Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America, introduces the 2018 Audi SQ5 at the 2017 Detroit auto show. Audi is joining rivals Mercedes and BMW and pulling out of the annual Detroit auto show.
The German premium brand told Automotive News on Thursday that it will skip the 2019 North American International Auto Show, joining luxury rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz on the sidelines of the January show in Detroit.
In a statement, Audi said the brand "has had a long and successful history at NAIAS, debuting countless models that Audi customers enjoy today. For 2019, we have decided that we will not participate in NAIAS. We will continue to evaluate Auto Shows on a case by case basis relative to the timing of our product introductions and the value the show brings from a media and consumer perspective."
BMW and Mercedes previously said they would skip the 2019 Detroit show, which has been pressured in recent years by competition from the much larger CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. Because of its larger venue and bigger crowds, automakers have benefited from its prominent platform to launch new vehicles.
Audi's Detroit decision is part of a troubling trend for auto shows globally as automakers cast a critical eye toward the events, where they must compete side by side for media attention for their important products.
A spokesman for the Detroit Auto Dealers Association said plans are well underway to revolutionize the show and provide participating companies "a global stage that delivers cost-effective opportunities to audiences" that "only Detroit" can offer.
"In meetings that have occurred around the world with participating brands, the show has been privy to some insights on significant product and industry news that has been earmarked for Detroit for the 2019 show," the spokesman said.
Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America, introduces the 2018 Audi SQ5 at the 2017 Detroit auto show. Audi is joining rivals Mercedes and BMW and pulling out of the annual Detroit auto show.
The German premium brand told Automotive News on Thursday that it will skip the 2019 North American International Auto Show, joining luxury rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz on the sidelines of the January show in Detroit.
In a statement, Audi said the brand "has had a long and successful history at NAIAS, debuting countless models that Audi customers enjoy today. For 2019, we have decided that we will not participate in NAIAS. We will continue to evaluate Auto Shows on a case by case basis relative to the timing of our product introductions and the value the show brings from a media and consumer perspective."
BMW and Mercedes previously said they would skip the 2019 Detroit show, which has been pressured in recent years by competition from the much larger CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. Because of its larger venue and bigger crowds, automakers have benefited from its prominent platform to launch new vehicles.
Audi's Detroit decision is part of a troubling trend for auto shows globally as automakers cast a critical eye toward the events, where they must compete side by side for media attention for their important products.
A spokesman for the Detroit Auto Dealers Association said plans are well underway to revolutionize the show and provide participating companies "a global stage that delivers cost-effective opportunities to audiences" that "only Detroit" can offer.
"In meetings that have occurred around the world with participating brands, the show has been privy to some insights on significant product and industry news that has been earmarked for Detroit for the 2019 show," the spokesman said.
Last edited by elegant; 05-10-2018 at 04:32 PM.
05-10-2018, 05:03 PM
#53
Melting Slicks
The largest captured audience of potential mid engined car buyers in the world is the Pebble Beach Concour D'Elegance at the Monterey Classic Car Week. No other traditional Auto Show come remotely close to the percentage of potential buyers than Classic Car Week at Monterey. I've talked to many people about this and they all concur. The demographics of the crowds at Detroit, New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles are a very small percentage of actual buyers. Monterey on the other hand has every mid engined auto manufacturer in the world there with huge massive displays. They all realize the worldwide exposure they get with Monterey. This is a no brainer for the Mid Engined Corvette to be on the Concept Lawn at Pebble or numerous other locations that week around the Monterey area.
Last edited by skank; 05-10-2018 at 05:22 PM.
05-11-2018, 03:28 AM
#55
The largest captured audience of potential mid engined car buyers in the world is the Pebble Beach Concour D'Elegance at the Monterey Classic Car Week. No other traditional Auto Show come remotely close to the percentage of potential buyers than Classic Car Week at Monterey. I've talked to many people about this and they all concur. The demographics of the crowds at Detroit, New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles are a very small percentage of actual buyers. Monterey on the other hand has every mid engined auto manufacturer in the world there with huge massive displays. They all realize the worldwide exposure they get with Monterey. This is a no brainer for the Mid Engined Corvette to be on the Concept Lawn at Pebble or numerous other locations that week around the Monterey area.
The MCCW is not a place for Corvettes...no way, no how.
An ME Vette is NOT an exotic as far as that crowd goes.
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DebRedZR1 (05-11-2018)
05-11-2018, 10:02 AM
#56
Melting Slicks
http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/lu...re-1949873.php
https://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/18/.../#slide-845155
https://www.newsday.com/classifieds/...rior-1.5883668
Last edited by skank; 05-11-2018 at 10:41 AM.
05-11-2018, 10:20 AM
#57
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17, '21
The what?!? If it's such a big draw, most Vette owners don't know or care. It's not a Chevy market.
05-11-2018, 10:44 AM
#58
Melting Slicks
http://myautoworld.com/autonews/32020
Last edited by skank; 05-11-2018 at 11:05 AM.
05-11-2018, 01:23 PM
#59
I was just pulling on your cape, Big Guy.
But like Deb said, the MCCW is not a place where the ME will be a headliner.
Here are the results of a simple Google search for MCCW:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....0.ClX0SEuk4EY
As you can see, it wouldn't stand-out among this bunch.
Also, I don't agree the starting price of the ME C8 will be significantly higher than the C7.
Pricing it above $150K, for example, puts it into a market Chevy has never competed in.
Of course, I'm assuming the ME, like previous Corvettes, will be a mass produced vehicle with tens of thousands of sales per year.
If (and that's a big IF) the ME is meant to be a low volume car, then it's an entirely different ballgame.
However, everything I have read suggests otherwise.
Naturally, YMMV.
BTW, I'm jealous you got to take a hot lap with Tommy Milner around LS.
But like Deb said, the MCCW is not a place where the ME will be a headliner.
Here are the results of a simple Google search for MCCW:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....0.ClX0SEuk4EY
As you can see, it wouldn't stand-out among this bunch.
Also, I don't agree the starting price of the ME C8 will be significantly higher than the C7.
Pricing it above $150K, for example, puts it into a market Chevy has never competed in.
Of course, I'm assuming the ME, like previous Corvettes, will be a mass produced vehicle with tens of thousands of sales per year.
If (and that's a big IF) the ME is meant to be a low volume car, then it's an entirely different ballgame.
However, everything I have read suggests otherwise.
Naturally, YMMV.
BTW, I'm jealous you got to take a hot lap with Tommy Milner around LS.
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skank (05-11-2018)
05-11-2018, 03:28 PM
#60
Pro
I was just pulling on your cape, Big Guy.
But like Deb said, the MCCW is not a place where the ME will be a headliner.
Here are the results of a simple Google search for MCCW:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....0.ClX0SEuk4EY
As you can see, it wouldn't stand-out among this bunch.
Also, I don't agree the starting price of the ME C8 will be significantly higher than the C7.
Pricing it above $150K, for example, puts it into a market Chevy has never competed in.
Of course, I'm assuming the ME, like previous Corvettes, will be a mass produced vehicle with tens of thousands of sales per year.
If (and that's a big IF) the ME is meant to be a low volume car, then it's an entirely different ballgame.
However, everything I have read suggests otherwise.
Naturally, YMMV.
BTW, I'm jealous you got to take a hot lap with Tommy Milner around LS.
But like Deb said, the MCCW is not a place where the ME will be a headliner.
Here are the results of a simple Google search for MCCW:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....0.ClX0SEuk4EY
As you can see, it wouldn't stand-out among this bunch.
Also, I don't agree the starting price of the ME C8 will be significantly higher than the C7.
Pricing it above $150K, for example, puts it into a market Chevy has never competed in.
Of course, I'm assuming the ME, like previous Corvettes, will be a mass produced vehicle with tens of thousands of sales per year.
If (and that's a big IF) the ME is meant to be a low volume car, then it's an entirely different ballgame.
However, everything I have read suggests otherwise.
Naturally, YMMV.
BTW, I'm jealous you got to take a hot lap with Tommy Milner around LS.
And...not to beat a dead horse too hard but I'm afraid it simply can't be a $75k date! We can argue about it or sit tight and wait and see. I'm for the later. Bluntly though, I pray it will be but all of the goods that are known, that is known, to be on the car, surely will add up to a lot more. Those attributes alone, make it territory Corvette or GM has never been in! I sure wouldn't deny that they have aspirations of grandeur.
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skank (05-12-2018)