Originally Posted by ArmchairArchitect

To take the title of this post literally, the meaning of corvette is actually a lightweight, maneuverable battleship.

Originally Posted by ColoradoGS

In so many of these C8 threads people are like "Ferarri this" and "hypercar that". Suggestions of "well if the C8 isn't XYZ I'm gonna buy a McLaren!" Story time.

I went to the supermarket today at lunch in my grocery getter--a 2017 Grand Sport. I parked in the back of the parking lot (as one does) and when I came out there was a guy crouched down behind my car taking pictures with his phone. As I walked towards my car he stood up and asked "Is this your Vette?" I can say with confidence that being able to say "Yeah, that's my Vette" after years of dreaming never gets old no matter how many times someone has asked.

We talked about Corvettes for a bit before he went back to his car where his wife was hiding in embarrassment. His favorite thing about Vettes? The performance you get for the dollar. We talked about how I've wanted one my whole life and finally was able to pull the trigger. He was like "one day, dude, one day". And that's the thing. A Ferrari could never make him feel like that. Sure, it'd be cool to see one and he'd probably take a picture of it too. But he could never ever imagine actually owning one. He can realistically dream of owning a Corvette one day. That's the difference. GM could shock me but I'd bet pretty strongly the C8 is going to be the same as the C1 though C7 have been. An attainable sports car with great performance and a "reasonable" price. Yes, a Ferrari will have a better paint job. Yes, a Porsche 911 Turbo S will have a better 0-60 time. Yes, a McLaren will have more carbon fiber and exotic styling. But 95% of all Corvette buyers won't care because those cars are just cars they see in videos and on Jay Leno's Garage. The Corvette is the one they can save for and one day have someone taking pictures of it in the grocery store parking lot.

Oh and what angle was he taking pictures from? Straight from behind of the tail lights. I guess that angular, droopy, waterfall, definitely non-round design by the no-skill designers left on the Corvette team isn't as hideous as some people here report it to be.

Originally Posted by smithers

It does seem like people have suddenly forgotten that Corvettes have always been priced in a way that made them realistically affordable to common people. There seems to be an expectation that GM has suddenly said "to hell with that" and decided to abandon their current market and make it a car most people won't be able to afford (that $100k+ range).

Chances are high that this car will basically be a Corvette with the engine in the middle. And that's fine. But most people seem to have this idea in their heads that going mid engine means it is has to look like a LaFerrari and cost $150k+(or even worse the hope that it's a halo car like the Ford GT). But there have been plenty of cars over the years that were both ME and affordable. There is no reason the C8 can't do the same.

Originally Posted by LIStingray

That is 100% false - few buyers of the Cayenne and Macan, if the hadn't previously owned a Porsche, bought a 911 or Cayman/Boxster. What the Porsche SUV's have done is made a boatload of cash for Porsche, which has allowed them to stay in business - without the SUV's, Porsche would have folded during the last recession.

Originally Posted by ArmchairArchitect

To take the title of this post literally, the meaning of corvette is actually a lightweight, maneuverable battleship.

Originally Posted by Atari_Prime

Really?
Average price of a new car in 1953 = $1,650.
Corvette price in 1953 = $3,498.
Average income in 1953 = $3,139

Average price of a new car in 1962 = $3,125
Corvette price in 1962 = $4,038
Average income in 1962 = $4,291

Average price of a new car in 1970 = $3,542
Corvette price in 1970 = $6,773
Average income in 1970 = $6,186

Average price of a new car in 1980 = $7,000
Corvette price in 1980 = $14,694
Average income in 1980 = $12,513

Average price of a new car in 1990 = $9,437
Corvette price in 1990 = $31,979
Corvette ZR-1 price in 1990 = $58,995
Average income in 1990 = $21,027

Average price of a new car in 2000 = $24,750
Corvette price in 2000 = $39,280
Average income in 2000 = $32,154

Average car price in 2010 = $27,950
Corvette price in 2010 = $54,770
Average income in 2010 = $49,445

Corvettes have always been well above the average car price. The 1980s saw some of the highest Corvette sales years, and yet the price to income ratio was the most disproportionate. Also, in 1990 despite the car's price being triple the average income and six times the price of the average car, Chevrolet managed to sell more than 3,000 ZR-1s. Corvette has never been for the average man.

Originally Posted by supermetroid

Right on! Even if I was a millionaire I would question the price of the Ferrari considering the maintenance and reliability. Yeah, they would be a blast to drive but I'd be afraid to park it somewhere or hit a curb lol. To me Corvettes and Porsches are more of the high end blue collared workers cars. Well, Porsche is right on that line I guess...

Originally Posted by Atari_Prime

Really?
Average price of a new car in 1953 = $1,650.
Corvette price in 1953 = $3,498.
Average income in 1953 = $3,139

Average price of a new car in 1962 = $3,125
Corvette price in 1962 = $4,038
Average income in 1962 = $4,291

Average price of a new car in 1970 = $3,542
Corvette price in 1970 = $6,773
Average income in 1970 = $6,186

Average price of a new car in 1980 = $7,000
Corvette price in 1980 = $14,694
Average income in 1980 = $12,513

Average price of a new car in 1990 = $9,437
Corvette price in 1990 = $31,979
Corvette ZR-1 price in 1990 = $58,995
Average income in 1990 = $21,027

Average price of a new car in 2000 = $24,750
Corvette price in 2000 = $39,280
Average income in 2000 = $32,154

Average car price in 2010 = $27,950
Corvette price in 2010 = $54,770
Average income in 2010 = $49,445

Corvettes have always been well above the average car price. The 1980s saw some of the highest Corvette sales years, and yet the price to income ratio was the most disproportionate. Also, in 1990 despite the car's price being triple the average income and six times the price of the average car, Chevrolet managed to sell more than 3,000 ZR-1s. Corvette has never been for the average man.

Originally Posted by Donatella

Ever since I was about 10 years old I always wanted a Corvette. I had the pictures of the Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s in my room but always dreamed of buying a Corvette when I grew up. My biggest fear when I was about 13 was that I was growing too fast and wouldn’t fit in a Corvette. Well when I graduated college and got my first job, I bought my first Vette. Over the next 25 years I had 5 different Corvettes. A number of years ago I had the good fortune of selling my business. My wife told me I can afford to get a real car now instead of a “kids” car. Being the good husband I listened to her and started buying exotics over the next 20 years. Even though these cars were beautiful too look at, I hated the attention and would sneak out for my drives early in the morning or late at night when nobody would see me. When I first saw the C7 it brought me back to the days of when I was a kid and I told myself one day I will be buying a Corvette again. It took a few years but I finally bought my Grand Sport. It’s not something I can explain but every time I get into that car I feel like I’m 21 again driving my Corvette for the very first time. Not to mention when I track this car and run circles around some of the Porsche's and exotics. My wife no longer tells me to buy a “real” car, now she wants to know when I ‘m putting down my deposit on the new one. I guess it’s like your first love, you always remember it…

Originally Posted by smithers

I never said Corvettes were below average car price. I am just saying common people can generally afford them. On my 1 hour commute to work I pass dozens of cars priced similar to the Corvette. Corvettes aren't a car that is only attainable by the top 1% of earners.

I'm not saying everyone can afford one. But they are a much more attainable dream car for the average person than the exotics people are trying to compare to the C8.

People like to say that if the C8 doesn't have a manual transmission option, GM is cutting out 23% of the market. Well, if they make the base price $100k+, they are likely cutting out a lot more than 23% of the market.

Originally Posted by Atari_Prime

For the same money as a new Vette I can go get a used Viper, F355, 360, Esprit, DB9, or heck I can pretend to be Magnum PI and roll down the street in a 308 playing my best 80s tunes. No offense to Corvettes but all will turn many more heads than the prettiest Vette of any year and have enough performance to keep a grin on your face all day. And for the same money as the C8 you could get an R8. Sure, some will prefer the styling of the Vette but for those willing to brave the land of expired warranties, there’s a lot of fun to be had and in a prettier package by most standards. Throw in better stability of resale value and there aren’t any reasons to get a Vette outside of nostaligia for the one that got away. The styling is simply too conservative and done by committee to be a dream, especially when there are plenty of options in the same price range.

Originally Posted by ColoradoGS

In so many of these C8 threads people are like "Ferarri this" and "hypercar that". Suggestions of "well if the C8 isn't XYZ I'm gonna buy a McLaren!" Story time.

I went to the supermarket today at lunch in my grocery getter--a 2017 Grand Sport. I parked in the back of the parking lot (as one does) and when I came out there was a guy crouched down behind my car taking pictures with his phone. As I walked towards my car he stood up and asked "Is this your Vette?" I can say with confidence that being able to say "Yeah, that's my Vette" after years of dreaming never gets old no matter how many times someone has asked.

We talked about Corvettes for a bit before he went back to his car where his wife was hiding in embarrassment. His favorite thing about Vettes? The performance you get for the dollar. We talked about how I've wanted one my whole life and finally was able to pull the trigger. He was like "one day, dude, one day". And that's the thing. A Ferrari could never make him feel like that. Sure, it'd be cool to see one and he'd probably take a picture of it too. But he could never ever imagine actually owning one. He can realistically dream of owning a Corvette one day. That's the difference. GM could shock me but I'd bet pretty strongly the C8 is going to be the same as the C1 though C7 have been. An attainable sports car with great performance and a "reasonable" price. Yes, a Ferrari will have a better paint job. Yes, a Porsche 911 Turbo S will have a better 0-60 time. Yes, a McLaren will have more carbon fiber and exotic styling. But 95% of all Corvette buyers won't care because those cars are just cars they see in videos and on Jay Leno's Garage. The Corvette is the one they can save for and one day have someone taking pictures of it in the grocery store parking lot.

Oh and what angle was he taking pictures from? Straight from behind of the tail lights. I guess that angular, droopy, waterfall, definitely non-round design by the no-skill designers left on the Corvette team isn't as hideous as some people here report it to be.

Originally Posted by Atari_Prime

Really?
Average price of a new car in 1953 = $1,650.
Corvette price in 1953 = $3,498.
Average income in 1953 = $3,139

Average price of a new car in 1962 = $3,125
Corvette price in 1962 = $4,038
Average income in 1962 = $4,291

Average price of a new car in 1970 = $3,542
Corvette price in 1970 = $6,773
Average income in 1970 = $6,186

Average price of a new car in 1980 = $7,000
Corvette price in 1980 = $14,694
Average income in 1980 = $12,513

Average price of a new car in 1990 = $9,437
Corvette price in 1990 = $31,979
Corvette ZR-1 price in 1990 = $58,995
Average income in 1990 = $21,027

Average price of a new car in 2000 = $24,750
Corvette price in 2000 = $39,280
Average income in 2000 = $32,154

Average car price in 2010 = $27,950
Corvette price in 2010 = $54,770
Average income in 2010 = $49,445

Corvettes have always been well above the average car price. The 1980s saw some of the highest Corvette sales years, and yet the price to income ratio was the most disproportionate. Also, in 1990 despite the car's price being triple the average income and six times the price of the average car, Chevrolet managed to sell more than 3,000 ZR-1s. Corvette has never been for the average man.