patentcad

If the current $55K base price goes over $65K, GM can kiss 30K annual sales of this car goodbye forever. And THAT's why they won't go there. Unless they plan to jettison the marketing formula that has worked for the Corvette brand now for SIXTY FIVE + YEARS.

Makes. No. Sense.

But then this is GM, this is the American auto industry. Counter intuitive thinking that kills business was honed to a corporation crushing craft here.

patentcad

For example, if my car's MSRP had been $10K higher, it's quite likely I'd STILL be looking for a used Corvette.

Tom73

JDSKY

Just a dumb question but why would it be twice the production costs? If the plant can support the manufacture of two vehicles and both of those vehicles share a large number of parts but one with the engine up front and one in the back why would costs double? While I do believe it's possible for GM to deliver an ME car for just above the price of the C7 perhaps someone decided this is the prime opportunity to expand the lineup. The one common thread from the majority of Corvette enthusiasts is that any new C8 gen Corvette needs to cater to the existing buyers. I would think two cars would meet a lot more of those wants and needs than one.

I know, I know, the insiders have already stated there will never be another FE Corvette. They have also stated that the price for the ME will start with a 6. They have already stated that this new ME will set a new standard for ME sports cars and be able to haul just as much gear as a C7. They have already stated it will be everything the FE C7 is just be better in almost every way and for just a couple grand more. It will be awesome if GM has discovered a way to make all these things a reality and a car that is visually stunning as well. Would be awesome to actually see it on the 14th if that's the case.....

Telepierre

^^^^^^
Well said at many levels. I take the competitive angle and by that I mean GM along with others have probably figure out (or they expect) more money coming in the super luxury sport segment versus just luxury..
I suppose others have figure out the same, as you correctly pointed out, the field is becoming increasingly tight. However, we also know (your example of R8 for example) some names in the space are not doing that well at the moment...which is to say the money coming in may be that same or even more but some are not as successful to capture it...

And with the success begets success mantra it could be that Corvette may be leveraging their #1 position in luxury sport to aim higher..for those higher margins WHILE maintaining the established base..after all a lot of folks seem to crying doom for Corvette selling "only" 23K cars last year...WHEN in reality a Porsche, Audi or Mercedes for that matter would "kill" for that kind of sales sustainment ESPECIALLY with the kind of marketing and export costs they have and try to pass to customers..

This of course implies a more complex manufacturing system (economies of scale) which I believe BG has proven to have to change platforms every five years anyway... or stated differently, do you know of any other competitor that has been able to dramatically change the platform in those volumes at that pace...?

So obviously any "change" has risks associated with it but with an FE + ME strategy Corvette may be trying to renew the established base (me) and bring in new blood and converts from the names that are not making it... and couple the volume play with the margins play. Yes some folks see it as incompatible... "80K Corvette will never fly...100K Corvette will never fly....and here we are at 150K Corvettes "flying" :-)

Will see...

JerryU

Tom73

ViperFan1

Your guess is worth nothing. You are "guessing" based on the fact the Vette always had a price point that was under a Ferrari etc..

This isn't going to follow the normal front engine pricing. The fact that the engine is in the back of the car should be enough for you to understand but I guess you feel that rear engine cars are just as simple to produce as front engine cars and this is simply a "style change"

You guys who think it's going to cost 5 figures are insane.

ViperFan1

Why doesn't Lambroghini, Ferrari, Porsche, or McLaren make a sub 100k car?

If it was easy as a simple redesign.. why hasn't ford, dodge, or chevy EVER come out with one??

Common sense is your best friend =)

Get ready for a 300k Dodge Viper to be announced that's going to be built by a 3rd party like the Ford GT..

JDSKY

Easy question to answer. Because it's not a part of their business model and they are not going to pivot off that model.

Tom73

Telepierre

Direct quote from a Mercedes engineer to me after a 2016 competitive clinic on the C7 Z06.

KnightmareCS

Engine in rear =/= expensive
Ex: Fiero and MR2

Why no attempts past those have been made exactly idk, but this matches my assumptions:
"The thing about a midengine layout is that it's pretty much inherently complicatedly packaged and compromised on everyday usability. The thing about a cheap sports car is that it should be simple and easy to use on a regular poor broke person's daily basis.

tcweidner

Answer is simple and well known. It would cheapen their brand. The brand carries with it a special elite status they have worked years to create, you suddenly start tossing out cheap 30k versions and designs, it cheapens the brand. As far as the Dodge Viper, the thing that killed the Viper was stubbornness. Dodge wouldnt create an automatic transmission version and their sales died because of it.

As far as why hasnt the major US brands come out with ME cars, they have tried them here and there, but they prove to be a pain in the *** for dealerships and for maintenance. Its not worth the aggravation. Lets remember Trucks and SUVS are where the money is at now, our performance coupes are just a side division compared to what really brings in the buyers.

JerryU

Foosh

It was on the C7 by a wide margin, and 3LT had a very low take rate. So much for the theory that the majority is clamoring for nicer interiors. It's actually a very tiny and very noisy minority.

It works both ways. There's no credible info that it will start over $100K. It doesn't matter if that's a good deal compared to Ferrari and Porsches. The vast majority of folks simply cannot afford or will not pay that much for a toy. 70% of Corvette buyers paid under $80K.

The argument against is simply that it defies logic that the GM Board would approve a pricing strategy that would cut sales by 2/3rds or more. It also defies logic that GM would offer TWO, 2-seat sports cars. Even ZERV is not predicting dual FE and ME production.

And BTW, you say ZERV has been right about "a LOT of things." If you're talking about the interior, well maybe, but I can't think of anything else yet.

jefnvk

Umm, I can buy a base model of every Porsche new for under $100k.

As to Lamborghini and Ferrari, many here still do not understand that they are luxury brands. People that buy those cars buy them in large part because of exclusivity, and part of exclusivity is scarcity, and part of scarcity is higher production costs. McLaren is even more exclusive and even more performance orientated, meaning even more cost. It's like asking why, if Lincoln can make a luxurious car for $50k, why isn't Rolls Royce doing the same. Different brands with different markets and production needs.

As to ME costing more, no. Porsche builds one for $60k. GM had no problem building one for even cheaper in the 80's. I think someone also mentioned the MR2 as a very low cost example.

Dethsupp0rt

Especially considering Cadillac tried about the same thing, and failed.

They had a good thing with the 2nd gen CTS-V . . . M5 fighter with an M3 price point. So what did they do? "Oh! We'll compete directly with BMW/Mercedes by improving it a little and pricing it just below an M5, and make an ATS-V and price it just below an M3."

What happened? They sat on lots forever.

At the same price point, the majority of people are going to choose German, whether it be for luxury or performance. American cars only sell because they offer similar performance to people on a budget who don't necessarily care about all the details.

Last year in the US, Chevrolet sold twice as many Corvettes as Porsche did 911s (~18K+ vs 9K+). Even if they upped the quality of the Corvette a bit (not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's not a Porsche) and priced it at base 911 levels, you'd see sales drop to ~2K units a year . . . just like Cadillac had its sales cut by over 70% when they priced it upmarket.

ssidekickbp

This is very true. I went 3LT for my car cause I wanted a more GT type sports car. But I can assure anyone on here, I know plenty of guys with 1LT's who love their cars just the same. It's no surprise to me to understand why. They are getting the same exact performing car for in some cases 10-15k cheaper. Less things that can go wrong in the long run, a more pure sports car in a sense. I understand it now more then ever.

The new car will be a value for performance still, UNLESS you add every option they offer.

C7Me

They said the C8 ME would cost about the same as the C7, but which C7? ZR1, Z06, GS, Stingray? I'm guessing the base C8 will cost about the same as the base C7 Z06, so about $79K. I hope I'm wrong though!