DaveFerrari458

I know people from all walks of life and economic demographics. The ones that are not so well to do look at cars like Porsche, Corvette, Mercedes, Jaguar, etc as a "rich mans car". The ones that are much more well to do look at each car differently. Some mock the Corvette as "just a Chevy, Billy Bob Car, Chrome Wheels, etc". Some of the same people have changed their tone with the C7 though. And some of them were/are big Corvette fans and give it the praise it deserves. But some call a Porsche 911 as "Douchy, VW Bug like, Old Mans car", etc. as well. So both cars have some kind of reputation they need to shed.

I do agree somewhat that the Corvette is somewhat looked at a old mans car, but in general most high-end cars tend to attract a somewhat older buyer because someone younger may not be able to afford them. I think the Stingray is more looked at this way and the Z06 and ZR1 are looked more as a younger (relatively) persons car. Same with a 911 vs, a 911 GT3, etc.

Thunder22

yes.... it will.

JerryU

Logic is simple! The ME is so GM can replace the outdated, pushrod V8 that technology has passed! It’s for their corporate MPG goals that are getting tough. That won’t be solved by selling a few ME’s at very high price and keeping a front engine old technology V8! Yep Chevy engineers did a great job with the LT1 and LT4 but to take a step improvement forward they need a small cid, double overhead cam, turbocharged engine!

That is what we will get in the C8 IMO and at a price that produces the needed volume for a large corporation. GM is NOT a boutique car company! If they need a “halo feature" it will be the C8’s small cid engine with high hp and great gas mileage (whether Vette owner’s want that or NOT!) The Silverado will have a turbocharged 2.7 Liter L4 with 310 hp in 2019. Those truck buyers need to point to that "halo C8 engine" when their buddies laugh!

Suggest those who “must have a stump pulling V8” build their own car! You obviously did- as did I! Albeit my 18-year-old rod has a larger cid engine - a ZZ502! It was the largest cid engine I could buy from Chevy at the time at a relatively low cost available disassembled back then. It came with a forged crack, rods, pistons and CNC port matched aluminum heads and intake with a roller cam. Did have to replace the vacuum secondary 850 Holley with a double pumper, added long tube Sanderson headers and some other mods. But now you can buy a 572 cid crate motor from GM with power ranging from a NA 620 up to 720 hp if you want to use 110 octane fuel.

My Rod has 53% of the weight on the rear, 420 section rear tires in a very ridged frame with a 4 bar link rear suspension, coilovers and disk brakes in all 4 corners. The engine is set back in the tubbed chassis and is designed to go straight! No canyon carver!

dreamr616

Zerv02

Negative, there will indeed be three variants, price range is far off from the speculation on these forums and publications.

I don't think anyone will believe until they see it though, fair enough. I can't stress enough how this will be marketed as an international car. Game changing car for GM in my opinion.

Zerv02

Not to derail the thread, but also something really cool I cam across today, it looks like Dodge is trying to get back into the game, resurrecting the viper, but with a V8 this time.

Rumors swirling around that we may catch a glimpse of a concept at the 2019 naias of their upcoming car.

Gotta admit that's one nice car. If the price is right, the C8 is going to have some competition.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...gend-is-reborn

themonk

interesting......this might be what's needed to ensure GM will keep the cost of the C8 down.

JerryU

That is a far different statement that your original post!

Sure there will be variants! There will be a Ford GT type engine, probably closer to 700 hp from a small cid engine. That will need wider than the 305 section width tires on the base C8 seen in German. Wider tires mean wider fenders. Suspect it will have speed controlled aero for which GM has already been issued patents, and not look like the "boy racer" ZR1.

Yep, like the ZR1 that can be made on the same assembly line. Perhaps that engine variant will be assembled in Bowling Green etc.

Expect, as I speculated when it was reported there would be a Cadillac version, there could well be a Chevy C8 variant with the features included from the many who complain about the raw "sports car design" of the C7:

1) A softer ride; easy to provide with softer springs and sway bars for those who don't get past ~0.9 "g's" and don't care to!

2) Those that want and will pay for a high end Lexicon etc sound system but it would be useless unless ~100 pounds of sound deadening is added which would be included.

3) Those that get a 3LT because they like all leather and with the C7 only get (except for the seating surface) more of the GM coined Mulan "leather like" ~40% ground leather scraps as a filler in a vinyl type material! They will get real leather on dash and doors perhaps with an "option" for one version with a "hand stitched" Gucci logo for the snobs that what to show their friends!

4) Oh yes, tires that don't "chatter" and can be driven below freezing! So what they won't get max lateral "g" force- either will the suspension of that variant.

5) All of the features like "blind spot detection" that folks have asked about. All easy to add on the same assembly line or a branch in the line in spots.

BUT the base C8 will be priced to sell significant volume.

PS: Still think that sketch in your original post is far worse than I doodled when bored in a high school class!

MrWiggly2

one question for everyone who believes Zerv02 post about the ME C8s pricing....
if his forumn bio is true, why would you trust a 98 year old New Zealander's info about America's only sports car?
if he lied on his forumn bio, why would you trust a lying New Zealander's info about America's only sports car?
i know this is not a proper first post or welcome to the forum, but there seems to be both a lot of belief that this price is correct and a lot of animosity towards the OP that this price MAY / MAY NOT be accurate. just wondering, who is he that makes his info possibly (or not) true?

here i am
KennyJ

Zerv02

1. Different how?

2. Fair enough, I'm an awful artist, I know... as I've said before... multiple times. Just for you to get an idea and not reveal tooo much (in the sense of which mule seen), not all mules are the same. Some are still gutted inside, some are totally finished.

Zerv02

Can one not reside in New Zealand and the United States?

JerryU

Mule skin? Thought that was only used for drum heads! But considering where you are from, perhaps you can lobby GM to use "sheep skin" for the "real leather variant!" Understand there are more of those than people- Down Under!

Didn't get to NZ when in AU, but did see kangaroos!

SIDE BAR:
That "mule" you think was in Germany was quite probably very close to what will be introduced as the C8. Check out what GM did for the C7. They made ~100 what were called IVERS that were operated for about a year before production formally started. After the intro at the Detroit show in ~January 2013 they were driven around the country. I saw my first one (actually about 10) in August 2013 at the Vintage Races at Laguna Seca! That was months after I ordered mine that was made in September 2013.

Maxie2U

JerryU

All he is saying is various sources are quoting Zerv02's post because it makes a good headline.

As I pointed out in my post #708 of this crazy Thread he appears to admit (if he really knows anything) that there will be variants! He says 3, I'll bet like the evolution of all models there will be more!

As I have stated, the need for a ME is GM's to get past the old technology large cid pushrod V8! They need a modern smaller cid, double overhead cam (to get independent control of intake and exhaust timing) and turbo's to use some of that ~30% wasted energy going out the exhaust! Stuffing one of those in a low hood front engine sports car only works if you like the look of a AA/Fuel Altered!

As I said, the C8 engine (perhaps in a more expensive variant) will be a "halo item" those 2019 full size Silverado truck owner's can point to when their buddies laugh at the 2.7 Liter turbo L4 (320 hp) that it will use!

Bottom Line:
The base C8 will be priced to sell high volumes and the large pushrod V8 will go by the way of the dinosaur! For those that must to have a "stump puller" pushrod V8, suggest you consider building a street rod or putting one in a '67 Camaro while GM still has a 572 cid crate motor for sale!

Maxie2U

King Dranzer

If it is priced at $170K and marketed as international car then possibility of it going for regular production is meaning less and not happening. If it is limited production car then there is no meaning to have multiple variants. The reason for it being limited production run is based on its low sales numbers as when priced that high I see great drop in market as regular crowd cannot afford it. People who can afford it can go for other options from other brands like Porsche, Audi even McLaren priced similarly(hope you do realize that with options added over its base price it can go as high as $190-200K). If it is a base model we cannot expect it to compete on a lvl of Audi R8 or McLaren 570S or Porsche GT3 RS. Why would any one buy basic variant of Corvette if it is priced that high. If it is a fact that insiders have info regarding high priced base variant I can bet that by the time it launches they come to their senses and release it with a meaningful price tag or limit its production. Even if there are to be more than one variant the only possibility is of one being road variant and one being even more limited track variant and that's it.

High Price tag and Multiple Variants will not go well together for Corvette.

JerryU

Absolutely! I look at it this way;

First, a C7 Corvette is not an investment. If anyone thought they would buy a C7 that was being made at a rate of 30,000/year as a investment needs to get some financial advice help! If you like it keep it then no impact of resale value changes.

Second, for all of us who will sell their C7's to get a C8 there will be new Corvette buyers who can't afford to pay ~$55,000 for a car! Some will become C8 or C9 buyers in the future!

I don't think the large cid pushrod engine folks understand that the current goal for Corvette type Sports Cars in 2025 is 56 mpg! Not commenting on the desirability of that goal BUT GM is already negotiating with the government to have a standard that is nation wide and will also meet California's pressure for high mpg vehicles. Perhaps it won't be 56 mpg but bet it will be over 50 mpg for the Corvette! Need that smaller cid engine with double overhead cams and a turbo to reduce some of the 30% exhaust energy waste going out the exhaust!

The corporate goal calculations are based on the size of the vehicle. For a full size truck like the Silverado the 2025 goal is 30 mpg. The 2019 Silverado will have a small cid, inline 4 cylinder turbocharged engine producing 320 hp! "Sure GM will be selling old technology pushrod V8's in the Corvette while they make their very profitable truck buyers get much higher mpg than today!" NOT!

Yep there will be other engines offered in trucks and in a high end ZR1 type C8. But the number sold is easily controlled by GM with price to limit the volume of less efficient high hp engines!

CRABBYJ

JerryU

~I don't see them incompatible at all!

Can see the base C8 selling in the $75,000 to $80,000 range (mid ~$60,000 at Kerbeck) while the high end ZR1 type with it's ~700 hp small cid, double overhead cam, dual large turbos producing 700 hp (the current Ford GT has a 3.5 Liter V6, dual turbo engine producing 647 hp) will sell for the $169,000 predicted on this thread. That will require wider than the 305 section width tires that were on the C8 in Germany, which will require wider fenders. Suspect the aero will be adjustable based on speed so it doesn't have to look like the current ZR1 "boy racer" when parked! So those paying more will not see many other cars that look like theirs!

Yep the high cost variant will have real leather interior (not ground up McDonald cow hide scraps made "leather like.") Maybe even seats that both cool and heat properly as an option. Perhaps motorized tuck in mirrors!

Perhaps that ~700 hp will be partially supplied by a F1 KERS type system that produces 160 hp (for a short time) with an electric motor/generator and also provides some braking energy recovery. In F1 that system with battery reportedly weights only ~60 pounds.

Note the $169,000 price is also partly to limit demand for that higher hp lower mpg engine! Easily controlled by GM with price!

JerryU

Yep but as I posted that "hybrid" could be an F1 type system that stores braking energy rather than being powered by a plug in! Family in CA have 3 Prii! Good cars but not one I would own.

A F1 KERS system could be used every time you take off or accelerate not just to produce 160 hp for a short time blast. For example taking off from a light the engine would not start (it will have Start/Stop in any case) until you leveled off to whatever speed. That consumes a lot of energy in a C7 or any car. Then that small battery would be charged when coasting or braking.

Being mechanically oriented I was all for flywheel energy storage and the first F1 KERS systems had one that was all mechanical. However it and the battery powered system were not reliable and discontinued for a few years. However it is back and does help in the race promoting passing (albeit in F1 it is still difficult to pass!) Although Porsche has/had a racing version of the 911 using flywheel energy storage expect any KERS system will use battery storage. If employed when just cruising on every start or when accelerating could significantly improve overall mpg! Plus recover some of the 1/3 energy that reaches the rear wheels that is turned into heat when braking!