Plant reconfiguration for C8??????
11-13-2018, 08:29 AM
#41
Melting Slicks
I always love when other maker's performance CUVs are brought up, GM sells more cars in a month than brands like Porsche sell in a year. The CUV market is also owned by GM right now, sure the more expensive brands are selling well in comparison to the rest of those brands lineup, but the Terrain (82,719 ytd) and Equinox (234,379 ytd) sell far more units than all of those luxury CUVs combined and arguably present more profit.
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
11-13-2018, 08:44 AM
#42
Le Mans Master
GM, like Ford, has done the analysis, and it doesn't seem economically feasible to compete with those RWD-AWD based suv's - it would require an all new platform, and if GM wanted to build the all new platform it would be a Cadillac - which is the GM luxury SUV brand. The new Cadillac CT4 is a FWD-AWD CUV designed to compete with the Acura RDX (segment leader by almost a mile), Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA, Jaguar E-Pace and BMW X2. The luxury CUV market segment is currently the hottest premium segment.
GM doesn't need Corvette branded SUV's - what it needs are far better Cadillac products to compete in the luxury small (BMW X3) and large (BMW X5) mid-size SUV's - the XT5 just isn't that good of a vehicle compared to the competition.
GM doesn't need Corvette branded SUV's - what it needs are far better Cadillac products to compete in the luxury small (BMW X3) and large (BMW X5) mid-size SUV's - the XT5 just isn't that good of a vehicle compared to the competition.
11-13-2018, 08:53 AM
#43
Safety Car
I always love when other maker's performance CUVs are brought up, GM sells more cars in a month than brands like Porsche sell in a year. The CUV market is also owned by GM right now, sure the more expensive brands are selling well in comparison to the rest of those brands lineup, but the Terrain (82,719 ytd) and Equinox (234,379 ytd) sell far more units than all of those luxury CUVs combined and arguably present more profit.
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
11-13-2018, 09:08 AM
#45
I'm not familiar with automotive economics, but it seems there is plenty of room for investment on a $70,000 car like the Corvette. If you assume $10,000 of the revenue goes to plant capital return on 20,000 cars per year, you generate $200 million a year even with one model.
11-13-2018, 10:59 AM
#46
Safety Car
BGA plant capacity is 33,000 units per year.
11-13-2018, 11:07 AM
#47
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2000
Location: Conroe Texas
Posts: 35,234
Received 865 Likes
on
608 Posts
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03,'04,'05,'07,08,'09,'10,’17
apologies for the tone. My point is GM will do what makes sense. The only people that think about “lineage” are us owners. GM probably doesn’t care about that. They care about maximizing profit - which is a good thing. That’s why we can afford such an awesome car.
11-13-2018, 11:09 AM
#48
Race Director
I always love when other maker's performance CUVs are brought up, GM sells more cars in a month than brands like Porsche sell in a year. The CUV market is also owned by GM right now, sure the more expensive brands are selling well in comparison to the rest of those brands lineup, but the Terrain (82,719 ytd) and Equinox (234,379 ytd) sell far more units than all of those luxury CUVs combined and arguably present more profit.
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
11-13-2018, 11:34 AM
#49
Team Owner
They build their Sedan and SUV's in Leipsig, Saxony with body and chassis parts for the Cayenne manufactured in Bratislava, Slovaka, along side the VW Touareg.
VW’s Bratislava plant produces the VW Group’s large SUVs such as the Touareg and Audi Q7.
11-13-2018, 11:44 AM
#51
Team Owner
Where is the C7 chassis welded?
That'll tell you more than anything else.
If the front/rear space frame is welded at the plant versus being delivered whole is a huge difference.
The Halo cars, Corvette, Viper, and especially Prowler were not only built as show cases but they also are places that manufacturers test new processes in manufacturing.
That'll tell you more than anything else.
If the front/rear space frame is welded at the plant versus being delivered whole is a huge difference.
The Halo cars, Corvette, Viper, and especially Prowler were not only built as show cases but they also are places that manufacturers test new processes in manufacturing.
The following users liked this post:
Zaro Tundov (11-13-2018)
11-13-2018, 01:51 PM
#52
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by Zaro Tundov
Some years they've sold over 40,000, is that because of leftover inventory from the previous year? Also, I thought they could add shifts to raise output even higher, but maybe I'm mistaken.
11-13-2018, 06:47 PM
#53
Race Director
I always love when other maker's performance CUVs are brought up, GM sells more cars in a month than brands like Porsche sell in a year. The CUV market is also owned by GM right now, sure the more expensive brands are selling well in comparison to the rest of those brands lineup, but the Terrain (82,719 ytd) and Equinox (234,379 ytd) sell far more units than all of those luxury CUVs combined and arguably present more profit.
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
GM's strategy with the Cadillac XT4 and XT5 aims at the luxury CUV space so what benefit would GM have to make a Corvette branded CUV?
the brand image is one of sporting vehicles.
the hottest market with the best profitability will be the hot rod cuv market like the porsche macan or jaguar I pace...or lamborghini urus.
hot rod sport soft road cuvs will be the next white space in the automotive indistry and it would be cool if gm would lead the way.
i prefer to buy gm prodicts and yet for the forst time in decades i bought a foreign vehicle. A sport cuv which is the alfa romeo stelvio ti sport ..i love this th8ng as a garage mate for family transport parked in the garage next to my corvette z51manual.
if gm would produce a corvette crosstrek i would buy that for my spouse.
the nlazer ss looks cool but she doesnt want a chevy ...(dont ask me) but shown to her first as the corvette crosstrek...she loved it...
women? Go figure? But they make 50 percent of all automotive decisions..
she likes bmws, merc3des, audis, alfa romeos, corvettes, porsches but when i mentioned chevrolet she says no...
thats just the fact of a,erican women...
she is tired of cadillacs as she had them and now feels its now an old persons brand, gmc?i thought maybe she would get one after having three different models years back but nope...
buick? Nope
logical? Not at all...but winning in the marketplace isnt about fighting with logic but rather finding ways using what you have...
its easier and cheaper than reinventing brand image for cadillacs or buicks or gmc trucks..
just build various versions like vw does with the audi q5, and the porsche macan...
sorry to go off topic ...
never going to happen but a corvette crosstrek cuv would be a hell of seller above other brands more traditional and less sporting hot rod versions..
never going to happen so dont sweat it.
11-13-2018, 07:18 PM
#54
Team Owner
The Corvette C6 Z06's aluminum frame was a testbed. It was welded together By Dana Corp, and shipped whole to GM's plant in Bowling Green. Only after the "new" process was fully developed by an outside contractor, did GM move the welding process to Bowling Green during it's last year of C6 Z06 and C6 ZR1 manufacturing. Then did GM, start welding the C7's aluminum frame in house, after the "testbed" C6 aluminum frame was done by Dana in Hopkinsville, KY.
Then if you look at MBQ maybe this is GM's test bed.
If they are welding the frames in house than that could be a possability.
VW builts cars off of 3 variations of MBQ. There is a front, mid, and rear module. They mix and match to come up with nearly every car they make save the R8. VW, Seat, Audi, Lamborghini SUV, all of them have a very common under pinning platform, not just from a chassis standpoint but also from an electrical/network standpoint.
That is the holy grail of auto manufacturing and GM is a bit behind the times there.
They could build a FE/ME/SUV in the same plant. If it is truly modular then creating a RWD SUV would not be a stretch if its truly modular.
Last edited by NoOne; 11-13-2018 at 07:19 PM.
11-13-2018, 07:23 PM
#55
Melting Slicks
gm isnt going to build a corvette crosstrek but it should. Many people would not buy a chevrolet cuv but a corvette crosstrek they would.
the brand image is one of sporting vehicles.
the hottest market with the best profitability will be the hot rod cuv market like the porsche macan or jaguar I pace...or lamborghini urus.
hot rod sport soft road cuvs will be the next white space in the automotive indistry and it would be cool if gm would lead the way.
i prefer to buy gm prodicts and yet for the forst time in decades i bought a foreign vehicle. A sport cuv which is the alfa romeo stelvio ti sport ..i love this th8ng as a garage mate for family transport parked in the garage next to my corvette z51manual.
if gm would produce a corvette crosstrek i would buy that for my spouse.
the nlazer ss looks cool but she doesnt want a chevy ...(dont ask me) but shown to her first as the corvette crosstrek...she loved it...
women? Go figure? But they make 50 percent of all automotive decisions..
she likes bmws, merc3des, audis, alfa romeos, corvettes, porsches but when i mentioned chevrolet she says no...
thats just the fact of a,erican women...
she is tired of cadillacs as she had them and now feels its now an old persons brand, gmc?i thought maybe she would get one after having three different models years back but nope...
buick? Nope
logical? Not at all...but winning in the marketplace isnt about fighting with logic but rather finding ways using what you have...
its easier and cheaper than reinventing brand image for cadillacs or buicks or gmc trucks..
just build various versions like vw does with the audi q5, and the porsche macan...
sorry to go off topic ...
never going to happen but a corvette crosstrek cuv would be a hell of seller above other brands more traditional and less sporting hot rod versions..
never going to happen so dont sweat it.
I for one would think slapping a Corvette badge on a CUV would cheapen the brand further than being tied to Chevrolet has already affected it. GM has plenty of space in Cadillac for such a vehicle and if they wanted to they could take the XT4 and make a V series for anyone who wants a gnarly version of a CUV.
11-13-2018, 09:00 PM
#56
Race Director
I feel like your idea of a hot market is way different from mine. There are currently no less than 7 manufacturers making premium CUVs at the moment and the total sales across all of those brands in a year globally is still less than a months worth of GM production. It is a saturated market, one with brands with premium heritages fighting for market share.
I for one would think slapping a Corvette badge on a CUV would cheapen the brand further than being tied to Chevrolet has already affected it. GM has plenty of space in Cadillac for such a vehicle and if they wanted to they could take the XT4 and make a V series for anyone who wants a gnarly version of a CUV.
I for one would think slapping a Corvette badge on a CUV would cheapen the brand further than being tied to Chevrolet has already affected it. GM has plenty of space in Cadillac for such a vehicle and if they wanted to they could take the XT4 and make a V series for anyone who wants a gnarly version of a CUV.
add in the events that have just occured in the sedan market where so many companies building sedans have realized that they are no more than commodities.
i apologize if you believe I am suggesting slapping a corvette badge on a cuv.
both the porsche macan, alfa romeo stelvio and especially the jaguar I pace ev are anything near what auto journalists would consider products with a sporting badge just slapped on.
the macan, the stelvio and the I pace are quite a,azing hot rod cuvs.
more than half of all lamborghini sales in the first year are of the hot rod soft roader lamborghini Urus.
its a big chance for gm to leveage the sporting qualities of the corvette nameplate and prodice a prodict worthy of its namesake in a consumer market segment that will be very important for all manufacturers...
again i apologize if I took this discussion off topic.
gm will never follow my suggestion for a corvette much in the same vein as the lamborghini urus Porsche macan, a
fa stelvio ti sport or jaguar I pace.
i prefer to give my money to GM for a family vehicle hot rod cuv for my spouse..
11-17-2018, 09:13 PM
#59
Racer
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: Love the Smokey Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway, Milton GA and Jupiter FL
Posts: 378
Received 111 Likes
on
58 Posts
Good evening Gentlemen,
I don't post here much as there some very smart people here.
Jaga, Elegent, Skank, FVS and Others.
If I'm not careful I'm just going to get my *** handed to me. I must say that JoesC5 is accurate as I have been to the Museum a few times and in 06 the XLR was a separate handbuilt line and utilitied motorize pallets inside of the Bowling Green Kentucky plant. This was only car that has ever been built there other than the Corvette. I don't know what all that means but apparently they have at least doubled the size of the plant and there's all kinds of neat stuff going on and I'm looking forward to it.
I appreciate this forum, the intellectual capital it provides, the Entertainment I derive from it and all the cool people here. It's really interesting because more often than not I get a good laugh and man I need more of that in my life.Thanks to everybody
Kevin :-)
I don't post here much as there some very smart people here.
Jaga, Elegent, Skank, FVS and Others.
If I'm not careful I'm just going to get my *** handed to me. I must say that JoesC5 is accurate as I have been to the Museum a few times and in 06 the XLR was a separate handbuilt line and utilitied motorize pallets inside of the Bowling Green Kentucky plant. This was only car that has ever been built there other than the Corvette. I don't know what all that means but apparently they have at least doubled the size of the plant and there's all kinds of neat stuff going on and I'm looking forward to it.
I appreciate this forum, the intellectual capital it provides, the Entertainment I derive from it and all the cool people here. It's really interesting because more often than not I get a good laugh and man I need more of that in my life.Thanks to everybody
Kevin :-)
The following 4 users liked this post by Kevin Marshall:
11-17-2018, 09:42 PM
#60
Race Director
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Lawton, OK
Posts: 10,297
Received 9,512 Likes
on
2,317 Posts
C7 & C8 Events Correspondent
Tech Contributor
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year (track prepared)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
