n8dogg

The Chevrolet Corvette, America’s Sports Car, is much more than a car. It’s a lifestyle, a symbol of freedom, and an achievement that most only dream about. The Corvette has been stealing the hearts and dreams of young boys and girls around the world since 1953. That’s over 65 years of satisfying the American Dream. What has made the Corvette so iconic?

There are many characteristics about the Corvette that make it a pillar in our community, but what truly makes it iconic are the owners. The Corvette owner is one who seeks the feeling of success and fulfillment. Chevrolet has done an excellent job educating the public on the Corvette, and by doing so Corvette owners are then able to affirm their knowledge with others. Arguably, the most significant iconic cult vehicle is the Chevrolet Corvette. There are over 330 Corvette clubs registered with the National Corvette Museum. Several have been active since the 1950’s. The Chevrolet Corvette has been planted in our roots.

What we must remember is, it is not the engine, the body, the suspension, the interior, the wheels, the tires, or really any physical component of the Corvette that have defined how iconic the car is. It is what the Corvette offers and how it satisfies the owner. It’s because we feel successful and fulfilled by satisfying our dreams. The car speaks for itself with its timeless design, and we speak for ourselves by satisfying our ego’s. It’s up to Chevrolet to make a car that is pleasing to the eyes and far exceeds the performance of more expensive, foreign competitors. The car must also not be mistaken for anything else. But what happens when the balance of performance, comfort, efficiency, and affordability is at its limit? What happens when the demand for sports cars change? You fall behind, or you revolutionize.

The C8 Corvette, the single most significant turning point in Corvette’s history. It is drastically different than its predecessor’s due to it’s rear-mid engine layout and separation from Chevrolet. For over 65 years and 7 generations, the Chevrolet Corvette has always been front-mid engine and sold and serviced at your local Chevrolet dealer. The industry has changed dramatically. Technology has changed dramatically. Emissions standards have changed dramatically and only continue to get more strict. Consumer demand has changed dramatically, with a strong focus on crossovers. The Corvette can no longer be improved while satisfying the demands that are placed on it as a front-mid engine car. Plus, there is more profit potential as its own brand.

A lot of people believe the C8’s price will be far greater than its predecessor, making it unobtainable for American’s who have long loved the Corvette. I don’t believe this is true. We see Corvette sales compare to US sales of Porsche models, specifically the 911. Is the 911 the proper model to compare to? Why not compare US Corvette sales to European Porsche sales, each make’s primary market? The sad truth is that Porsche sales have been increasing year after year, both in the US and globally, while Corvette sales have been decreasing. Porsche’s number 1 selling model isn’t a sports car, it’s a performance CUV, a segment that Corvette will enter with its own performance CUV model. Porsche Cayman’s starting price is only $56,000. Corvette Stingray's starting price is $55,495. If Porsche can offer a mid-rear engine sports car at $56,000, why can’t Chevrolet?

Let’s face it, a Porsche owner doesn’t want to take his 911 to a Volkswagen dealer for service. He wants to take his car to someone who is more knowledgeable and caring than he is. He wants to take it to a specialist. Because his car is an extension of his ego, he will be extremely protective over it. This is no different than the Corvette. Chevrolet and GM have known this but couldn’t risk separating Corvette from its dealers without a revolution and incentive. This created a large problem for Chevrolet and its total Corvette sales. A few dealers began to specialize in Corvettes, and then cornered the market by volume selling at a low-price. This left most Chevrolet dealers skipping on Corvettes due to their high up-front cost and low-profit potential. In-turn, the Chevrolet dealer failed to meet the needs of Corvette owners giving themselves a bad reputation. This type of market is bad for everyone. GM cannot maximize production and market share, the dealers have difficulty selling an iconic product, and ultimately the consumer suffers due to inadequate support from the dealer and manufacturer.

Separating Corvette from Chevrolet is the proper way to handle the American Sports Car. We will also see new models being developed under the Corvette brand, performance CUV’s, performance luxury sedans, and performance electric. Just like the past 65+ years, Corvette will always symbolize amazing value. This revolution will ensure that Corvette continues to steal the hearts and dreams of Americans and the rest of the world for another 65+ years.

-Nate Chandler




Re: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-new-plan.html

PurpleLion

If one of the C8's primary functions is to be a halo car to spur GM sales, it will need to be displayed in normal GM dealerships.

ojm

My money in LV is on a very hefty increase in base price, and seems a first year C8 is a gamble to start with. Interesting automotive times.

TFen

skank

Thanks Nate Chandler. Very good short dissertation on the new C8. When we finally see the car and it's level of content I think we'll have a good idea where this will start out price wise.

n8dogg

It is believed that all GM dealers will be eligible if they meet Corvette's requirements. I would expect there would have to be a separate building for Corvette, essentially a new and separate dealership, similar to how some dealers offer both Chevy and GMC or Buick.

It is a very interesting time. We are on the brink of an automotive revolution as it is. 100+ years of using oil and gasoline will soon be virtually extinct.

Respectfully, it is simply a matter of human nature. We compare ourselves to each-other. We believe that in-order to be happy we must have the best. Corvette owners are some of the greatest people I have ever met and lets face it, great people don't usually settle for the norm.

Thank you. I agree, everything is speculation at this point. Knowing what the standard equipment is will help guide us. But, so far, we are expecting the LT1 engine, solid brake rotors, composite body, aluminum chassis, magnesium and steel suspension. Just because the configuration is different, I don't see a reason for 2 or 3 times the cost of the current Corvette. There are many relatively inexpensive mid-engine vehicles, the Fiero, Lotus Exige, MR2, Cayman, Boxster, Opel Speedster, to name a few. MR layout does not necessarily equate to exorbitant prices. And again, if the base model has the performance of the 911 at the price of a Cayman, it will be awfully difficult for the Cayman buyer to not buy the Corvette.

FrankLP

I had a different take on that concept. I felt Nate was trying to say that buying/owning a Corvette makes its owner feel great because by buying one they've satisfied one of their own dreams.

I can relate to that concept. I've always dreamed of owning a Corvette. I don't care what anyone else thinks of the car that I own/drive. But I do care about being able to fulfill one of my dreams... and that was/is very rewarding to me personally.

For some people their dream vehicle may be a Porsche, or maybe even a Ford F-350. For me it was/is a Corvette. And that's simply because I love the car and the Corvette history. The car doesn't define or change who I am, rather it simply makes me really happy to own/drive it.

rmorin1249

I hope it's not a spruced up Fiero.

n8dogg

You and I both

Foosh

That's a good model, and it has worked well for BMW and Mini, where each is a located in different buildings on the same property. It shouldn't be that difficult a transition for many dealers willing to put in the effort and investment either.

ojm

AHHHH or a Corvair

ojm

How would that work ie Canada where the season to drive a sports car is short. The big dealer up here has his cars all in a mixed lot.

Foosh

I can't answer that question, but GM does a lot of things differently with regard to distribution and sales outside of the US.

Yarbie

I hope you feel better, that was one long post about nothing. A lot of free time on your hands it seems.
I hope it's priced under 60k for the thousands of folks who can't afford a more expensive car.
It is just a Corvette with its engine moved nothing more nothing less.

rmorin1249

No way many current Chevy dealers could justify a separate facility for selling and servicing Corvettes. My dealer sells less than 10 per year and I have never seen one being serviced other than mine and I've been there about 10 times. This would not be all bad especially if GM polices the dealers to maintain a high level of training for both sales and service personnel. If that means far less dealers selling and servicing Corvettes, so be it. I would gladly drive 100 miles to a dealer that has a well trained service department and a well stocked parts department. On 2 occasions my car was up on a lift for weeks waiting for parts and guidance from GM. This is totally unacceptable and a primary reason why I probably will not buy another Corvette unless I move to a city with a dealer that does sell and service a lot of Corvettes. Rant over. Peace.

Philr56

Let's play "What If?"
What if Chevy splits off the Corvette as a separate model line and keeps the C7 front-engine layout and puts it on an extended chassis and makes a Panamera competitor (ie, Calloway's Shooting Brake design as a four-door) and a taller performance SUV to compete with the Cayan?
What if the entry-level C8 costs the same as a base Cayman and the C8 GT/GS is priced closer to a base 911?

I can guess the answer: Why not just buy a Porsche. Which is what many will do if GM doesn't stop playing coy with current and potential customers. I can imagine there are quite a few current Corvette owners besides me who are pissed at the company's incredibly silence.

Foosh

Agree, and I think that's exactly the point. Dealers selling less than 10 a year will fall out, and that's not a bad thing. You do have the #3 Corvette dealer in the country about 50 miles away from you, who I'm sure would have no problem finding Corvette exclusive techs and facilities, which they already have today. They service my car and do a great job, so it would be no sweat for them.

Ferrari and Porsche dealers are not exactly located close to places like Hagerstown, MD either. Folks who buy high dollar, high performance cars are used to going further than a few miles for good service. It's worth it.

Red67John

Supermassive

Oof, this started well enough and then went completely off the rails two paragraphs in.
GM won't "spin off" the Corvette into a separate brand, that is just plain stupidity, did we not learn anything during the 2009 recession crisis? Are we doomed to repeat past mistakes because we refuse to learn? GM doesn't need another brand to push a new Corvette, they have plenty, a smarter proposition would be to acquire a sports car oriented brand like Dallara (they are making a road legal car now) and use that to push into exotic sales, it would also be a huge boon since they also make some serious race cars. This way they can continue to offer the Corvette as a working person's super car and keep the stranglehold they have on the $50k to $100k sports car market.

To exceed 911 sales, GM just need to make the Corvette a world car, at the moment you can buy a Corvette in Europe, but its not apparent due to the fact that they are sold at Cadillac dealerships and aren't "sitting on lots" like they do here in the states so there is little chance for an impulse sale. There is also no right hand drive option available so that limits the market.

As for pricing the Corvette at a similar price point to the 911 would be detrimental because Porsche has been doing the 911 thing long enough that GM really can't compete with the whole P-car experience. The hardware is great, but owning a Porsche is a totally different experience. From their dealers, service, reputation, and stigmas, Porsche has a clear advantage. GM would have to do so much more than just release a great car, they would have to build a network of premium dealers and service centers, and then they need to prove that they can maintain this. This is why SRT failed and its the best comparison to this situation.

Corvette as you said is an American tradition, mess with that tradition too much and watch it blow up in their face. The C8 will come out and be priced very similarly to the C7 and will still be serviced by Chevrolet. There will be C8s optioned questionably by dealers sitting on lots to grab attention to their lot. People will continue to complain about having to take their Corvette to the same place they service Malibus and Sparks to have work done, and the P-car boys will continue to bash the Corvette as a "bang for the buck" sports car.

n8dogg

Some good points that you make. The Corvette has always been a car for the hard working American. But is it now?

Back in the 50's and 60's, most families had 1 vehicle. Pensions were more common. People were going to work and not college. People were no where near as materialistic as they are now. Today, families have multiple vehicles. Not going to college and having $100k in student loan debt is now a social stigma. Pensions are virtually extinct. The average family has $10k in credit card debt.

GM hoped to attract a younger demographic with the C7 and pull Porsche and import buyers. The C7 is an engineering marvel and the best value in a sports car, period. But, the same core group of people bought the new Corvette. The sad truth is the Corvette Loyalist, as a group, is aging. When they are gone, will there be enough buyers to sustain the Corvette? I don't believe so.

There is a tremendous profit potential for dealers in Corvettes. And GM knows that there is tremendous profit for themselves as well. The car has been ill-marketed for a long time, much due to the loose standards placed on the dealer for handling Corvettes. The C8 is GM's chance to revolutionize Corvette, to maximize their profit and keep the brand alive for another 7+ decades. 1 way to achieve this is to offer a performance model for each step in a person's life. A hard working American with a young family would enjoy a performance small CUV. As their family grows they will jump up to a mid-size performance CUV. And then, when affordable, a sports car, the C8 (9, 10, 11, 12, etc...).