citizen

I haven't seen this pic of the Aria FE, Yet another characteristic of a Corvette. That should bring the total of 5 styling queues of different generations. The evidence is building. Ive seen a lot of people on this C8 section having second thoughts about the C8. That's a common attitude for every model year until the final reveal. I hope this discussion will bring back confidence in the C8 design.

CRABBYJ

1SG_Ret

This is what I'd have hoped the C8 looked like. IMO looks as nice as the C7 when it first debuted. Should appeal to the majority of buyers too. Actually, to my eye, this looks better than many of other other ME offerings. Yeah, I could see owning one of these for sure.

tcinla

There's not a lot of variation in shape a mid-engine can take. Look at them all.... see any similarities ? So an aria or ferrari or lambo or ... whatever will have a general shape similarity. you can put aero (front and tail) uniqueness but generally, the overall shape is similar.

1SG_Ret

Very true, all seem to have a very "cab forward" appearance regardless of who is making the car. Some accentuate smooth lines (Cayman) or angular (lambo), or variations of both. This one definitely favors the "angular", (in the same way the C7 did when comparing it to the C5 and C6), but still, at least to my eye, has a nice flow.. Yeah, I could see owning one of these and not have to squint to see it's beauty..

Parcival

i thought the same as you but then there are the intangibles:
1) cofounder is son of former Gm exec. Gm likes to keep it in-house...current gm president is son of former GM president;
2) aria lxe design uses LT4 engine already;
3) forget wishful thinking, the counterarguments from folks I’ve heard here are weak... eg, resembles the mule but sleeker.

They’ll certainly need to make it more mass production friendly but I don’t see why not.
If this isn’t already an R&D sub in disguise, a bolt on is easy!

warhawkmcdaniel

Mako Shark Blue.

VelocityC6z

I think you’re onto something... lol

Yarbie

Lol. Look at the pics of the C8 in camo and it looks nothing like this concept car. Dreaming is fun to do though.
Remember its gonna be a $60k car not a $200k car. Funny stuff.

IronV

There is no correlation between design aesthetics and price. None. Zero.

XKE, C2, Lotus Elise, MGA, Mustang, Miata, Solstice GXP, Camaro, 57 Chevy etc,

slickstick

I thought this thread was all tin foil hat until this post. I might be on board now.

slickstick

In reality I don't picture GM being that sneaky and going through that much effort. Also, a lot of mid-engine cars have a similar body style and look alike.

Mikec7z

I read between the lines on this story much differently than everyone else here. The previous VP of design from GM and Corvette team, LEFT and retired by choice, or GOT FIRED from GM...

either way... he was not happy with GM or they were not happy with him. And even if he left by his own choice, it was because he had a better idea in mind.

He did not just go to the beach and call it a day and sip margaritas, instead, he got involved in another car project (this is why it is obvious to me, he still loved cars and making them, he and GM just were not seeing eye to eye, otherwise he would still be making them for GM)

So what he does next is very clever. He BEATS GM to the punch. His new company he helps his son with, his new project, is released, before the C8. This puts GM in a horrible position. GM cant say "you copied our car!" before the C8 is released, or they are admitting they got beaten to the punch by one of their ex-employees who they were not seeing eye to eye with...

because chances are, the design of this car, is his design, and it was GM NOT wanting to do his design, and him fighting for his design, which led to their separation.

So, since GM said they were not going to do his design, that gave him the green light... to do his design, under another make and model. And GM cant sue him... because they said they were not going to use his design.

Are you following me?

So he outsmarted them. He put them in a bad position, where now, he is first, and it looks like they are copying him and his ideas. Their car will be similar to his, but the details will differ.

Regardless, he is a genius, because whatever power plant and transmission they release, he has designed this car with the ability to house it. So all he needs to do is worry about a light frame and tub, made from carbon fiber, and whatever trans and engine GM comes out with, or electric motors... he can sleep easy that it will slip right into his car. So he will always have the same or MORE power (more aggressive tune)... and he will always be lighter.

Thus, his car will always be a supercar, and a notch above GM's C8, no matter what GM does moving forward.

He has won.

Mikec7z

i believe the vents behind the doors will be the shape that GM's were. I believe the door handle and the vertical doors will be what GMs are. I believe GM is in a pickle now, because they have to create something slightly different, and cant use his ideas, as they likely already said they were not going to, which is what caused the feud and the separation between the 2 parties

Parcival

geez Mike, this is veering into pure fiction, but I guess this happens on a free Internet forum...so many unknowns ...

but if the conversation started with the guy saying to GM “I want to build this car even without you”, if you know anything about IP, you’d know that GM likely has the upperhand IPwise and with noncompete in his previous employment contract...he can go a build a new dishwasher but chances of him building a competing new car is nil

what guys used used to do in the 40’s and 50’s (like Enzo Ferrari leaving Alfa Romeo) to work around non competes doesn’t work today.

Mikec7z

Why would GM LET a guy take their style, and release it, a year before they are scheduled to release theirs? It does them no good to be second to the party. I honestly believe they have tried to sue him, but are gong to fail if they pursue it.

I believe he was grandfathered in, since he has been there so long, and now been away long enough, and I believe he was sharp enough to know what he can and cant get away with.

And how is GM going to say he is copying their side vent... when their side vent is a copy from the enzo?

So they have an empty argument in the courts. If anyone could be suing anyone, it would be Ferrari suing them both... but again, its very difficult this day in age to sue for stealing "style".

So no, i dont agree with what you are saying, they cant sue him and win, for copying the vent, the chances are very small that they could win. As long as his headlights, and tailights are different, all he has to do is ask a group of young design artists to all brainstorm for new headlights and new taillights, and then everyone votes on what looks the best, and video document that process... and now it is no longer him copying GM, it is a 24 year old kid in cali coming up with a good idea, and they bring it to market faster than GM does.

GM can do NOTHING to stop him.

Parcival

The "why else would they" argument rarely works for me in the real world... If you're going to make a "diagnosis of exclusion" to justify going off on your mental tangent, you would need to rule out all the other scenarios. We almost have zero facts here...

But it's entertaining for sure, like the rest of the C8 forum. I also used to wonder what other options the team in the movie Armageddon had before deciding to insert a nuclear warhead into the killer asteroid, but then I remembered that it was pure (sci) fiction AND I only have a minute before I have to go back to working at my job...

One personal question for Mike: have you see a "non-compete" OR "IP assignment" in YOUR own employment contract before?

Mikec7z

Yes. Non competes usually have time limits and are very specific on what is entailed infringing.

Non competes also have no effect if a close family member owns the company instead of the person with the non compete (son, not dad)

He used a frame GM is not going to use (carbon fiber tub)

And he used headlights and taillights GM is not going to use.

And he used vents, that are already on the Enzo.

And if I was a betting man... i bet his "non compete Agreement's" time limit... is expired...

Or else he probably would not be advertising that he is the ex VP of GM design, and now works for Aria.

It all boils down to this...

He is to GM and Ford and Ferrari... as Carrol Shelby was to GM Ford and Ferrari...

he does them zero good. They are not happy he made this car.

He is following the simple recipe.... low weight, and big power.

He is letting GM manufacture the big power, he takes off the governors, and he will have a mclaren and ferrari killer. He is doing the same thing SHelby did with the AC cobra and the daytona.

He is using other's power plants, and shaving the weight on the car. Keep in mind, the LT5 blower can produce over 900hp at the wheels, close to 1100 at the crank when pullied and tuned properly.

Forget the electric motors and batteries... he has an 1100 hp car sitting there, that only weights 2800lbs... which means it will eat a mclaren alive, as well as a la ferrari.

No manufacturer is HAPPY he is there doing what he is doing. They arent supporting him. They arent cheering him on.

They are all competitors now, aka, rivals, aka, enemies.

If his non compete was still in effect, he would be in trouble already... but its obviously expired.

GM is not happy he is doing what he is doing. He is pissing them off, no question in my mind.

Telepierre

So this is how conspiracy theories start!?
Interesting...

Warp Factor

It's not uncommon at all for executives in the auto trade to take jobs at other companies, even direct competitors.