fasttoys

Is anyone else surprised how GM has decided to be silent when it comes to the new C8? I have always thought it was best to be in front of a story and try to control the narrative. Delay talks & frame & rear glass breaking under load is not the positive story I think GM would want on their flagship sports car. Especially when they have not even publicly admitted it’s release. Seems like GM has not realized how fast information travels today in the world of social media, YouTube & forums compared to 10+ years ago when they started testing the C7. This morning I was supervised when my local news was talking about the frame issues and the delays of the new C8. I believe silence is the wrong approach & saying nothing about the new C8 will go down as a miss marketing opportunity. On the other extream, we have companies like Tesla with their CEO reacting instantly on any negative press about Tesla. I wonder if a happy medium would be the better approach for GM when it comes to the release of their flagship sports car.

Hopefully, they will learn for future releases.

Foosh

No, not surprised. GM is being incredibly smart about this.

Behaving as if nothing is wrong is the best way to show nothing is wrong, and test phase is proceeding per a normal new product development program. Systems are tested to the failure limits, weaknesses are found, and weaknesses are fixed. When everything is working at a certain confidence level, a new product announcement is made with an availability timetable. You don't dignify crazy speculation with a response.

Contrast that with what Honda and Toyota did with the NSX and Supra, respectively. Teasing an exciting new product in Super Bowl ads and the like, and failing to deliver for 3 years or more is just plain stupid.

Imagine how much worse things would be around here if the Corvette ME had been teased in a Super Bowl ad 3 years ago. The "GM is totally incompetent clamor" on forums and social media would have been deafening.

C2C3C4C6

I believe that GM does not want a 1968 again (BTW, I had a new 1968 bought in September 1967, it had "pilot job" stamped on the inside of some panels. When I brought it home the driver's window would not roll back up, the heater would not shut off and only one headlight would open; other than that it was awesome in its day).

Red67John

GM is being wise to ignore the social media frenzy. As evidenced by this forum alone, social media can be unreliable at best and libelous at worst. When there is something positive to share, and the C8 is ready for production, the Chevrolet media team will plaster the mainstream with appropriate advertising to begin marketing an awesome finished product.

VetteDrmr

Foosh said it much better than I. Here's my opinion on the ME:

1. GM is developing a rear mid-engine car, most likely the next generation Corvette
2. GM has not said when (or even if, but my confidence is high they will) the new ME car will debut.
3. GM knows they have to hit it out of the park. An example of a problem that they have to fix is the overheating issue that plagued the '05 Ford GT when on the track (regardless of how many GTs actually saw track time). So, GM is testing, testing, testing, the new ME car. Electrical problems, stiffness problems, etc. are all [b]good[/g] things to have happen now. The cars aren't in the public domain, so irate customers don't exist.

So, GM, get it as right as you can (nothing is perfect), then put it on the market. We've waited since the 60s, we can wait a bit later.

Have a good one,
Mike

RapidC84B

I agree with Foosh on this one... if they ignore it completely, then come out gangbusters when the car is ready, all the rumors of the delays (I am in the camp that the car was to be shown in January this year and is delayed) will be out of people's minds. Only when you buy that special C8 "Re-engineering a Legend" coffee table book will you be able to read about the trials and tribulations of developing the car

RapidC84B

I will add I think it's interesting that USA Today and Drudge and MSN are picking up on the C8 development now.

vndkshn

The reports/rumors of the car being so powerful it bends the frame works in GM's favor IF the actual production car does not bend frames.
The reports/rumors of the car being terrifying under full throttle (even if only referencing the top dog version) works in GM's favor IF the actual production car instills that kind of reaction.
The reports/rumors of electrical problems will not hurt GM at all, especially if they are introducing new technology AND the production car doesn't have electrical gremlins.

I would not be at all surprised to find that the first two are GM coordinated "leaks".

JerryU

Foolish to talk about a car you are not getting close to selling! The C7 sales are slowing without extra help!

A lot of potential C7 buyers are NOT frequent Forum viewers. Believe it or not all are not gearheads!

Don't need GM official "stories" for Forum members, they can make up their own as we often see here!

Sure don't want an "official statement" that will hit the TV folks or social media who love to make a stupid, short, sensational headline with only partial, if any truth!

Dethsupp0rt

With this, you've pretty much answered your own "question". How are you going to comment on something that does not exist?

Again, to market a product, there must be a product. No product has been implied yet.

GM is testing things, that's all there is to see here.

mschuyler

I believe the influence and power of "social media" has been greatly exaggerated. This forum is nothing more than a release valve where people can argue. Once in awhile you can ask for and receive good information. The numbers lie. On any forum there is a core group of users who make most of the posts. About half of "member" have never posted and the vast majority have posted very few. Indeed, they aren't even here any more. The actual subscription rate, i.e.: Active users who keep up with the forum, is no more than a small town newspaper and has about as much influence. GM has more employees in their PR department than we have active users on this forum. The idea that GM would pick up on some issue here and change their behavior as a result is really laughable. Every time someone says "GM should do this" I just

Are you kidding? That's awesome! And it's the only tidbit that has hit the MSM. Think of it. This new Corvette is SO POWERFUL that it BENDS ITS OWN FRAME!!!! This thing must be a beast! I can't wait to see it! Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, just step aside because there's a new sheriff in town and he can beat your sorry ***.

Foosh

^ Agree, 99% of the population including many potential buyers aren't following new C8 development effort at all. They'll only become aware of it when it debuts. Comments from GM in response to forum or social media hysteria, would only raise the issue with people who otherwise would have had no idea. Not smart.

thirtythird

Frame bending. I had a Camaro in the 80's. That third generation were known for having a weak and bendable body. Even at the low power levels back then.

vndkshn

Had one too. When I sold it, I had gone through every possible solution before finally having a very well done cage put in. But, that was also with a 600+ hp super charged 383... 600+ before the 3 stage nitrous hit! In a way, kinda miss that car to this day.

tcinla

This should be it's own Thread/Post... and sticky.. In CAPS... with the web site set up to force a view before posting a new thread....

Can someone make that happen?

WICKEDFRC

Sort of like dropped valves on the LS7.

GM was silent then too.

Foosh

That's a different situation entirely. My LS7 (06 C6 Z06) self-destructed, but I had a new engine expertly installed very quickly (within a week or so) at no charge and covered by the GM extended warranty. It did take GM awhile to come up with a fix, and there wasn't much they could say, they just replaced them.

I also had the debonded roof, which was fixed within 3 days, but fortunately mine didn't go flying. It only separated on one corner. Stuff happens when you're pushing the envelope. They did identify that fix relatively quickly by going back to an older style SMC compound, and communicated that well.

roadbike56

GM keeps their mouth shut and gets many thousands, possibly tens of thousands of dollars of free advertising. GM has launched previous Corvette versions the same way. Until the launch is announced, silencio. Works every time.
IMHO, the Japanese auto makers could take a lesson from GM on this.

Mikec7z

Yep, Foosh took the words out of my mouth on his first post.

GM would be very dumb to try to "explain or defend" what is going on with their cars, especially as it would lead to requested deadlines, and them having to either

1) give a deadline (huge mistake if something else goes wrong)
2) say "no comment" and be torn apart in the press
3) say they are working on it, or will let us know soon, and then they still look weak and foolish.

And then if they describe THE problem(s), customers are going to be attacking that weak point when they get their car to see if GM actually fixed it or not.

I dont believe GM will ever tell us the WHOLE true story of what all has caused the delays. They dont want us to know what to poke at.

grandspt

Me too!!!!