The C7 and FE Corvettes are dead...
04-14-2019, 09:58 AM
#181
Burning Brakes
This news should be welcomed by all true Corvette fanatics. That Jadge and his crew were able to bring to fruition a mid-engine Corvette, something the God-Father of Corvette's, Artis Duntov, wanted to develop, is nothing short of remarkable. I don't get why people who are supposed to be Corvette aficionado's crap all over other models of the car? They are all different and have their good and bad points, depending on ones perspective. Personally, I am excited to see this new ME Corvette. Just like I was anxious to see every other model debut since I was a kid in the early 1970's. I guess I just like Corvettes. I will own this ME Corvette one day and add it to my list of Corvette ownership experiences.
04-14-2019, 10:31 AM
#182
Melting Slicks
You asked for examples other than Porsche. I gave several examples that happened because of customer demand in the last 5 years or so. I don't disagree that manuals will ultimately go away, and I'm not surprised that after bringing them back for a short period, other manufacturers would cancel them again. However, this is a first for Corvette, and I expect GM to experience even more backlash than they did because they still sell a larger percentage of manuals than any of the others.
That said, if the M3 really does away with it again, and considering Jag apparently already made that decisions, I wonder how GM will consider that when weighing their decision (and not that anyone here cares as much, but Ford with the GT500 as well). At least in the Jag case, it seems a vocal minority got their way, gave it acceptable sales for a year or two, then when they all got their car, sales of it plummeted again. TO me, it is a counterargument against the "well, some OEMs had to bring them back", that when some did, the sales didn't justify the exercise.
But, it is a decision we have come to varying conclusions on, and one I honestly could see going either way. I'd give the manual returning a million times better odds of seeing another FE in this generation, it isn't even outside the realm of probability to me.
How recent was your source? MIne is from March this year, I know last summer the rumblings were that the manual would be available in RWD only, but everything I've heard lately is that plan is gone.
Last edited by jefnvk; 04-14-2019 at 10:35 AM.
04-14-2019, 11:41 AM
#183
LOL, love em or hate em, at least he should admit, all FE Corvettes are timeless with unique styling and are easy to identify. I guess we hope the new ME carries on that tradition because I believe its camo styling cues suggest resemblance to a host of European ME imports. I think the C7 is the best looking vette ever but on this forum there are plenty of C8 side by side comparison shots to similar designed ME brands, old and new prompting endless opinions, some not so good. It has to be a big concern for GM.Last edited by C7nut; 04-14-2019 at 05:11 PM.
04-14-2019, 11:50 AM
#184
Banned Scam/Spammer
LOL, love em or hate em, at least he should admit one thing, all FE Corvettes are timeless with unique styling and simple easy to identify. . We can all hope the new ME carries on that tradition because its camo styling cues suggest resemblance to a host of well worn European ME imports. Unlike the C7 which to me is the best looking vette ever, side by side comparison shots of many ME brands right here on this forum project a generic ME design that could quickly be played out. It has to be a big concern to GM..
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04-14-2019, 12:09 PM
#185
The Consigliere
Member Since: May 2006
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Wellness report on member came in. Doesn't look good.
Everybody please send prayers.
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Everybody please send prayers.
TIA.
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04-14-2019, 12:52 PM
#186
Burning Brakes
04-14-2019, 05:22 PM
#187
Safety Car
04-14-2019, 06:58 PM
#188
Safety Car
The C7 have been agonizing for a while now.
04-14-2019, 07:08 PM
#189
Race Director
Sad in a way but not unexpected. I was really hoping for the Porsche approach of 2 distinct sports car lines — one quasi-exclusive and one for the rest of us.
As a fan of IMSA and particularly Corvette racing, I would have loved to see C7(.5’s?) in the lower GT class and C8’s taking on the big guns.
GM did their analysis and made their decision. Hope it works out spectacularly!
As a fan of IMSA and particularly Corvette racing, I would have loved to see C7(.5’s?) in the lower GT class and C8’s taking on the big guns.
GM did their analysis and made their decision. Hope it works out spectacularly!
Well said. I'm a bit sad that the FE Corvette is dead. I'm excited and hopefully optimistic that the ME trajectory of the Corvette will be a great car, but part of me will miss the FE derivative.
04-14-2019, 09:39 PM
#190
16 Vettes and counting…..
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Suns_PSD (04-15-2019)
04-14-2019, 10:43 PM
#193
Drifting
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JerriVette (04-15-2019)
04-15-2019, 01:44 PM
#195
2-door,
2-seats,
convertible,
3-pedal manual transmission.
A Camaro, isn't a sports car, regardless how it's equipped.
I'm with Fred.
04-15-2019, 02:05 PM
#196
Melting Slicks
The definition of sports car has definitely changed. Chevy markets the Camaro as a sports car now. The lines certainly got blurred and I can't say what is or isn't a sports car anymore.
Regardless, the market the C7 takes up is not the same as the one Camaro takes up. They may have some crossover but they are distinctly and massively different. There are a LOT of Corvette buyers that won't buy a Camaro because the base model is a rental car.
04-15-2019, 02:10 PM
#197
Moderator
04-15-2019, 02:15 PM
#198
I agree the term sports car has morphed considerably. The only distinction that makes sense these days is 2-seat sports cars vs. other types. There are high performance sedans that will produce better lap times than some 2-seat sports cars, thus that distinction makes little or no difference from a performance standpoint.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-15-2019 at 03:58 PM.
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jefnvk (04-15-2019)
04-15-2019, 04:32 PM
#200
Race Director
AMC used to market Javelins as "sports cars." If only to compete with all the pony car manufacturers who were trying the same sleight of hand.
Heck, I'm seeing SUV's marketed as "sports cars" (Porsche and Jag come to mind) and MINI is using old racing footage of original MINI's in ads for their Countryman!
It's like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."
Just substitute the word "sports car," which pony cars and sports sedans never were, and never will be...
Heck, I'm seeing SUV's marketed as "sports cars" (Porsche and Jag come to mind) and MINI is using old racing footage of original MINI's in ads for their Countryman!
It's like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."
Just substitute the word "sports car," which pony cars and sports sedans never were, and never will be...
Last edited by Rapid Fred; 04-15-2019 at 04:33 PM.