The C7 and FE Corvettes are dead...
04-19-2019, 12:59 PM
#281
Just a thought. I know that some would love to see a FE Corvette alongside the ME Corvette. But the fact is that even in a market the size of the US there is a very limited market for a two seat performance car in the $75,000 price range. If we had both they would be cannibalizing sales from each other. Not enough people have the interest and the finances to support that market.
I think there would be a market for a lower priced versions like the Miata or the Solstice. But they will not have the world class performance of a Corvette.
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support a robust market for a high performance two sear car in the $75,000 range.
I think there would be a market for a lower priced versions like the Miata or the Solstice. But they will not have the world class performance of a Corvette.
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support a robust market for a high performance two sear car in the $75,000 range.
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D'ZR1 Messiah (04-19-2019)
04-19-2019, 04:49 PM
#282
Race Director
Put a Z06 and a NASCAR stocker on many tracks and the NASCAR stocker beats it. Does that make NASCAR some sort of sports car racing?
I agree it is a bit of a silly discussion, but pony cars have had the bones to make pretty good performance and racing cars for half a century. That did not, and does not, make them what they aint!
04-19-2019, 05:04 PM
#283
Just a thought. I know that some would love to see a FE Corvette alongside the ME Corvette. But the fact is that even in a market the size of the US there is a very limited market for a two seat performance car in the $75,000 price range. If we had both they would be cannibalizing sales from each other. Not enough people have the interest and the finances to support that market.
I think there would be a market for a lower priced versions like the Miata or the Solstice. But they will not have the world class performance of a Corvette.
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support a robust market for a high performance two sear car in the $75,000 range.
I think there would be a market for a lower priced versions like the Miata or the Solstice. But they will not have the world class performance of a Corvette.
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support a robust market for a high performance two sear car in the $75,000 range.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-19-2019 at 05:07 PM.
04-19-2019, 05:36 PM
#286
Missing, ^^^^ is the Ford GT.
04-19-2019, 05:44 PM
#287
FGT is not actually for sale to the general public. You can only buy one if invited by Ford, but that horse left the barn 2 years ago, when the list was full.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-19-2019 at 05:45 PM.
04-19-2019, 05:47 PM
#289
The numbers are accurate and readily verifiable on the internet from manufacturer press releases, but I can't think of another 2-seater that should be on the list for US 2018 sales.
Last edited by Foosh; 04-19-2019 at 05:48 PM.
04-19-2019, 05:52 PM
#290
Team Owner
If you add up the volumes of the FE's and then the volumes of the ME and RE, which sold the most?
Last edited by JoesC5; 04-19-2019 at 05:53 PM.
04-19-2019, 06:04 PM
#291
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
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Just a thought. I know that some would love to see a FE Corvette alongside the ME Corvette. But the fact is that even in a market the size of the US there is a very limited market for a two seat performance car in the $75,000 price range. If we had both they would be cannibalizing sales from each other.
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support … .
We have to keep in mind that these cars that we love, or love to hate, are basically just a toy. Due to family requirements, finances, or just a lack of interest there is not enough demand to support … .
The target market for a Vette from GM is limited. Splitting production would be financially irrational for them. They could raise prices of both for the lower volumes of each that would occur, negotiate with vendors at lower volumes etc etc. That, IMO, would have led to the end of the Corvette! GM is not a boutique car builder. They leverage vendors for low prices with high volume. That is why they can offer Vette performance at a relatively low price.
Last edited by JerryU; 04-19-2019 at 07:47 PM.
04-19-2019, 07:04 PM
#292
The Flat Earther "Never ME" crowd, will all be in Miatas to get their FE. Left behind by the C8 ME! 
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UncleFodder (04-20-2019)
04-19-2019, 08:49 PM
#297
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
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^^
NO FE C8!
The plant was too small before to house a quality paint system. The new one takes a lot of real-estate.
They are also now building the Caddy DOHC, Twin Turbo engine in BG. A variant will no doubt IMO, be in the more advanced versions of the C8. Like Ferrari who builts their engines in the same plant they assemble cars, that has a quality and cost benefit.
NO FE C8!
The plant was too small before to house a quality paint system. The new one takes a lot of real-estate.
They are also now building the Caddy DOHC, Twin Turbo engine in BG. A variant will no doubt IMO, be in the more advanced versions of the C8. Like Ferrari who builts their engines in the same plant they assemble cars, that has a quality and cost benefit.
Last edited by JerryU; 04-19-2019 at 08:55 PM.
04-19-2019, 09:00 PM
#298
Safety Car
Member Since: Feb 2016
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04-19-2019, 09:18 PM
#299
Le Mans Master
04-19-2019, 11:40 PM
#300
Melting Slicks
^^
NO FE C8!
The plant was too small before to house a quality paint system. The new one takes a lot of real-estate.
They are also now building the Caddy DOHC, Twin Turbo engine in BG. A variant will no doubt IMO, be in the more advanced versions of the C8. Like Ferrari who builts their engines in the same plant they assemble cars, that has a quality and cost benefit.
NO FE C8!
The plant was too small before to house a quality paint system. The new one takes a lot of real-estate.
They are also now building the Caddy DOHC, Twin Turbo engine in BG. A variant will no doubt IMO, be in the more advanced versions of the C8. Like Ferrari who builts their engines in the same plant they assemble cars, that has a quality and cost benefit.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...on-for-c8.html
Yes Harvey, I also believe they will build both ME and FE Corvettes. They didn't triple the Bowling Green Plant size to build just one car configuration. Yesterday I got on Google Earth and calculated the square footage of the original roof (942,160 sq. ft) and the new buildings roof (802,380 sq. ft.) using the Google Earth Ruler Line Measure function. It is reasonably accurate. The Bowling Green Corvette Plant information page has always indicated that the square footage of the old plant as 950,000 sq. ft. That aligns very closely with the 942,160 sq. ft. above since there are a few elevated second story office areas in the old building to make up the other 8,000 sq. ft. Gallagher-Kaiser Construction Co. of Troy, Michigan was the General Contractor on the new addition of the Plant. They have indicated a 897,000 sq. ft. on their website(see link below). Check out the photo spread of the new plant interior on the link below. Clearly they have not indicated the subterranean lower levels under the main area of the new addition or also the second level of the above grade line structure. There are 2 upper levels clearly shown on the photos during construction(see photos from Corvette Blogger article below). The lower sub grade level appears to be at least 30 feet deep. I did talk to Kai Spande at the Laguna Seca IMSA race a few months ago and he validated that there were up to 4 levels in the new building but 3 levels in some of it. Using my estimates from the roof calculations it seems plausible that the new addition realistically is at least 2 million sq ft of all 4 levels combined and not the 897,000 that is indicated on their stats. That in effect is a tripling of the square footage of the entire plant. I'll bet that GM didn't want to draw attention to the actual real square footage to the public especially us Corvette geeks. I've talked to Gallagher Kaiser as well as another sub-contractor on the job named Walbridge Construction Co. The Walbridge person I talked to indicated 4 levels as well. He even mentioned the new hill that was created by the excess soil from the lower level excavation of the new building. Sure enough, while viewing Google Earth you can see there is a new huge 50-60 foot high mound of soil that shows near the plant.
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2017...ssembly-plant/
http://www.gkcorp.com/project-portfo...te-paint-shop/
http://www.walbridge.com/market/automotive/
Last edited by skank; 04-20-2019 at 06:45 AM.