New C7

[culver]

For the US, all manual Corvettes have the skip shift feature. I could see them disabling it for Europe (easy to do) but all the US manuals have it. Either way, the Corvette, when driven conservatively will deliver mileage that few similar sports cars can match.

[NSXType-R]

The Corvette should look similar to the Camaro. They are made by the same company. All major manufacturers display brand continuity... Look at Benz or Ford. Anyone saying the Rapide is just a big DB? Im laughing at GM for telling me that I can afford a new if I could afford a 2013. Huge generalizations!!!

It's one thing to have the brand recognition- Audis have similar grills and headlamps, but they don't make it look tacky. Acuras have been terrible at integrating that beak into all their cars and have made it smaller and smaller with each new car.

And Corvettes have always had round tail lights, even the GT-R had it. Yes, pop up headlamps went away, but that was more of a safety regulation thing, not a stylistic flair.

[Cyco]

The Corvettes do roughly the claimed fuel consumption numbers.

Not sure anyone has ever matched the official consumption figure for an AMV8 or a 458...

[Kitdy]

This argument can be ended by saying that Europe is full of communists, and America is full of freedom. 'Murica!

But seriously folks, the Corvette does get pretty good MPG in tests. I am too lazy to crack open the R and T database right now, but I doubt that the Gallardo SLS, 458, maybe even 12C get the same real mpg as a Vette. Freedom reigns!

I just had a thought: if the Nordic countries are socialism lite, is Canada socialism lite lite?

[Ferrer]

This argument can be ended by saying that Europe is full of communists, and America is full of freedom. 'Murica!

But seriously folks, the Corvette does get pretty good MPG in tests. I am too lazy to crack open the R and T database right now, but I doubt that the Gallardo SLS, 458, maybe even 12C get the same real mpg as a Vette. Freedom reigns!

I just had a thought: if the Nordic countries are socialism lite, is Canada socialism lite lite?

Nevermind MPG. We have pretty much no dealers, no one's ever heard of the SBC and a base Corvette costs 90.000€ (about $120,000, and that's in Spain wait 'til someone in the North comes along...).

I think we'll have to stick we commie hatchbacks and diesel engines.

[Kitdy]

Nevermind MPG. We have pretty much no dealers, no one's ever heard of the SBC and a base Corvette costs 90.000€ (about $120,000, and that's in Spain wait 'til someone in the North comes along...).

This is more what I was alluding to with my original comment. The Corvette could make sense in Europe (minus snobby feelings over an American sportscar). The issue is the mad price, lack of dealers, image, etc., not performance, handling, and fuel economy.

[Matra et Alpine]

Handling will always be an issue limiting it's sales as too many small twisty and busy roads in old Europe make the car less than ideal. 90% of the handling issues raised aren't really "snobby" Just seen that way if you've not driven our roads. You've seen some of them, would you driver a long bonnet, wide stance car and enjoy it ?

They would need to have a distribution and service trained network for launch and the risk too high to get the volumes to warrant it .... UNLESS they upped the price to match those of other cars that sell in low numbers and whose customers expect "dealer level" servicing. Up the price and it's not so attractive ( I was lucky to be at the Viper European launch and talk to the marketeers, dealers and journos. This was seen as the biggest issue for them with the Viper

[NSXType-R]

Nevermind MPG. We have pretty much no dealers, no one's ever heard of the SBC and a base Corvette costs 90.000€ (about $120,000, and that's in Spain wait 'til someone in the North comes along...).

I think we'll have to stick we commie hatchbacks and diesel engines.

What is a SBC?

This is more what I was alluding to with my original comment. The Corvette could make sense in Europe (minus snobby feelings over an American sportscar). The issue is the mad price, lack of dealers, image, etc., not performance, handling, and fuel economy.

Its size and width may be a big issue. Is it much wider than most other sports cars? From what I see, the SLS looks pretty massive itself. Sure it's not in the same price point, but the SL class isn't tiny either.

[Ferrer]

This is more what I was alluding to with my original comment. The Corvette could make sense in Europe (minus snobby feelings over an American sportscar). The issue is the mad price, lack of dealers, image, etc., not performance, handling, and fuel economy.

In a continent where we have cars like the Scirocco TDI, the TT TDI, the RCZ HDI or the SLK250 CDI, despite being good for the performance the fuel economy doesn't help either.

It't the same problem the Camaro has.

Handling will always be an issue limiting it's sales as too many small twisty and busy roads in old Europe make the car less than ideal. 90% of the handling issues raised aren't really "snobby" Just seen that way if you've not driven our roads. You've seen some of them, would you driver a long bonnet, wide stance car and enjoy it ?

They would need to have a distribution and service trained network for launch and the risk too high to get the volumes to warrant it .... UNLESS they upped the price to match those of other cars that sell in low numbers and whose customers expect "dealer level" servicing. Up the price and it's not so attractive ( I was lucky to be at the Viper European launch and talk to the marketeers, dealers and journos. This was seen as the biggest issue for them with the Viper

But that's not handling, it's size, which I agree doesn't help either. It's a problem that is plaguing european cars as well though, which are becoming just too big to be enjoyable on the right roads.

And this is very clear under the one Ford strategy. Their cars are just becoming too big to be comfortable in European roads and cities.

What is a SBC?

Small Block Chevy.

[Kitdy]

Handling will always be an issue limiting it's sales as too many small twisty and busy roads in old Europe make the car less than ideal. 90% of the handling issues raised aren't really "snobby" Just seen that way if you've not driven our roads. You've seen some of them, would you driver a long bonnet, wide stance car and enjoy it ?

They would need to have a distribution and service trained network for launch and the risk too high to get the volumes to warrant it .... UNLESS they upped the price to match those of other cars that sell in low numbers and whose customers expect "dealer level" servicing. Up the price and it's not so attractive ( I was lucky to be at the Viper European launch and talk to the marketeers, dealers and journos. This was seen as the biggest issue for them with the Viper

In a continent where we have cars like the Scirocco TDI, the TT TDI, the RCZ HDI or the SLK250 CDI, despite being good for the performance the fuel economy doesn't help either.

It't the same problem the Camaro has.

But that's not handling, it's size, which I agree doesn't help either. It's a problem that is plaguing european cars as well though, which are becoming just too big to be enjoyable on the right roads.

And this is very clear under the one Ford strategy. Their cars are just becoming too big to be comfortable in European roads and cities.

Small Block Chevy.

Yeah, the big Euro high money sportscars are big as hell too. Problem: the Vette does not have the image associated with a say, Lamborghini, Ferrari, SLS, to compete on that level.

The dealer/repair issue you mention is a lot of what I was thinking being a huge hurdle to clear.

[Ferrer]

Yeah, the big Euro high money sportscars are big as hell too. Problem: the Vette does not have the image associated with a say, Lamborghini, Ferrari, SLS, to compete on that level.

The dealer/repair issue you mention is a lot of what I was thinking being a huge hurdle to clear.

If it was priced to compete with the Boxster, SLK and Z4 it would probably be far more successful. Against heavyweights like a 911 or an XK? Not so much.

[RacingManiac]

In US its about that price bracket, being an export its much harder to do, especially Vette is still not a "world car" for GM....

I think this can compete with a XK or something though. It can be competitive at a point of being more driver oriented vs the GT of a XK. 911 its a much harder proposition....

Who knows, maybe a Vette can be an alternative to something like a TVR....a more refined version of a similar formula...

[Kitdy]

If it was priced to compete with the Boxster, SLK and Z4 it would probably be far more successful. Against heavyweights like a 911 or an XK? Not so much.

The Corvette is more of a sportscar than either of those in their base forms, as you know, especially with the 911 getting more GTey by the day.

In US its about that price bracket, being an export its much harder to do, especially Vette is still not a "world car" for GM....

I think this can compete with a XK or something though. It can be competitive at a point of being more driver oriented vs the GT of a XK. 911 its a much harder proposition....

Who knows, maybe a Vette can be an alternative to something like a TVR....a more refined version of a similar formula...

I don't think the Corvette will sell well outside these shores. I don't think that matters.

[RacingManiac]

Well it matters to GM that Corvette needs to sell more period....C6 sales was falling which was the reason why GM went to a less conventional design to see if it can garner more sales from the less likely buyers. Though as you say though that's probably still limited to the people in NA....

The first mention of the C7 is still done with jest in the new Top Gear UK episode tonight...though TBH talks like that from the Brits is hard to be taken seriously considering their car industry(or any reputation of it) is nonexistent these days...

[NSXType-R]

If it was priced to compete with the Boxster, SLK and Z4 it would probably be far more successful. Against heavyweights like a 911 or an XK? Not so much.

The Corvette is more of a sportscar than either of those in their base forms, as you know, especially with the 911 getting more GTey by the day.



I don't think the Corvette will sell well outside these shores. I don't think that matters.

Price wise it's about the same no? Maybe not so much in Europe as there are smaller displacement motors in the SLK and Z4, but here they little roadsters start off at around $50,000 anyway.