This weeks Autocar
Discussion
Didn't Dave Hill say that the Vette will be sold in mainland Europe (Germany, and I think a few other countries such as Netherlands - don't know if RHD, I suppose it depends on which side the driver sits in the car for these countries - think RHD, as this would establish the link between the car coming to the UK i.e. someone asks if there'll be a RHD version in UK and then DH says there will be in mainland Europe). Strange thing is, and this is where the rolleyes smilie comes in, is that the C6 will be sold in Africa (which was said by Dave Hill himself). Since when was there a market for a high performance car such as a Vette in Africa?
Gotta get the article.
Gotta get the article.
Cor, I dream of having time to sit at work and read Autocar!!
Given the previous pathetic attempt by GM to sell the Corvette in the UK, this is how it will go.
They will give some A**ehole like Stiff Neddle or JC an automatic Corvette and then tell them to go drive it around a track vs a TVR, Lotus, Porsche etc.
Surprise, surprise the Auto doesn't do very well and the car gets slagged off.
If they give them a manual they will say "it's LHD only" and therefore don't buy one as it makes it impossible to drive and also the re-sale value will be the square root of bugger all.
UK motoring press is anti-American and particularly anti-Corvette with the exception of perhaps EVO Magazine.
If GM wants to sell the Corvette in Europe great, just don't bother in the UK unless they make a RHD drive version. I prefer LHD but the vast majority of potential buyers they are aiming at want RHD as proven by the experience of the C5 in the UK.
Just my 2 pence worth.....
Given the previous pathetic attempt by GM to sell the Corvette in the UK, this is how it will go.
They will give some A**ehole like Stiff Neddle or JC an automatic Corvette and then tell them to go drive it around a track vs a TVR, Lotus, Porsche etc.
Surprise, surprise the Auto doesn't do very well and the car gets slagged off.
If they give them a manual they will say "it's LHD only" and therefore don't buy one as it makes it impossible to drive and also the re-sale value will be the square root of bugger all.
UK motoring press is anti-American and particularly anti-Corvette with the exception of perhaps EVO Magazine.
If GM wants to sell the Corvette in Europe great, just don't bother in the UK unless they make a RHD drive version. I prefer LHD but the vast majority of potential buyers they are aiming at want RHD as proven by the experience of the C5 in the UK.
Just my 2 pence worth.....
Bit of a mini rant there mate!!
You are right i have to say, got involved a little with North American Operations in Liverpool during the Atomic Kitten saga, what a complete bunch of loosers. The marketing "team" were next door to useless did not understand what they had and what do do with it. No idea of the following the Vette has across Europe and definately no idea of how and what to market the car as.
You are right i have to say, got involved a little with North American Operations in Liverpool during the Atomic Kitten saga, what a complete bunch of loosers. The marketing "team" were next door to useless did not understand what they had and what do do with it. No idea of the following the Vette has across Europe and definately no idea of how and what to market the car as.
Not a rant...just my observations of the UK motoring media and GM's inability to sell or market the Corvette in the UK.
We should go talk to Dave Hill, we could do a much better job given that we know what sells in Europe and why.
JPE sole official UK Corvette importers......how does that sound?
I asked Dave Hill if the C6 Z06 will come to Europe and he said "definitely". I shoulda asked if it was gonna come to the UK...Doh!
>> Edited by vetteheadracer on Wednesday 19th November 17:26
We should go talk to Dave Hill, we could do a much better job given that we know what sells in Europe and why.
JPE sole official UK Corvette importers......how does that sound?
I asked Dave Hill if the C6 Z06 will come to Europe and he said "definitely". I shoulda asked if it was gonna come to the UK...Doh!
>> Edited by vetteheadracer on Wednesday 19th November 17:26
...and surely Japan would be a good market too. Gawd knows they love fast cars over there.
Common GM, it'll only be a success over here if it's RHD (a pity, but true I think).
A slight aside....surely it can't be THAT expensive to tool up for RHD? I remember a few years ago a local company were converting Fiat Barchettas....and someone used to do the old Alfa Spyders too. If small independent companies can do it, why can't GM???
Common GM, it'll only be a success over here if it's RHD (a pity, but true I think).
A slight aside....surely it can't be THAT expensive to tool up for RHD? I remember a few years ago a local company were converting Fiat Barchettas....and someone used to do the old Alfa Spyders too. If small independent companies can do it, why can't GM???
Corvettes in rhd form have been disasters in the past, essentially destroying the car in the process with crap made to fit steering racks, flimsy replacement bulkheads and remote servos all contriving to make it an appalling car.
The only hope that we have for a rhd Vette is if the C6 has been engineered for rhd as part of it's development. Unlikely IMHO even given that the floorpan has expanded to encompass the Cadillac XLR. I've seen no intentions to bring Cadillac XLR's to the UK either.
Personally, I hope they don't. Part of it's character is lhd. I also think the Vauxhall dealers did a truly appalling job for these cars last time and hope they handle the Monaro slightly better (although I doubt they will).
If Chrysler can launch the mud-plugging Jeep franchise in this country as a "premium brand", why is it beyond the wit of GM to launch the Chevrolet brand as a premium brand and just sell the Corvette and even the Monaro as a Chevrolet (they already do in the Middle East). Or even just "Corvette" like they did with the Mini.
What they need is a strong line-up if they were going to do the UK in rhd. The Chevrolet Corvette backed up with the "Chevrolet Monaro" would look great alongside a Cadillac XLR and Cadillac CTS-V. Pure power.
Or perhaps they could take a leaf out of Toyota's book and invent a brand. "Fexus" springs to mind.
The only hope that we have for a rhd Vette is if the C6 has been engineered for rhd as part of it's development. Unlikely IMHO even given that the floorpan has expanded to encompass the Cadillac XLR. I've seen no intentions to bring Cadillac XLR's to the UK either.
Personally, I hope they don't. Part of it's character is lhd. I also think the Vauxhall dealers did a truly appalling job for these cars last time and hope they handle the Monaro slightly better (although I doubt they will).
If Chrysler can launch the mud-plugging Jeep franchise in this country as a "premium brand", why is it beyond the wit of GM to launch the Chevrolet brand as a premium brand and just sell the Corvette and even the Monaro as a Chevrolet (they already do in the Middle East). Or even just "Corvette" like they did with the Mini.
What they need is a strong line-up if they were going to do the UK in rhd. The Chevrolet Corvette backed up with the "Chevrolet Monaro" would look great alongside a Cadillac XLR and Cadillac CTS-V. Pure power.
Or perhaps they could take a leaf out of Toyota's book and invent a brand. "Fexus" springs to mind.
vetteheadracer is right, a lot (pretty much all) of the UK motoring press is against the Corvette. It's stupid because the magazines/TV shows, which slag off the Vette have never driven one, so can't make a reasonable judgement.
Gixer, yeah they will have to make a RHD version of the Vette to sell it in Australia. That is what they did with the C5 Z06, and C5. NZ also has a few RHD C5 Vettes, too.
Twin Turbo, it is going to take a lot to persuade Jap car enthusiasts to buy a Vette, when they are hooked on Supras and Skylines, which no doubt are great cars. The advantage the Vette has over the GT-R etc is more power, as handling and tuning potential are pretty much equally high, but now the next GT-R and any new Toyota supercar is going to have Vette rivalling power, which makes it even harder for GM. I suppose they would just have to penetrate the market over there, and likewise over here.
Gixer, yeah they will have to make a RHD version of the Vette to sell it in Australia. That is what they did with the C5 Z06, and C5. NZ also has a few RHD C5 Vettes, too.
Twin Turbo, it is going to take a lot to persuade Jap car enthusiasts to buy a Vette, when they are hooked on Supras and Skylines, which no doubt are great cars. The advantage the Vette has over the GT-R etc is more power, as handling and tuning potential are pretty much equally high, but now the next GT-R and any new Toyota supercar is going to have Vette rivalling power, which makes it even harder for GM. I suppose they would just have to penetrate the market over there, and likewise over here.
When I was was in the US for the 50th I walked round the plant tour with 2 Jap guys. Both had vettes, a C4 and a ZR1 and one of them ran the Corvette club out there. To fly from Japan to the US for the 50th now thats commitment.
As for GM selling lots of vettes over here I hope they don't. I like to be different and thats one of the reasons I drive the vette I guess. Also if GM pushes the market over here and wins this time round. I am sure that an increase in official vettes in the UK would also push up the price of insurance.
As for GM selling lots of vettes over here I hope they don't. I like to be different and thats one of the reasons I drive the vette I guess. Also if GM pushes the market over here and wins this time round. I am sure that an increase in official vettes in the UK would also push up the price of insurance.
Gixer said:
When I was was in the US for the 50th I walked round the plant tour with 2 Jap guys. Both had vettes, a C4 and a ZR1 and one of them ran the Corvette club out there. To fly from Japan to the US for the 50th now thats commitment.
As for GM selling lots of vettes over here I hope they don't. I like to be different and thats one of the reasons I drive the vette I guess. Also if GM pushes the market over here and wins this time round. I am sure that an increase in official vettes in the UK would also push up the price of insurance.
Not forgetting that if Vettes are sold here then there would be more chance of seeing 8 second ones as the cars become more mainstream, and more people in the UK will technically know alot about the car, and there'll be more tuning shops for these cars in the UK.
I don't think it's fair to say the UK Press were always against the Vette. When it was launched, they lauded it's 175mph top speed and improved chassis. It has to be said that in giant track tests, the Vette didn't necessarily fare well against honed driver's cars like Porsches and the like (I think EVO also disseminated a right load of cobblers about "evoness" - yawn). Then again, why should it do well in such tests when in the US, it costs so much less. The UK Press have also been very complimentary about the Z06 (even at the inflated UK import price)but by then, it was too late, the Vette was condemned as an also ran. They weren't interested in a car you couldn't buy in the UK at a main dealer, was lhd anyway and let's face it, why should they be? Rather like testing a grey import. The US mags raved. still do.
I don't think Autocar's test of the 1997 auto did it any favours. With 2000 miles on the clock, it did 0-60 in 5.7 I think it was and the standing quarter was 14.2. Has anyone ever seen a C5 run that slow? But overall, the test was a positive one.
One thing most people tend to miss is that once you buy a Vette, you generally don't want anything else. Must be a reason for that.
I don't think Autocar's test of the 1997 auto did it any favours. With 2000 miles on the clock, it did 0-60 in 5.7 I think it was and the standing quarter was 14.2. Has anyone ever seen a C5 run that slow? But overall, the test was a positive one.
One thing most people tend to miss is that once you buy a Vette, you generally don't want anything else. Must be a reason for that.
One thing most people tend to miss is that once you buy a Vette, you generally don't want anything else. Must be a reason for that.
True, but then there are always exceptions to the case. People have gone from Vette to Viper (upgrade isn't the best word to use), and have upgraded from Evos and WRX STis to Vettes (and upgrade is the right word to use because a Vette would kill both those cars except when at launch, the Vette would lose out due to its FR, and not 4WD like the other two cars, and also the WRX STi and Evo would only have a chance in beating the Vette, not actually beating it, if the track was very twisty, and raining). But I agree, going from Vette to another car is rare, unless the other car is due to external factors like money is required, and selling the Vette would meet that, or if the upgrade is to another type of car for whatever reason (i.e. like to SUV). I suppose it is brand loyalty and that if you spend lots of cash on a car, you want to get the purchase right the first time - buy the car you actually want, etc. It is also because a Vette is addictive.
It is more common with other cars, though.
True, but then there are always exceptions to the case. People have gone from Vette to Viper (upgrade isn't the best word to use), and have upgraded from Evos and WRX STis to Vettes (and upgrade is the right word to use because a Vette would kill both those cars except when at launch, the Vette would lose out due to its FR, and not 4WD like the other two cars, and also the WRX STi and Evo would only have a chance in beating the Vette, not actually beating it, if the track was very twisty, and raining). But I agree, going from Vette to another car is rare, unless the other car is due to external factors like money is required, and selling the Vette would meet that, or if the upgrade is to another type of car for whatever reason (i.e. like to SUV). I suppose it is brand loyalty and that if you spend lots of cash on a car, you want to get the purchase right the first time - buy the car you actually want, etc. It is also because a Vette is addictive.
It is more common with other cars, though.
My car does 13.8 over the quarter just rolling it off the line and then giving it full throttle. The stock Evo VIII also does the quarter in 13.8 but only by revving the engine to 6000rpm and dropping the clutch brutally.
As my mate (with a C4) always says "It doesn't matter how much better a car handles than your car as long as when you reach the first corner, he's still behind you"
As my mate (with a C4) always says "It doesn't matter how much better a car handles than your car as long as when you reach the first corner, he's still behind you"
[quote]
Not forgetting that if Vettes are sold here then there would be more chance of seeing 8 second ones as the cars become more mainstream, and more people in the UK will technically know alot about the car, and there'll be more tuning shops for these cars in the UK.[/quote]
Without blowing my own trumpet.............Ok I will then, JaS already supply engines to the US for both ZR1 and C5 we have worked with Lingenfelter for the last 8 years and we supply them with several of the product lines they sell.
The expertise is already in the UK for all of the Vettes produced so far and has been for many years.There are several less publicised companies in the UK that do fantastic work on the older cars for instance, one in particular that has had several of its cars awarded top flight status and has been invited to the Pebble Beach Concourse on two occaisons.
As kit car and race car builders are becoming more aware of the potential of the LS1 and LS6 the "local" development of these engines will increase. The British are FAR better engineers than the Yanks especially in the aftermarket arena where quality has been a thing of the past for many years in the US.
>> Edited by blackzr on Thursday 20th November 09:11
Not forgetting that if Vettes are sold here then there would be more chance of seeing 8 second ones as the cars become more mainstream, and more people in the UK will technically know alot about the car, and there'll be more tuning shops for these cars in the UK.[/quote]
Without blowing my own trumpet.............Ok I will then, JaS already supply engines to the US for both ZR1 and C5 we have worked with Lingenfelter for the last 8 years and we supply them with several of the product lines they sell.
The expertise is already in the UK for all of the Vettes produced so far and has been for many years.There are several less publicised companies in the UK that do fantastic work on the older cars for instance, one in particular that has had several of its cars awarded top flight status and has been invited to the Pebble Beach Concourse on two occaisons.
As kit car and race car builders are becoming more aware of the potential of the LS1 and LS6 the "local" development of these engines will increase. The British are FAR better engineers than the Yanks especially in the aftermarket arena where quality has been a thing of the past for many years in the US.
>> Edited by blackzr on Thursday 20th November 09:11
My job ain't executive!
I have to do my own typing...and make the tea.
BTW There will not be an 8 second Corvette at TOTB III not unless we strap a rocket motor to one, but that will somewhat break the "road legal" rule.....
>> Edited by vetteheadracer on Thursday 20th November 10:59
I have to do my own typing...and make the tea.
BTW There will not be an 8 second Corvette at TOTB III not unless we strap a rocket motor to one, but that will somewhat break the "road legal" rule.....
>> Edited by vetteheadracer on Thursday 20th November 10:59
LHD forever! As regards performance tuning its true there are very few here who understand it, it can be a very costly mistake to make (I should know), the mustangs seem to have a greater following in the search for the quickest car, the parts are much cheaper than GM and the cars (especially the 5.0) are much more forgiving. Son in law to be (any comment Violator?) runs in full street trim and has achieved 11.74 @ 119, with a lot more to come!
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