RE: Mid-engined Corvette Stingray revealed!
Discussion
t about TVR.Bibbs said:
We are desperate for something to replace the Commodore. The Mustang is very popular as a replacement to the Falcon. HSV are RHD-ing the Camaro, but at $87k or $160k I doubt it'll be a big seller compared to $64k for the Mustang.
It's interesting, in retrospect, to see how Ford were truly insightful in their decision to produce a global RHD Mustang. GMH were caught with their pants down. As you say, they managed to cobble together a temporary deal to convert LHD imports of the Camaro, but neither the price point nor the volume can be the same (as those of the RHD Mustang). And the RHD C8 Corvette will target a price point and market segment well above those two muscle cars.
I'm only guessing, but I reckon that Mark Reuss, when he departed his position as head of GMH, had a couple of regrets about the GMH portfolio and the manner in which production there was ended. If only GM managers in Detroit had been able to accept, years ago, a business case for a RHD fifth- or sixth-generation Camaro...
LuS1fer said:
Mention has been made of cheap servicing costs.
Whilst that may be true compared to exotica, the one thing that made the Corvette cheap to maintain was the easy access to the engine.
Looking at the Jay Leno video, access now seems far harder which will push servicing costs up.
What has been released is that no scheduled maintenance requires removal of the engine. Pulling an oil pump does though which is not common but was mentioned. Whilst that may be true compared to exotica, the one thing that made the Corvette cheap to maintain was the easy access to the engine.
Looking at the Jay Leno video, access now seems far harder which will push servicing costs up.
It passed the GM 200k mile durability testing and is meant to be driven daily. Parts in the US are comparatively cheap vs other sports cars much less than a true exotic.
What it won’t be is rare. They should be pumping these out with two shifts in bowling green. I think it will create a strong support ecosystem for this car.
Saw one in person Monday. Looks great in person, has impact. A 6’3” (big) guy fit in it, no problem. The interior is a big step up from the C7 which itself is not that bad.
The row of button people like to complain about seemed easy to use and remember.
unsprung said:
rodericb said:
If they kept the pricing regime Ford did with the Mustang and didn't go for the cash grab they could sell a couple of hundred in the first year I reckon. The basic Mustang GT 5.0 is $USD40k into California. The same thing in Australia is $AUD68k on the road. So this apparant $USD60k 'vette would be a bit above $AUD100k - 4 cylinder Porsche 718 money!
That sounds logical. Thanks for doing the maths.Let's revise that guess down to a couple hundred, at least early on. The annual totals might resemble something closer to what the C7 achieved in Mexico and Japan. (in the production chart posted further above)
You may recall that the unveiling of the C8 was delayed some months because of the need to sort a new electrical system. Apparently, this system -- a platform really -- was not just new to Corvette; it was new to a wide range of General Motors vehicles.
Known as "Global B", this platform pushes some processing and storage functions out of the vehicle and into the cloud. It also provides for over-the-air updates to the vehicle in the manner of Tesla and your smartphone.
The affordable pricing of the C8 was made possible, in part, by using Global B -- the costs of which will be shared with other, higher-volume GM vehicles. Further cost savings on the C8 were achieved by offering only the one automatic transmission (and no manual).
Corvette C8 Price Kept Under $60,000 Thanks to New Platform
https://www.thedrive.com/news/29126/chevy-corvette...
GM shows off 'digital vehicle platform' enabling more in-car tech and OTA updates
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/05/22/gm-digital-veh...
Known as "Global B", this platform pushes some processing and storage functions out of the vehicle and into the cloud. It also provides for over-the-air updates to the vehicle in the manner of Tesla and your smartphone.
The affordable pricing of the C8 was made possible, in part, by using Global B -- the costs of which will be shared with other, higher-volume GM vehicles. Further cost savings on the C8 were achieved by offering only the one automatic transmission (and no manual).
Corvette C8 Price Kept Under $60,000 Thanks to New Platform
https://www.thedrive.com/news/29126/chevy-corvette...
GM shows off 'digital vehicle platform' enabling more in-car tech and OTA updates
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/05/22/gm-digital-veh...
https://youtu.be/yBHp3fC5lp8
C8 showroom model walkaround and sit inside (he's a 6'5" guy and wanted to see if he fits, he doesn't fit in a C7).
C8 showroom model walkaround and sit inside (he's a 6'5" guy and wanted to see if he fits, he doesn't fit in a C7).
Edited by ajprice on Sunday 28th July 22:04
rovermorris999 said:
Here's an explanation of the 0-60 time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_SH4c-oLUQ
Thanks for posting this. An illuminating presentation! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_SH4c-oLUQ
I especially like how he examines the topic of stopping distance as well as estimates of what a future and more powerful C8 might achieve, 0 to 60mph.
A new video from Chevrolet shows both the C8.R race car on-track as well as the convertible version of the consumer C8.
A portion of this uses audio from Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Russian-Belgian emigre who escaped the Nazis in France and who later led the development of Corvette at General Motors. This audio is paired with archival footage of Arkus-Duntov.
Video here
https://youtu.be/g58HrpvBe8Q
A portion of this uses audio from Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Russian-Belgian emigre who escaped the Nazis in France and who later led the development of Corvette at General Motors. This audio is paired with archival footage of Arkus-Duntov.
Video here
https://youtu.be/g58HrpvBe8Q
hufggfg said:
Has anyone seen any concrete info on whether the C8 will have EPAS? I'm assuming so since the C7 did, but I hold out a tiny bit of hope that with the move in engine location, it had freed up some space to have a hydraulic rack...
I very much doubt they'd step back to hydraulic assistance. Manufactures switched to EPAS for efficiency, not package issues. A hydraulic system would also be more work to package as you'd be running lines from back to front and sticking another wedge on the side of the engine.Edited by hufggfg on Friday 26th July 08:54
sold out
a manager at General Motors says that the first year of production is more or less accounted for
numbers weren't revealed, but a good year of production exceeds 30,000 units
“I think the orders have already hit the first year of production numbers”
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/28/2020-chevy-cor...
unsprung said:
sold out
a manager at General Motors says that the first year of production is more or less accounted for
numbers weren't revealed, but a good year of production exceeds 30,000 units
“I think the orders have already hit the first year of production numbers”
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/28/2020-chevy-cor...
Not surprised, I was quoted mid 2021 for a right hand drive UK spec one. I think it's fair to say a small delay may occur.a manager at General Motors says that the first year of production is more or less accounted for
numbers weren't revealed, but a good year of production exceeds 30,000 units
“I think the orders have already hit the first year of production numbers”
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/28/2020-chevy-cor...
JohnnyFive said:
hufggfg said:
Has anyone seen any concrete info on whether the C8 will have EPAS? I'm assuming so since the C7 did, but I hold out a tiny bit of hope that with the move in engine location, it had freed up some space to have a hydraulic rack...
I very much doubt they'd step back to hydraulic assistance. Manufactures switched to EPAS for efficiency, not package issues. A hydraulic system would also be more work to package as you'd be running lines from back to front and sticking another wedge on the side of the engine.Edited by hufggfg on Friday 26th July 08:54
To summarise various bits and bobs:
- UK cars are not part of the first tranche of production. UK shoppers are being told by the UK dealership that UK cars might not be delivered until 24 months from now.
- Total production capacity for the first model year has, for the most part, been accounted for (although some of this will have been US dealership requests for allocation and not necessarily retail customers ready to sign).
- The Z51 performance package was announced and available with the launch car. That's why the launch car has two 0 to 60 times.
- All of the launch cars have a Z mode button on the steering wheel which acts as a shortcut. Under this single button, the driver can gather his / her operational preferences for the engine, transmission, steering, suspension, exhaust and so on.
- The Z06 track car, if tradition holds, will feature a distinct powertrain and is unlikely to be offered in the next 12 months.
- At the moment, the two "new" C8 variants being discussed by General Motors are the convertible and the C8.R race car.
- The ZR1 super car, if there will be one, has had no official comment and almost no rumour.
ETA: more helpful descriptions
- UK cars are not part of the first tranche of production. UK shoppers are being told by the UK dealership that UK cars might not be delivered until 24 months from now.
- Total production capacity for the first model year has, for the most part, been accounted for (although some of this will have been US dealership requests for allocation and not necessarily retail customers ready to sign).
- The Z51 performance package was announced and available with the launch car. That's why the launch car has two 0 to 60 times.
- All of the launch cars have a Z mode button on the steering wheel which acts as a shortcut. Under this single button, the driver can gather his / her operational preferences for the engine, transmission, steering, suspension, exhaust and so on.
- The Z06 track car, if tradition holds, will feature a distinct powertrain and is unlikely to be offered in the next 12 months.
- At the moment, the two "new" C8 variants being discussed by General Motors are the convertible and the C8.R race car.
- The ZR1 super car, if there will be one, has had no official comment and almost no rumour.
ETA: more helpful descriptions
Edited by unsprung on Friday 9th August 01:55
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