Viper/C6 Next Gen Styling
Discussion
Saw the Top Gear thing on the Vier last night and have seen them in the flesh in the US. Not impressed by the changes in styling. Some aspects seem to be going in a similar direction to the C6. Flattening out bumps, squaring off gills etc. To me the new Viper looks like a mating of the MGF and a Cerbera, neither of which are particularly attractive IMO.
Much like the C5/C6 I think the styling of the new Viper has taken a backwards step and it's lost its outlandishly cool looks.
As usual with Top Gear they seemed to say that it was a terrible car that handled badly and would kill you if you pushed it too hard... assuming the exhausts didn't set fire to the bodyshell first... but JC loved it and it did very well when driven by a pro.
Much like the C5/C6 I think the styling of the new Viper has taken a backwards step and it's lost its outlandishly cool looks.
As usual with Top Gear they seemed to say that it was a terrible car that handled badly and would kill you if you pushed it too hard... assuming the exhausts didn't set fire to the bodyshell first... but JC loved it and it did very well when driven by a pro.
Initially I thought the Viper had lost it's way but seeing it in black on TG made me revise my opinion. One thing you never get with American cars is that you have to see them in the flesh to grasp their scale. Sure, the Viper looks a little generic on the TV screen but in reality, it is so much bigger than anything else that it's like comparing a Corgi to a Matchbox car.
Overall, I like the Viper. I thought the last one had a windscreen that was too vertical, like an E-Type, but loved the "carved from wood" shape which the new one lacks. However, I do think the new one makes the old Viper look dated - understandably since the Viper is 10 years old. The acid test is what do women think about it. My wife gazed in sheer lust at it and whispered "Ooh, I like that..." and she doesn't do that for any old car like Merc SL's either.
The Corvette C6 on the other hand is pig ugly. It's all wrong because the screen angle is all wrong, the design is obviously a quick hotch-potch of Italian and traditional Corvette signatures and IMHO, it doesn't work because it has no identity. Look at the way Lambo, Porsche, Ferrari and even TVR have worked on their headlamps to create a unique identity and then look at how GM drew a generic headlamp shape round the HID lamps and thought "that'll do". The grille looks gawpy, the gills on the side aren't Corvette at all and the rear looks like the 1984 Corvette for a reason which totally beats me. Would you be happy with a new Focus with Escort Mk V rear lights?
The C4 evolved the round rear lights into squarish lights and the C5 teased them into ellipses so surely a pair of bigger ellipses would be more logical or at least, if you're going "round", change the size to distance it from a C4 which was never the most popular of the Corvette designs. They could even have followed the F430 and reintroduced the teardrop rear lights from the original C1 except have 4 of them.
What makes me larf is the way all the Americans condemned the scoop picture of the C6 and said "no way is that the new Corvette" and when it was, a large percentage now leap to defend it "because it's a Corvette". I suspect if they put a Corvette badge on a Daewoo Matiz, some would still defend it.
I've yet to see a C6 in the flesh but I really don't need to. I saw the Audi TT and Nissan 350Z in pics and knew straight away they were great designs. Same with the Sagaris and the F430. I've never once been tempted to like the C6 and that's worrying to some degree except that GM are famous for changing things and I heard not even Bob Lutz liked it when he went there but it was already signed off. I just want to know who decided to give the Corvette to the man who designed the Pontiac Aztek. I think he must be related to Chris Bangle.
Overall, I like the Viper. I thought the last one had a windscreen that was too vertical, like an E-Type, but loved the "carved from wood" shape which the new one lacks. However, I do think the new one makes the old Viper look dated - understandably since the Viper is 10 years old. The acid test is what do women think about it. My wife gazed in sheer lust at it and whispered "Ooh, I like that..." and she doesn't do that for any old car like Merc SL's either.
The Corvette C6 on the other hand is pig ugly. It's all wrong because the screen angle is all wrong, the design is obviously a quick hotch-potch of Italian and traditional Corvette signatures and IMHO, it doesn't work because it has no identity. Look at the way Lambo, Porsche, Ferrari and even TVR have worked on their headlamps to create a unique identity and then look at how GM drew a generic headlamp shape round the HID lamps and thought "that'll do". The grille looks gawpy, the gills on the side aren't Corvette at all and the rear looks like the 1984 Corvette for a reason which totally beats me. Would you be happy with a new Focus with Escort Mk V rear lights?
The C4 evolved the round rear lights into squarish lights and the C5 teased them into ellipses so surely a pair of bigger ellipses would be more logical or at least, if you're going "round", change the size to distance it from a C4 which was never the most popular of the Corvette designs. They could even have followed the F430 and reintroduced the teardrop rear lights from the original C1 except have 4 of them.
What makes me larf is the way all the Americans condemned the scoop picture of the C6 and said "no way is that the new Corvette" and when it was, a large percentage now leap to defend it "because it's a Corvette". I suspect if they put a Corvette badge on a Daewoo Matiz, some would still defend it.
I've yet to see a C6 in the flesh but I really don't need to. I saw the Audi TT and Nissan 350Z in pics and knew straight away they were great designs. Same with the Sagaris and the F430. I've never once been tempted to like the C6 and that's worrying to some degree except that GM are famous for changing things and I heard not even Bob Lutz liked it when he went there but it was already signed off. I just want to know who decided to give the Corvette to the man who designed the Pontiac Aztek. I think he must be related to Chris Bangle.
Not necessarily. Although I had an '85 Vette in the past, when it came to looking for a new car, it was fight between new Mustang, Z06 or 96 Viper and it was probably the lack of windows that drove me away from the Viper and it was seeing the C6 that instantly decided the matter in favour of the Z06. I've liked all Corvettes with the possible exception of the single mesh-covered headlight original C1 which you have to view in a historical perspective.
Perhaps if the Vette was some other car, a Ginetta perhaps, I would agree it might not have had such a harsh reception and most would say the styling was OK. I think, ultimately, it was a major disappointment as a Corvette.
Perhaps if the Vette was some other car, a Ginetta perhaps, I would agree it might not have had such a harsh reception and most would say the styling was OK. I think, ultimately, it was a major disappointment as a Corvette.
Like most of you I have retained an element of ambivalence over the C6 looks, whilst reserving judgement until I acutally see one. But I have to say that the picture of the black Z06 posted on the CCCUK website the other day had me wetting my knickers and will drive me to a remortgage
[quote]Like most of you I have retained an element of ambivalence over the C6 looks, whilst reserving judgement until I acutally see one. But I have to say that the picture of the black Z06 posted on the CCCUK website the other day had me wetting my knickers and will drive me to a remortgage[/quote]
Gues that should have read Z07 !!
Gues that should have read Z07 !!
The Porshe 911 won in both categories, performance and driving experience but "oh, dear!" it costs more so hasn't won after all.
Since the Boxster S costs the same as a Vette in USA it would have been a better comparison. The result (in my opinion) would then have been an honourable draw. Vette winning for performance and Porsche winning for driving experience. C5/6 has a good chassis but not a great chassis resulting in a car with limited feel.
Did you see the price of C6 - base car starts at $43,500 without delivery charges, HUD, decent seats, CD changer etc. Price in half decent spec looks like $50k minimum. Guess we need to wait and see what price they get offered by European dealers.
Since the Boxster S costs the same as a Vette in USA it would have been a better comparison. The result (in my opinion) would then have been an honourable draw. Vette winning for performance and Porsche winning for driving experience. C5/6 has a good chassis but not a great chassis resulting in a car with limited feel.
Did you see the price of C6 - base car starts at $43,500 without delivery charges, HUD, decent seats, CD changer etc. Price in half decent spec looks like $50k minimum. Guess we need to wait and see what price they get offered by European dealers.
5USA said:
Did you see the price of C6 - base car starts at $43,500 without delivery charges, HUD, decent seats, CD changer etc. Price in half decent spec looks like $50k minimum. Guess we need to wait and see what price they get offered by European dealers.
www.americancarriage.co.uk/
have one for sale at £47k and it seems fully loaded (wrong colour though). Looks like the usual Dollar = Pound equation applies.
Check out the relative pricing of Corvette, M3 and Boxster S,
1999 UK - Vette £38k. M3 £38k. Boxster S £38k.
2004 USA- Vette $50k. M3 $50k. Boxster S $50k.
Oooh, er. That new C6 Vette looks expensive in UK when there's $1.80 to the pound and no proper dealer support. Again it will be interesting to see what they are selling for in Europe once initial orders have been filled.
1999 UK - Vette £38k. M3 £38k. Boxster S £38k.
2004 USA- Vette $50k. M3 $50k. Boxster S $50k.
Oooh, er. That new C6 Vette looks expensive in UK when there's $1.80 to the pound and no proper dealer support. Again it will be interesting to see what they are selling for in Europe once initial orders have been filled.
5USA said:
The Porshe 911 won in both categories, performance and driving experience but "oh, dear!" it costs more so hasn't won after all.
Since the Boxster S costs the same as a Vette in USA it would have been a better comparison. The result (in my opinion) would then have been an honourable draw. Vette winning for performance and Porsche winning for driving experience. C5/6 has a good chassis but not a great chassis resulting in a car with limited feel.
Did you see the price of C6 - base car starts at $43,500 without delivery charges, HUD, decent seats, CD changer etc. Price in half decent spec looks like $50k minimum. Guess we need to wait and see what price they get offered by European dealers.
UK dealers sold that sort of spec c5 for £36-37K
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