Edmunds Commentary On Chevy Corvette: It "Sucks"; No Longer "Cool".

[E. Haskell]

And the parents don't want their kids getting killed in a car that's actually fast.

Thus, little Bobby puts a loud muffler on the parent-approved Civic and does more trash talking than a boxer at a weigh in. He tells all his friends that V8 performance cars are for losers and 4-bangers like his can out run them with just a little work.

That's usually how it went when I was in HS. Good thing I had a LS1 to keep my peers in line.

[OLDSCHOOLGMFAN]

[quote]

Originally Posted by cdp326

They don't really always say that, though. They've liked the Corvette because it's been very good at what it's supposed to do and especially for the price it's at. And part of what I was trying to say before is that I don't think a lot of cars of a similar vein to the Corvette are seen as more desirable versus a Corvette, including to young people.
Out of the cars you mention, the Supra is more than 10 years old and has the tuner crowd following; Ferraris are exotics; Nissan Zs are less expensive/more attainable and arguably have more of a visual impact (the Camaro is the same way). The Miata? Who has done that recently?

No no, sorry partner, but I just can't let this pass. I bought my first car magazine in 1985, and kept buying 'em so up until about a year ago or so. That's 23 years of reading them, and the attitude I describes sums up pretty much plum all of 'em. Road & Track, Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Automobile, Autoweek, they all talked, and continue to talk that same tired smack.

Yeah, pretty much the same thing, just the different name.

I thought so! Thanks for confirming it!

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

The reason the kids like Mitsubishi Mirages and subaru Imprezas or other small imports is because often times...as parents prepare to pay for their kids college they either bought these small inexpensive imports or in many cases gave the kids their mothers older honda or toyota... economy car..

the parents had inexpensive cars and inexpensive insurance for the growing teenagers..

The teenagers then as all teenagers do... "hopped up" their rides...Many with just fart pipes but others with more true to performance mods..

Would the kids have preferred corvettes? I'm sure they would have...

Would their folks have ponied up the cash...? when college was coming? NOPE..

and for the kids who had even less money? Were they really in line for paying for a corvette? Nope..

Makes perfect sense to me.. How about you?

You basically described the effect of what I was talking about. Were it not for video games and movies of the last decade or so, that likely wouldn't have happened to econocars.
Those with the money for a more expensive car likely wouldn't be going for even a used Corvette were it in the price range; they look to the tuned sport cars. The Corvette is a fantastic performer and it's not that the Corvette isn't appealing, it's that other cars are somewhat more immediately appealing as per the trends. It's not just tuner cars, it's the Mustang and Camaro as well.
I'd love to see what gets more attention in the same place at the same time, a Camaro or a Corvette.

Originally Posted by OLDSCHOOLGMFAN

No no, sorry partner, but I just can't let this pass. I bought my first car magazine in 1985, and kept buying 'em so up until about a year ago or so. That's 23 years of reading them, and the attitude I describes sums up pretty much plum all of 'em. Road & Track, Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Automobile, Autoweek, they all talked, and continue to talk that same tired smack.

About other cars, definitely, but with the Corvette it's come and go, from my reading of the last 10 years of so of Car and Driver. That's just me though and it's not my point regardless - the media didn't turn people off the Corvette, the entertainment industry turned people onto other cars.

[slowinthefastlane]

I think that the C6 is overdue for a refresh. Personally, I liked the width and curves of the C5 much better than the shaper edges of the C6. I thought that the C5 made much more of a statement.

Now, the interior of the C6 is miles better than that of the C5.

[JBsZ06]

Originally Posted by slowinthefastlane

I think that the C6 is overdue for a refresh. Personally, I liked the width and curves of the C5 much better than the shaper edges of the C6. I thought that the C5 made much more of a statement.

Now, the interior of the C6 is miles better than that of the C5.

Five years into production...what model doesn't look even better with a refresh...?

I'd say the new grand sport is a pretty cool way to fly..

If the kids prefer economy cars...? Let them go for it..

Leaves more gas for us! (all kidding aside...I was shopping a third vehicle...this weekend...I might need a car I can throw away at the end of three years and I noticed the gas mileage wasn't barely better EPA rated on the window sticker then my Corvette...)

How weird is that? Who knew the vette with its 190 mph top speed...one lateral g of cornering capability, zero to 60 mph in 4 flat was also a fuel mileage champ!???????

17 city 27 hwy

[tom3]

The Corvette wasn't intended to be a volume everyman's car, and shouldn't be produced that way today. Keep it special, please.

[slowinthefastlane]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

Five years into production...what model doesn't look even better with a refresh...?

I liked the C5 better - which is 5 years OUT of production.

[Millefune]

Originally Posted by tom3

The Corvette wasn't intended to be a volume everyman's car, and shouldn't be produced that way today. Keep it special, please.

But it kinda is a volume car nowadays. I see Corvettes all over the place. The C6 is a much better looking car to me than the GTO, but since you see it everywhere every day... it loses that lustful want. It's the only gripe I have about he C6. At a gas station I work at, nobody really gives a Corvette a 2nd look. But when I park the GTO at a pump, she gets boatloads of double-takes.

[fyreline]

See, that's why our perceptions are all so different. I've never seen anyone even look ONCE at a GTO, which is a damned shame as it's so nice a car. Pontiac seriously dropped the ball on styling that one - they didn't even try. it's nothing special at all, and it should have been.

A Corvette is always a Corvette, with all the good and bad that brings with it. No mistaking it for anything else, no pretending to be something it isn't.

[m100]

I liked the last GT0,and almost bought a used one before gas shot up past $4.00 a gallon. I prefer the more subtle sleeper aspects of the cars design versus it having a more in your face type exterior.

[T'Cal]

Per AOL today (11/15/09):
What Your Car Says About You

Chevrolet Corvette: Performer For The Mid-Life Crisis
According to Auto Pacific data, the Chevy Corvette "seems to be more often a reward car. Its buyers are older than the industry average, with 88% born before 1946. Only 11% of Corvette owners are in Gen Y or Gen X." Bell adds: "Sadly, the usual stereotype of the Corvette buyer as a 57-year old male deep in a mid-life crisis is proven."

and

Chevrolet Corvette: Better Car Than Its Image Suggests
Bell sees another side to the Corvette. "It is the absolute greatest performance bargain on the planet," said Bell. "It's an affordable giant-killer." Markwalder adds, "There have been 1.5 million Corvettes produced since 1953, and while plenty of old guys drive them, they are an engineering marvel that will run 180 mph or return 30+ mpg highway fuel economy."


The next model needs to build on those positives and eliminate the negatives, i.e.:
1. Slim down, which would improve fuel economy, performance, and handling
2. Lower its price at least for the base model
3. Design its body to appeal to a younger buyer

I keep wondering how a better engineered kappa based Vette would've done. Image aluminum suspension pieces, a higher quality interior and top, a slightly longer wheelbase, and a 325hp 5.3L V8 with AFM backed by six speed transmissions. It probably could've started out at around $30K and topped out at under $40K, and fuel economy would've been better than the current Vette's. Maybe fuel economy would've been around 20/32 mpg. That's a lot of car for some reasonable bucks.

[All-Or-Nothing]

Who really cares about fuel economy in a Corvette???

[JBsZ06]

AOL? since when did AOL know anything about cars! LOL or car buyers..

3217 lbs, 436hp, four wheel independant suspension, 6 speed manual or automatic. Lift off roof capability, 1 lateral g in handling.

I paid 44.5 for this supercar. I didn't buy it for a mid life crisis. I bought my first c5 at 39 and a day because I drove one at GM's ride of a life time.


The reason I'm on my third vette is because once you own a corvette....and you test drive other sports cars...There is no comparison.

Sure if I wanted to drop 200 grand on a ferrari...I might equal the performance and handling but till that day comes...the corvette rules as the best vehicle choice for a sports car.

All the rest is nonsense.


(edit) for the record I consistantly get 28 mpg on the highway when cruising at 75 mph..and if I drove it like a sane person around town I'd get around 20 mpg.. but I'd rather smoke the tires and get the 15 mpg I get. Lifes too short for anything less.

AOL and Edmunds...screw those numb nuts. What do they know...? They probably rave about the camry or accords they drive to work.

[ksr]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

AOL? since when did AOL know anything about cars! LOL or car buyers..

3217 lbs, 436hp, four wheel independant suspension, 6 speed manual or automatic. Lift off roof capability, 1 lateral g in handling.

I paid 44.5 for this supercar. I didn't buy it for a mid life crisis. I bought my first c5 at 39 and a day because I drove one at GM's ride of a life time.


The reason I'm on my third vette is because once you own a corvette....and you test drive other sports cars...There is no comparison.

Sure if I wanted to drop 200 grand on a ferrari...I might equal the performance and handling but till that day comes...the corvette rules as the best vehicle choice for a sports car.

All the rest is nonsense.


(edit) for the record I consistantly get 28 mpg on the highway when cruising at 75 mph..and if I drove it like a sane person around town I'd get around 20 mpg.. but I'd rather smoke the tires and get the 15 mpg I get. Lifes too short for anything less.

AOL and Edmunds...screw those numb nuts. What do they know...? They probably rave about the camry or accords they drive to work.

Fuel economy surely doesn't matter to people who can buy Ferraris. But I still have always found it pretty remarkable the fuel economy GM has gotten out of Corvettes, which is good in it's own right and amazing compared to Ferraris and their 8-12 mpg.

The whole "mid-life crisis" stereotype is so incredibly stupid. Stereotypes often have a basis in reality. This one has a basis in nothing. Why can't a person in their 40s or older buy a nice, fast car simply because they like it? Why are most drivers of Corvettes older? Because young drivers don't have that kind of money. If they did, they'd be driving Corvettes. (Drivers of Ferraris and Porsches and Lamborghinis are older too, but you never hear about that in the media/pop culture.)

[nferr]

Originally Posted by wescoent

I'll be the dissenting voice here.

The Corvette performs great, but it's NOT cool... sorry guys.

I think it happened sometime in the 1970's. Because I know the C2 Corvette was REALLY cool. The C3 was kind of cool at first... but then something happened... I don't know what.

The Stingray to me, embodies everything that a Corvette should be in a perfect world. Compact, tight proportions. Expressive lines. Appeals to both men and women. A 'je ne sais pas quoi' about the car.

That's why I was so excited when I heard that Chevy was considering a Kappa Stingray, with a 5.3L V8 under the hood. Returns to those original compact, tight proportions with a 'right-sized' engine.

I almost feel the same way about Ferraris and Jaguar sports cars. They lost something in the 1970's. Jaguar got it back with the 1998 XK... Ferrari never did.

The C2's are bigger than the current Corvettes. Look it up.