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Why the Mid-Engined Corvette Won’t be a Corvette…

7K views 61 replies 37 participants last post by  johnstarnes 
#1 ·


Because I think it's going to be a Cadillac.

Using a couple of the discussions we've had here on GMI regarding the potential for a mid-engine Corvette (or not Corvette), I explored a feeling that what we've been hearing about is likely to be a Cadillac.

Last week conjecture broke; finally, after 50 years of wild speculation and even wilder concepts, the mid-engine Corvette would finally reach approval sometime during 2016.

This week more conjecture says not quite. Thanks to a well placed source it’s not going to be a Corvette at all. And if you think about it from a branding perspective, if it’s not going to be a Corvette what could it be but a Cadillac?

First things first it can’t be a Chevrolet because if it won’t be a Corvette how can it be a Chevrolet? Buick. Really, so Buick gets the halo car and totally undermines Johan de Nysschen’s Manhattan project? Opel doesn’t have the cache, ditto Vauxhall and Holden is irrelevant outside of Oceania. Sorry.

So Cadillac.
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#7 · (Edited)


Time to bring back Oldsmobile and continue the Aerotech!

Seriously, seems reasonable to give this product to Cadillac or have Corvettes (both mid engined and front engined models) sold as an independent brand and/or in Cadillac dealerships.

GM could decide a few different ways to go with this.
 
#10 ·
I think Cadillac will be much better served by building the Elmiraj vs. building a mid-engined sports car. I think a sports car will be really cool, but I don't think it will create as big of a splash as the Elmiraj would.

Back to the topic, mid-engined cars are so distinctive looking, I think it will be hard to differentiate a Cadillac and Chevy version to the point they shouldn't build both off the same platform. The Cadillac will become an overpriced Corvette, or the mid-engined Corvette will be the cheap/castrated version of the Cadillac if they reduce its performace so Cadillac can be the top dog.
 
#11 ·
Wasn't the point that there won't be a Corvette version? This should be a Cadillac exclusive. The best example is Audi. There is a Volkswagen analog for every Audi except for the R8.
 
#12 ·
It would be interesting to see this car be shared between Cadillac and Corvette (as opposed to Chevrolet) in the same way that the Audi R8 and Lambo Huracan co-exist. But I think it'll wind up being a a Corvette. More specifically, I think it'll be a launching product for the Corvette Division of General Motors.

Logically, GM must make the Corvette a global brand if it is going to showcase the car on the global stage. Racing success cannot merely lead to niche overseas sales numbers done through exotic/specialty dealer networks. Where GM exists, Corvette Division must be allowed to exist.

As far as such a product being a waste of resources: given GM's recent profit reports I believe it is a project they can afford to do. More to the point, if they do go ahead with it I would much prefer to see them keep it in-house as opposed to, say, farming out tub construction. Build it, learn from it, apply the lessons learned.
 
#34 ·
It would be interesting to see this car be shared between Cadillac and Corvette (as opposed to Chevrolet) in the same way that the Audi R8 and Lambo Huracan co-exist. But I think it'll wind up being a a Corvette. More specifically, I think it'll be a launching product for the Corvette Division of General Motors.

Logically, GM must make the Corvette a global brand if it is going to showcase the car on the global stage. Racing success cannot merely lead to niche overseas sales numbers done through exotic/specialty dealer networks. Where GM exists, Corvette Division must be allowed to exist.

As far as such a product being a waste of resources: given GM's recent profit reports I believe it is a project they can afford to do. More to the point, if they do go ahead with it I would much prefer to see them keep it in-house as opposed to, say, farming out tub construction. Build it, learn from it, apply the lessons learned.
Agree 100%

The Mid-Engine Corvette must be the car that initiates the "Corvette" brand as a "stand alone brand"

GM is losing out on Billions of Dollars in very high margin Sales Revenue by keeping Corvette tied to Chevy.

The days of Chevy cars sharing at least engine parts with Corvettes is LONG GONE and it is hard to tie the Corvette to trucks.

Global sales for the existing Corvette Stingray alone could expand 2X to 4X current levels, not to mention what an expanded lineup of a sub Stingray "Entry" model, 2+2 Coupe and top line Mid-Engine model would do to sales volumes.

Corvette is a global money making machine GM cannot turn on due to its ties to Chevy.

A Mid-Engine Corvette can sell at the price and volume required to make a profit on the 1st gen. architecture, adding a Cadillac version later adds icing to the cake; something that does not happen if the Cadillac is first.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Long term, a mid-engined platform is going to happen. JDN wants it, and so does the Corvette team. Financially and logistically, it makes sense to produce such a vehicle and have both Corvette and Cadillac share the same basic underpinnings.

That said, could they get both? Could it be both exclusive to Cadillac AND shared by both brands? In short, Yes.

What I could foresee is that Cadillac would have the platform exclusively for a few years, to launch a mid-engined offering and gain wide recognition for their halo sports car. Later, after Caddy has had the product/platform to "itself" for a couple of years, I could see Corvette jumping on board with an additional Corvette branded product (i.e. a mid-engined Corvette to supplement -- and not replace -- the current front-engined Corvette).

A few thoughts on this:

*Corvette is valuable nameplate that, in my humble opinion, must expand beyond it's traditional role as a single-product offering. It is also a revenue source that has been completely under-realized by GM. I've written about this before in a few places on GMI, but the bottom line is if GM wants to make the most of their assets, Corvette should become it's own brand with an expanded range. In doing so, the company could not only better square-off against dedicated sports-car rivals at Porsche (or Maserati, Aston Martin, etc), but also allow GM to reap huge profits and attract new customers. As such, adding a mid-engine Corvette (and creating a stand-alone Corvette brand that continues a loose association with Chevrolet) can add huge economic realities to any mid-engine platform program.

Taking this a step or two further, any stand alone Corvette brand could also share a select number of platforms with Cadillac. As Cadillac pushes into new territories, a limited Corvette range could help make any planned Cadillac products more feasible and likely to be built if the R&D costs are spread to another vehicle program. If JDN wants to truly flush out Caddy's lineup beyond core-products, and into niches with limited volume (think of "low volume" Caddy niche products to compete against offerings like the Audi TT, BMW Z4, SLK/SLC, etc), then making a solid business case is vital and necessary.

*JDN wants his own Audi R8 and he knows that something this sophisticated can't be shared by one division alone for cost reasons. If he's copying Audi's playbook, then he has to look to VW AG as a whole to figure out how to make this work.

At VW AG, the need for an R8 rival was premised on using the Lambo Gallardo's platform. In allowing Lambo to introduce the product first, Lambo gained recognition for it, and it stood out as an "in-house" product. This allowed Lambo to push the brand into a new segment while also "protecting the perception" that the R8 was based on a Lambo --- and not vice-versa. That's huge since it meant that not only was the R8 a more credible sports car, but that the Lambo used a dedicated platform which was later lent to a corporate cousin.

That last bit is incredibly important and it's the way forward in this scenario for Caddy and Corvette. If Caddy gets the platform first, and Corvette jumps on board later, then it looks like Caddy lent it's assets to Corvette, rather than a vice-versa. Think about the perception they're trying to cultivate at Cadillac and it's easy to see why they have to have their product stand alone first. If the reverse were true, then you'd have a very expensive Cadillac sports car based on a "lower-end" Corvette. The perception among rich customers would that that Cadillac merely "tarted up" a Corvette for Caddy-duty. This could potentially harm that image they're trying to create. It's not a knock against the Corvette, but merely a perception that they're trying to nurture as it seeks to chase rich, well-off customers.

Much like VW, this has also played out elsewhere. Take a look at the Giorgio platform at Alfa Romeo; it will spawn a raft of products for Alfa (and Maserati), but it's also supposed to be eventually shared with Dodge and other FCA products so as to make financial sense. In allowing Alfa to use it "exclusively" for a few years, it helps to create the perception that future Dodge's are "based on a pricey Alfa platform", rather than basing a slew of Alfas on a "ho-hum" Dodge platform.
 
#19 ·
I definitely hear you and agree with you, but hesitate in one important area. That area is the VW/Audi scenario. I agree that sharing platforms with Lambo/Audi/VW/Porsche works very well and very profitably for them. But I really have doubts that GM will be able to get away with the same without our press constantly negatively pointing out the shared underpinnings. GM has gotten away with it in a few instances - Suburban/Escalade, but they didn't get away with the last Corvette/Cadillac project. Can it be done? Yes. Does GM come with some image baggage that might complicate selling a Cadillac version AND a Chevy version? Yes.
 
#16 ·
The front-engine Corvette coming in at less than $100k US is the exotic for the rest of us. Its owner stands on firm grown with owners of Porsche 911, Jaguar, Aston-Martin, and others. Throw enough luggage for two [or for only one], close the hatch, and drive across the country.

A mid-engine Corvette makes no sense. You can bring it a mid-engine Pontiac Fiero for less than $100k, but you can't bring in a mid-engine Corvette at that price--not nearly. It might sport a price substantially less than a Ferrari or Lamborghini, but a mid-engine Corvette will still not be obtainable by the 99%. For their higher price, the Corvette for the 1% will have substantially better performance than the Stingray or Z06. Otherwise, it would make no sense at all to design, engineer, and build it. No longer will the Z06 be the most awesome Chevrolet ever to drive the public road, it won't even be the most awesome Corvette. How do you sell a second-rate car? Want to make a cross-country trip in your new mid-engine Corvette? Well, you a drop your iPad and shaving kit in the truck. The rest of your luggage will have to be shipped ahead.

A mid-engine Cadillac would be a Cadillac. The 1% is the demographic that Cadillac is trying to appeal to. A mid-engine Cadillac open the eyes of potential customers who have heretofore been reluctant to accept the V-rated Cadillac sedans and coupes. A mid-engine Corvette confuses the Corvette message.
 
#24 ·
I still think there will be a mid-engine dual clutch Corvette probably called Zora. I had the chance to get to know Zora back in the day. He was a a big proponent of mid engine and automatic transmission. It will probably be in addition to the front engine Corvette and be a halo car like the Ford GT. Whether it will be shared platform with Cadillac I don't know but I hope not. Cadillac's track record on two seaters is not good.
 
#30 ·
This is going to fail miserably.

It would have had at least a chance as a Corvette.

This is a big pile of failure because it's just another case of indulging Cad.

Wouldn't sting so much if they didn't know better because of experience with not just the allante but the xlr and now the elr.

This feels like building a car to prove a point - again. That's becoming Cad's niche now. Cars that prove points - and that no one buys.
 
#31 ·
ATS was not damaged by Camaro being built on Alpha platform because Caddy got it first. I totally agree with that line of thinking.

Buick and GMC were bonded together and I think that has been a brilliant move as they compliment each other perfectly. I feel Corvette and Cadillac should be done the same way. Do not make Corvette a Cadillac, rather, make Corvette a stand alone 'brand' that is sold alongside Cadillac. Both high end clientele that deserve and demand a top tier buying AND SERVICE experience for the money spent.

Audi became cool after the R8, and two decades of dominating the 24 Hours of Lemans (something the wine and cheese crowd is into). Cadillac gave a half assed effort at Lemans for a couple of years and bailed out.

http://km666.altervista.org/albums/auto-e-moto/cadillac12.jpg
 
#35 ·
I think Chevy needs this as well as Cadillac. Ford is bring back the GT which I think helps build a case for the mid engine Corvette sooner than later. Cadillac needs a halo vehicle but not right away. They need to reestablish the Cadillac brand as as a true competitor to the rest of the luxury brands first.
 
#41 ·
Both Corvette and Cadillac want it. Yes, they've been threatening to do it for about it for 40 years now, but I think this time it's gonna happen. The question is, how will the 63 year old Corvette brand be transconfigured by it? Will it leave it's traditional buyer behind?

Tread carefully GM. If you think people are pissed off over a supercharged, auto, convertible, Z06, just wait until you try to ram a $100,000 base Corvette down their throats.
 
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