Should Chevy Corvette have 2 versions?

[Rob]

Should Chevy Corvette have 2 versions?

BY MARK PHELAN
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Posted: Feb. 21, 2010

As sure as the sun rises and God makes little green apples, there will always be a Chevrolet Corvette.

Exactly what the next generation of America's most revered sports car will bring is the topic of intense study within General Motors, however.

The Corvette is arguably the world's best sports car. It has looks that would make Ferrari proud, performance to match Porsche, and a price that undercuts both by tens of thousands of dollars.

It also has countless fanatical admirers and a devoted owner base built up over decades.

This is not a formula an automaker messes with lightly.

However, there's a school of thought within GM that the next Corvette -- which probably won't hit the road for at least three to four years -- must break the mold.

Full Story: Should Chevy Corvette have 2 versions? | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

 

[njlouc]

A low end Vette would be great if it could be done properly, but it will not.
They have been there /done that.

The early C5's had one (FRC) and it was what eventually became the Zo6.
It was supposed to be a low end stripper car that would get back to basics- possibly to be used for racing???
WELL the cost difference was not as much as expected and when compared to a discounted car the saving was nil.
Luckily it was quickly resurrected as a "boy- racer".

The main reason IMHO, is that most buyers have an idea of the vette they always wanted and they buy via a lease or other long term financing. the difference each month would be peanuts. So you would have a base model reduced feature vette and save the price of a pizza each month.

In the 80's?? Harley Davidson did something similar. They realized that most bikers customize their bikes and toss out the good/expensive original parts. The answer was to sell a very simple, reduced cost bike that was to be used as a custom platform.

A vette owner is not going to give up A/C, Stereos, and so many Vette comfort/ performance features - unless they get a GREAT savings-------NOT.

 

[Yoda]

I wrote a reply to another thread in the C6 forums, and I'll link to it, as it bites at the fringe of this topic.

A Corvette is a Corvette it ain't a Chevette or GEO Metro... maybe GM needs to break away from their "Focus Groups" and put some hands on application to the issue :eyerole The "problems" they face today are no more dramatic or monsterous than what has been faced and overcome in the History of the marque... Quit being such Drama Queens GM and use your talent and fulfill the task you are charged with..

Ring, Ring, Ring anyone home at GM ~ Corvette

Bud Dougherty
Amarillo, Texas

 

[njlouc]

If GM wants to "break the mold" they could get the lowly cobalt or other small car and make a factory "tuner" and sell all sorts of equipment for it.
BUT as a federal auto company, it looks bad to have any performance via bailout.

If the governmant built cars, they would be 4door grey Valiants - Mort Saul

 

[plasboy]

I don't have any idea what the majority think but I would like to see a slightly more affordable product. I do think much of the problem with younger people buying one is insurance cost. I would be fine with two different vehicles at different price ranges but feel the more affordable option should retain the corvette name.

 

[6 Shooter]

WOW - Corvette has 6 models to choose from right now...

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[ProfessorBlaze]

they don't need to be cheaper. the problem is people want everything. I want the american muscle icons to stay the way they are. if you want a cheap performance car buy a V6 'stang. Buy a v6 camaro. Buy a 4-Cyl turbo Cobalt. come-on. GM is bending over already selling 6 model corvettes and it has brought the value of them way down already. They are trying so hard to please the US.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

Cadillac XLR count as a "second version" ? It's basically a Vette in Caddy packaging.
Andy

 

[6 Shooter]

The XLR is no longer produced...

 

[navy2kcoupe]

Shooter,
That's true! But I was wondering how well it did while it was being produced. Were the numbers significantly lower than the Vette's numbers, and if they were, wouldn't that say something about 2 "versions"? They had the FRC version, then made the Z06 out of it, and I have to ask why? Didn't the Z06 sell enough on it's own? Was it marketed incorrectly? Why did GM move from the "entry level" niche that the FRC was supposed to fill, to a vehicle that was the Z06? I don't know any of the answers, but if they truly want a "second version" they need to bring to market a vehicle that fills those needs and requirements and stick to that business model for the category. The fact that the XLR is no longer in production may also say a lot about how well a "second version" will do. From everything I've heard, the XLR was a decent piece of machineary.

 

[6 Shooter]

We went from running 22 of them a day to almost single digits...

 

[Chas]

They have enough knock offs already :eyerole

 

[Presty]

I wrote about this on my business magazine opinion blog, and I'm torn on the subject:

Marketplace of Ideas Blog - Give me both options and I’ll let you know

I'm looking for a Corvette that I can afford. (Unfortunately, I work in journalism, so the number of Corvettes I can afford is essentially zero.)

 

[6 Shooter]

Presty - What vehicle are you currently driving?

L8TR - D

 

[Presty]

Presty - What vehicle are you currently driving?

L8TR - D

Vehicles: 2005 Subaru Outback, 2001 Honda Odyssey.

Children: 3.

Garage space: 1.

 

[6 Shooter]

Presty - I did not buy a Vette until our 3 boys moved on, family came 1st!

Instead of buying a sports car for me, we bought a new CaJun Fish & Ski boat for us to enjoy on family outing while the kids were growing-up, I'm glad that's the route we took. It was and still is a good old boat, we have many great memories from those times.

Time flies and the kids will be gone before ya know it, a Vette will come with time if you so desire.

L8TR - D

 

[fst64_v8pwr]

agreed enough knock offs

 

[Mike85mph]

Absolutely!

Porsche has several - the 911 with all its variants, and then there's the Boxter and the Caymen. No reason not to have another totally different version of the Corvette in a similar fashion. I'd call it the Stingray and it would be to the parent Corvette what Boxter and Caymen are to the 911. The 1999 - 2000 FRC didn't sell because it was the "cheap" Corvette, but with a totally different car, then it will work. It should be smaller, but not as small as say, the Saturn Sky, and here's where a high performance V6 works. It should weigh about 2500 to 2800 pounds and pack about 300 to 350 hp, even if it takes a turbo. I am really confident that it will work and GM would sell a bunch of them. Prices should compare to Mustangs, and let the tuners have at it. I think it would put a dent in the Mustang market, and would really be a cool car.

 

[njlouc]

IMHO:
The glory days of (all) sports cars are fading. To be optimistic lets say it is on hold.
GM certainly cant spend much$$ to come out with a sports car at this point. Just count your blessings that the Vette is still around. The tree huggers in this society would love to see a pedal powered Vette, let alone a Mustang competitor.
It seems to me that the FRC was a great idea, but it came about when the Vette was experiencing great sales and on top of that the $$ difference between a coupe and a FRC was minimal. That is the real reason for it's lack of interest at the time. When it became a "racer" it gained greater popularity, but by then it was up in price and weight.

 

[Mike85mph]

I had a '99 FRC and loved it - wish I could hve kept it when I bought my '08 z06 Not everyone saw it the way I did though, until they made it the Z06.