Well, Here's What I Think of the C6

[Rob]

I've examined just about every photo I can find on the new 2005 C6, and I am in no way disappointed. It rocks!

It looks great from every angle. The new exposed headlight design is awesome! This was one area I was afraid the designers could easily "tarnish", but they did a terrific job. I love the front end, the rear end, the side profile, top profile...just about everything.

While the design of the C5 took quite a while to grow on me, I instantly fell in love with the C6. The more prominent curves in the front and rear fenders really give the overall car a nice touch and embody it with a sense of power, passion and purpose. Where the C5 was slightly understated, the C6 appears to be more bold and muscular. I love it!

If I had to complain about something, I guess it would have to be the interior - primarily the passenger side. It just looks too....unfinished....like something is missing. I thought the "hold-on" bar in the C5 was kind of cool, even though it probably isn't a high-use item, but the passenger side of the interior just looks a little too....boring.

The only other thing I would have liked to see is, maybe a canopy that is a little lower. It looks taller than the C5, but it's kind of hard to tell without seeing one in person.

The side air vents could have been designed a little differently. I really liked the C5's side air vents from the perspective that they were smaller than the C6. I would have liked to have seen the C6's vents the same size, and maybe have the openings covered with the same mesh material as used on the Z06's front-end. It's just that little added touch that would really make it perfect.

Other than that, I can't really complain about the C6 based upon the pictures I've seen. I can't wait to test drive one. Hell...I'm still waiting to test drive a Z06.

 

[Edmond]

Rob,

I definitely agree with you in terms of the aggressive look. The curves on the front are awesome!

IMO, I thought the rear end still looked too big. But that's my tastes. And it's still guaranteed to fit two sets of golf bags in the trunk!:L:L:L

It's going to be an awesome car. I think they said the convertible would be available to view at the Chicago Auto Show. I plan on going and taking a lot of pictures.

 

[vette-dude]

Well Rob you bring up some interesting views of the C6. I myself guess it will have to grow on me a little. I don't like the headlights and front end and the back looks a little bulbious to me. Maybe when I see up up close and personal it will change as sometimes pictures just don't give you a real prospective of the car. The C5 took awhile to grow on me and maybe the C6 will too. When I look at the picture I keep thinking what a Viperish look it has and then I see alot of European/Rice styling in the body lines. Like I said it just may be the pictures and a real face to face will bring a whole 'nother viewpoint.:confused

Randy

 

[Vettelt193]

I agree the C6 is a pretty cool looking car... I do like it more than the C5. I am sure the performance will be excellent, and it will leave the competition in its tracks!

The thing I am a bit upset about is the lack of updates to the C5... the C6 really looks like (and actually is) an updated C5... new body, engine, interior, wheels.... this is something the C4 got over time, to give the customers the best Chevy could (within cost reason) each year. I feel like Chevy cheated customers/corvette enthusiasts out of the best product they could make for the money to hold out and make the 'C6' to increase hype and sales.

 

[VAmagred01]

I agree.....

...everything I've seen about the C6, I love.....except for the interior. The interior seems too "sedanish" to me......it doesn't give you the feel you're in a high-end sports car. The C5 made you feel as if you were in a cockpit....ready for battle. Maybe I'll feel differently when I sit in one.

Again, I agree on the canopy as well. The C6 is approx. 2" taller than the C5's and 1" smaller in width so it doesn't have the muscular stance the C5 offers. This is also something that I might learn the live with and love after seeing one in person. Maybe when a C6's suspension has been excercised with a few miles, it'll sit just right.

I love the car and will own one hopefully in a few years......but for now, I'll just have to live with my measily 350HP C5.

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

Originally posted by vette-dude I see alot of European/Rice styling in the body lines. .:confused

Randy

I too see a lot of "Euro" in the styling.
I wish it had more good old fashioned "American" muscle look !!

Time will tell

 

[Edmond]

Since it will still be a few months before the car will be sold, they can still change some of the interior materials to make it look more high end right?

 

[Don&Kelly]

Rob, I agree

 

[corvettecrazy]

I agree the C6 is a pretty cool looking car... I do like it more than the C5. I am sure the performance will be excellent, and it will leave the competition in its tracks!

The thing I am a bit upset about is the lack of updates to the C5... the C6 really looks like (and actually is) an updated C5... new body, engine, interior, wheels.... this is something the C4 got over time, to give the customers the best Chevy could (within cost reason) each year. I feel like Chevy cheated customers/corvette enthusiasts out of the best product they could make for the money to hold out and make the 'C6' to increase hype and sales.

The C5 was 100% new from the C4. but the C6 is only 85%new from the C5. it may look fairly similar but the majority of it is completely new.

and thenks for sharing your comments Rob, they were a slightly different view for a change.

 

[Rain]

I agree with many of the points in this thread.

The C4 for example, had a series of changes in the body, the interior, and the engine, yet retained its C4 status. The C5 only came about when a nearly totaly different automobile was introduced.

Why should this "% based change" on a C5 warrant a C6 badge?

Rain

 

[Tom73]

There have been a couple of mentions about the height of the 2005 Vette. Per the Chevy web site, the 2005 is 48.7" tall while the 2004 was 47.7" tall. So the '05 is 1" taller.

Also one inch narrower, 72.6" for the '05 and 73.6 for the '04.

Guess the squeezed the sides in and it popped up in height

I agree with many of the points in this thread.

The C4 for example, had a series of changes in the body, the interior, and the engine, yet retained its C4 status. The C5 only came about when a nearly totaly different automobile was introduced.

Why should this "% based change" on a C5 warrant a C6 badge?

Rain

I saw a quote from Chevy and they say that by weight, the '05 is 85% changed from the '04.

tom...

 

[6 Shooter]

The Car L@@ks . . . Chevy Rock Solid !

I guess my request would be a tighter C4ish 94-96 Type Cock Pit Design/Feel . . . but I'm pretty sure that won't happen again . . . Bigger People like 2 get into the Rocket Ship . . . and I know the Vette is Market Driven.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[loverboy]

PROS AND CONS of the C6!

In general car looks sharp. Is it just me or does it have a little ferrari 360, and viper in it. The front of the car looks great lights, hood, and sharp curves. The bottom grill though looks a little to cheap it looks like a camaro bottom i guess some after market mesh grill might make it look better. The side is ok but to much viper look in it they should of made it more original. The back im not sure about, it looks great with the lights and bottom end curves, but the spoiler and bottom black coloured panel looks to me that the car is not one. The thing i hate most on the back end is those sunfire reverse lights (rectangle insted of circle) the lights destroy the back end. The interior upgrades like the navigation, heated seats, aluminum touches,etc, i love, I wish my C5 came with these goodies. OH WELL!. But too me the interior of the C6 still looks cheap to me, why can't they add some cadillac style interior with some sport toches to it. who knows. The stearing wheel I hate even more then those lights. That's not a sport stearing wheel that's a grocery getter stearing wheel. The material used on doors and dash look great and rich looking. Last but not least is the motor, im jealous. It sounds Amazing.
Anyway's that's my view on the C6 but all this could change for better or worse when i see the car in person, hopefully for better. Any way you slice it and dice it, CORVETTE'S RULE.

 

[ChuckR]

I have to agree with Randy. I'm not a big fan of these head lights. I think it's an improvement over the C4 bat ears. I much prefer the head lights on the C4. Probably why they didn't ask my opinion.

The car overall looks outstanding, but the front end looks like the recently unemployed Camaro design team was reassigned to bring back the Camaro starting with the front end of the new Vette.

Still looking forward to seeing it up close. Chuck

 

[Vettelt193]

There have been a couple of mentions about the height of the 2005 Vette. Per the Chevy web site, the 2005 is 48.7" tall while the 2004 was 47.7" tall. So the '05 is 1" taller.

Also one inch narrower, 72.6" for the '05 and 73.6 for the '04.

Guess the squeezed the sides in and it popped up in height


I saw a quote from Chevy and they say that by weight, the '05 is 85% changed from the '04.

tom...

I would like to say again that I think the C6 is a cool car... I am sure I will like it even more in person.

The question that I pose to everyone is, how much did the C4 change over the years? compare by weight if you want.... and even compare make the span of years even. So... if the C6 was still a C5, 2005 would be the 9th year of production. compare the '84 corvette to the '92 then.... by '92 the C4 had it's 4th different engine in place (cross-fire, L98, optional LT5, and the LT1). 4+3 to 6-speed, 16 to 17 inch wheels, new interior, new exterior, brakes, exhaust, etc. etc. Now we have the '97 to 2005... new engine, new transmission, bigger wheels, new interior, new exterior... sounds strikingly similar to me.

Once again, don't get me wrong... The C6 is right where we should be in the timeline, it is just a bit upsetting we didn't seem get any of the intermediate changes along the way like we used to. These changes were applied to all of the previous generations, I use the C4 because it was the last generation to get the big yearly updates.

 

[Tom73]

The question that I pose to everyone is, how much did the C4 change over the years? compare by weight if you want.... and even compare make the span of years even. So... if the C6 was still a C5, 2005 would be the 9th year of production. compare the '84 corvette to the '92 then.... by '92 the C4 had it's 4th different engine in place (cross-fire, L98, optional LT5, and the LT1). 4+3 to 6-speed, 16 to 17 inch wheels, new interior, new exterior, brakes, exhaust, etc. etc. Now we have the '97 to 2005... new engine, new transmission, bigger wheels, new interior, new exterior... sounds strikingly similar to me.

But during this time the C4 had the same frame, same body panels (except for end caps), same basic suspension (but did get some upgrades over the years). The engine did change, the interior did change, as did the end caps. Except for the engine these changes were just to freshen up a platform that had been in production too long.

The '05 has a different frame (same process of building, hydroformed), different suspension, different engine, different interior, different body panels. Believe that the transmission remain the same as would the differental, but not much else. It is a new platform. Which is good. Keeps it at the head of the pack instead of trying to play catch-up as happened in the C3/C4 change over and the C4/C5 changeover.

tom...

 

[Chris Kennedy]

I feel pretty ho-hum about the C6----not as bad as I feared but definately nothing to write home about. The folks who claim there is something a bit "delicate" about it definately have a point---Autoweek said it was designed with Europe in mind, and to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld it must have been "old" Europe. The interior definately looks bland and sedan-like to me, too. I also think the "aluminum" trim around the console looks downright cheap and derivative, too. The good news is that if the car is a hit, then the prices of C5s and Z06s can be expected to fall, and I can replace my beloved C3 with one.

--Chris Kennedy

 

[Vette/Berlina-coupe]

04/Jan/'04-AutoWeek-mag. reveals so called C6 in 9-pg. detail...

-and as an IndustrialDesigner i feel the styling is an overall facelift of the C5 (shortened body 5" to set it apart from Cadillac's up-coming iteration; thus is not right to lable it a C6 at all, just a marketing-ploy, --so why not C5.3 !!!), but as such it indeed exhibits some very skillful graphic-refinements--- however, the cheapo/transparent-plastic covered headlamps (they should use real quality everlasting tempered-glass) appear much to cross-eyed angry asian, -which to me spoils the "all american"-image! They could have employed very aerodynamic low-profile "pop-ups" to avoid the ordinary rice-burner "me too"-syndrome [#1 / poor design decision making]; --the rest of the frontal-aspect although certainly attractive (nifty powerful-foglights at extreme L&R of the grille/scoop), --looses ground in that they have thrown the baby out with the bath-water, --that is, why abandon the very corvette(C4) notion of stealthy air-inleting, by resorting to a Ferrari like frontal-scoop [#2/PDDM]. --in short seems they have sold-out to the internationalist as to styling-cues!!! In the side-view, the profile is initially tight and sleek, however the golfclub-like door-mirrors are mickey-mouse, --when they could have easily employed sleekly aerodynamic A-piller RV-mirrors which would have left the body-surface cleanly uncluttered [#3/PDDM] ! The stream-lines emitting from the L&R/side-vents aft of the front-wheels are so-so, --would have preferred to see them fade into very subtle '57-vette like side-wing impression streaming from a much more pronounced side-venting curve-in formation [#4/PDDM]. The kitcar-simple L&R-door/relief-grips, --are saved only by the graphically-integrated left-gasflap (which also makes fueling-up just a step from the driver's-seat); --but they could have easily integrated the C3-type door-releases (why not reuse what is uniquely Corvette whenever possible)! Really don't like the ancient-style cart-spoke wheels, --but as such, these are the best looking cart-wheels ever seen!! The rear-aspect is essentially clean and very Vette-like, --only complaint there resides in the cheapo glass/hatch-back (-sorry Heidi, as vrs. the far more privacy giving "FlyingButress"-trailing-roof early C3-styling for example)! However, to their credit, they have done a nice job subtly dishing the back-panel and integrating four exhaust-pipes and back-up lamps into a black/tray-panel below the tail! It is expected that an aftermarket center/stop-light is being prepared to replace the odd tiny one provided!
As to the hoohum-interior, i like their general use of soft-shapes and smart avoidance of "cheap trick" looking gymics, such as use of carbon-fiber and gleaming-metal (cold bright metal finds no proper place in the human environment of a cockpit); --so the sumptuous use of real-leather is aplauded, but the towering upward-sweep of the center-console seems intrusive; and the door-sculpturing antics are overdone carry-overs from the rocket-ship school of design! Instrumentation however appears quite well executed, -yet the clumpy steering-wheel styling looks like it was pulled from a GMC-pickup at the eleventh-hour!! In total, it is a moderately successful design, that could have been redeemed by bringing back the C4's widely opening hood, that always made fussing with the engine-bay so entertaining; --although disappointing to many 'Corvetteiers', is still a damn competitive car though Bob Lutz, particularly as to its efficient packaging and upper/fender-creases that subtly endeavor to salute B.Mitchell's ever dynamic C3!! Now to drive your competition crazy, --how about giving us that long awaited light-weight no-frills spartan-version for $25k-max. (ie: -cheap am/fm-radio, 17"/steel-wheels w/chrome-nuts & cheapo 100mph Walmart-avail.-tires, leather&fabric-interior, no fog-lamps, retain elect.windows, 5-speed stick, cheap heater no AC, manual rag-top, ordinary shock-absorbers, omit headlamp-lenses, nothing hi-tech, black/black/black; --please nothing more "K.I.S.S.") you'd sell a slew of'em to the ordinary working-guy/gal who find $40k outlandish (hint: ---if you prick us, do we not bleed? )...
Sincerely, ~Bob Vonheck

 

[UB2 SLOW]

I agree with Rob, with the exeption of the steering wheel. It just does not seem to fit the rest of the car.

 

[billagroom]

The way I see it the C6 is the first Vette since the C3 that stands out from the crowd.

I Love the new C6 and if I had the money I would buy one. I would never buy a C4 or a C5 they are just to plain and uninspiring.

When I meet a C4 or a C5 on the road it's gone by before I realize it is a Vette. From a distance they look like a Honda or Mitsubishi.

When you meet a C6, just like the C1-2+3 you will know it is a Vette from a mile away. You will have lots of time to give that Lucky person the wave.

Bill A Groom