C7 Corvette

[S204STi]

The average price of a new car is now over $30K. The Corvette started at $42K two years ago, and all of a sudden it is going to be $50K. It used to be affordable to DINKs. Now it's a stretch.

Meh.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The average price of a new car is now over $30K. The Corvette started at $42K two years ago, and all of a sudden it is going to be $50K. It used to be affordable to DINKs. Now it's a stretch.

No way! a Base 2011 Vette was around 48k! IIRC NO C6 based at 42k.

[Eye of the Tiger]

No way! a Base 2011 Vette was around 48k! IIRC NO C6 based at 42k.

Well, it was back in 2005. Anyway, I am in strong disagreeance with this whole increasing price deal.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

2011 Prices: http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2010/06/07/gm-releases-prices-for-2011-corvettes/

Well, it was back in 2005. Anyway, I am in strong disagreeance with this whole increasing price deal.

I think the '05 was close to 42K.

[Lebowski]

Well, it was back in 2005. Anyway, I am in strong disagreeance with this whole increasing price deal.

Dude 2005 was eight years ago.


I don't have a problem with the price increase, and it's still the best deal going by a long shot IMO.

Think how much people, even people who never would have bought the $42k Corvette, bitched and moaned about things like interior quality. You want things like a nicer interior, nicer seats etc that costs money.


I think the person who wrote that article is full of shit ... I think if you look over long periods of time, compared to inflation but more importantly compared to the cost of other cars, the Corvette is as affordable as its ever been. Go to BMW's website and price out a 3 series, go to Porsche website and price out a Boxster or Gayman.

[Raza]

Yeah, if the price stays the same and the interior quality goes up, that's money that isn't going to engine, suspension, and transmission dev.  I was never going to buy a C7 anyway, but I'm okay with the prices.  It's still not the car I'd buy for that kind of cash, but it still represents a great value in the marketplace. 

[Byteme]

Interesting idea. Curious to see how (or if) it works.

One thing it will do is generate some additional showroom traffic and give the salesman the opportunity to push the higher priced models to those thinking of the low priced car.

[GoCougs]

Well, it was back in 2005. Anyway, I am in strong disagreeance with this whole increasing price deal.

$42k in 2005 at only 2% inflation is $50k in 2014 .

[GoCougs]

One thing it will do is generate some additional showroom traffic and give the salesman the opportunity to push the higher priced models to those thinking of the low priced car.

Nah, not really. Prospective buyers will go to see a Corvette. Plus it is quite unlikely a dealer would have the cheapo model on display in the showroom. If anything the logic would be reversed - tire kickers go to see the $50k+ Stingray but get talked into the cheapo model (I don't buy the halo effect FWIW though).

[GoCougs]

Yeah, if the price stays the same and the interior quality goes up, that's money that isn't going to engine, suspension, and transmission dev.  I was never going to buy a C7 anyway, but I'm okay with the prices.  It's still not the car I'd buy for that kind of cash, but it still represents a great value in the marketplace. 

Not so sure about that. In specific the C7 is getting moderate/significant upgrades to engine (all-new small block V8), transmission (7 sp M/T) and suspension (magnetic particle shocks), in addition to a reported higher quality interior (still looks kinda cheap to me in that Leno video though - in fact the whole car does but w/e).

In general cars get cheaper to make relative to features/function/form - a C7 in 1990 would have been a $1MM car - owing to advancement in materials, technology (esp. processing power and display tech), design methods and manufacturing technologies.

[Raza]

Not so sure about that. In specific the C7 is getting moderate/significant upgrades to engine (all-new small block V8), transmission (7 sp M/T) and suspension (magnetic particle shocks), in addition to a reported higher quality interior (still looks kinda cheap to me in that Leno video though - in fact the whole car does but w/e).

In general cars get cheaper to make relative to features/function/form - a C7 in 1990 would have been a $1MM car - owing to advancement in materials, technology (esp. processing power and display tech), design methods and manufacturing technologies.

You're saying that an increase in cost of interior materials, design, manufacturing, and QC doesn't result in a decrease in resources for other aspects if the overall price of the product does not also increase given a constant profit margin?

[GoCougs]

You're saying that an increase in cost of interior materials, design, manufacturing, and QC doesn't result in a decrease in resources for other aspects if the overall price of the product does not also increase given a constant profit margin?

In 1985, a 50" plasma was quite literally impossible to make at any price. Today, a 50" plasma is cheaper to make than a 25" CRT.

I'm saying an increase in quality/form/function/etc. of interior materials, design, manufacturing and QC doesn't necessarily equate to an increase in cost. Lots of advancement happened in these and other areas in the last ~9 years (= since the C6 was designed).

[MX793]

$42k in 2005 at only 2% inflation is $50k in 2014 .

Yup.  Cars have gotten more expensive with inflation.  In '05, a Mustang GT started at $25K.  They start at just over $30K today.

[MrH]

You're saying that an increase in cost of interior materials, design, manufacturing, and QC doesn't result in a decrease in resources for other aspects if the overall price of the product does not also increase given a constant profit margin?

Increase in content =/= increase in cost necessarily.  The industry marches on, and produces more for less.  "QC" is not really a variable cost you can just throw money into to increase your "quality".

Not sure where you're going with manufacturing and design.

Also, we don't know the margin.  Price is driven by the market.  Who knows what they're making, if anything, on this vehicle.

[GoCougs]

Increase in content =/= increase in cost necessarily.  The industry marches on, and produces more for less.  "QC" is not really a variable cost you can just throw money into to increase your "quality".

Not sure where you're going with manufacturing and design.

Also, we don't know the margin.  Price is driven by the market.  Who knows what they're making, if anything, on this vehicle.

Good Internetry - demand defines price, not cost, in a perfectly efficient market. Still, my bet is the C7 isn't materially more expensive to produce than the C6 despite having all sorts of improvements, advancements and upgrades.

[Cookie Monster]

Holy shit, yes:



http://jalopnik.com/the-callaway-c21-aerowagon-is-the-corvette-stingray-sho-453832292

[SVT666]

Holy shit, no.

[Lebowski]

Ugly, and not that much more practical.

[CALL_911]

I'd rock that. I've always liked shooting brakes a lot.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Holy shit, yes:



http://jalopnik.com/the-callaway-c21-aerowagon-is-the-corvette-stingray-sho-453832292

That is some motivation. I need a job.

[Cookie Monster]

Ugly, and not that much more practical.

I love the side profile. I think I'm just a sucker for shooting brakes.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Good luck seeing out the rear of that thing....

[SVT666]

Chevrolet has announced performance figures for its all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray. Chevrolet's seventh-generation Corvette is scheduled to go on sale during the third quarter of 2013.

According to Chevy, the 2014 Corvette Stingray equipped with the optional Z51 Performance Package is capable of accelerating from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, stopping from 60 in 107 feet and pulling 1.03 g during hard cornering. Those figures represent slight improvements over the outgoing Corvette Grand Sport model.

Chevrolet tested the 2014 Corvette's merits on the Virginia International Raceway's 4.2-mile "Grand Course", with the car returning a lap time of 2:51.78.

"For the new Stingray, we set out to elevate every aspect of the Corvette's performance," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. "Considered alone, the acceleration, braking and cornering performance of the Corvette Stingray is truly impressive. More significant is how well they work together, resulting in a lap time at VIR that places the new Stingray in the upper echelon of all sports cars."

The Corvette that lapped VIR was equipped with the aforementioned Z51 package and Chevrolet's Magnetic Ride Control. Chevy says a Corvette spec'd to match the car that lapped VIR would set a buyer back $56,590.

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which will offer up to 460 horsepower, will roll into showrooms this fall with a starting price of $51,995.

[Lebowski]

Nice.

[Cookie Monster]

God damn. $56k for a car that will do 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and set laptimes around VIR faster than a Gallardo and GT-R is fucking ridiculous.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Holy shit, yes:



http://jalopnik.com/the-callaway-c21-aerowagon-is-the-corvette-stingray-sho-453832292

[Raza]

God damn. $56k for a car that will do 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and set laptimes around VIR faster than a Gallardo and GT-R is fucking ridiculous.

Yeah, that's crazy fucking fast.  Who would have thought that there'd be a better performance value than the GT-R, like, ever?

[SVT666]

Yeah, that's crazy fucking fast.  Who would have thought that there'd be a better performance value than the GT-R, like, ever?

It's almost half the cost.

[Cookie Monster]

GT-R is also a full second faster to 60.

[SVT666]

GT-R is also a full second faster to 60.

That's true.