C7 Corvette

[GoCougs]

I see FOGs in all of those, plus many who buy those cars would never buy domestic particularly not a lowly Chevrolet.

I virtually never see FOGs in any of those cars, esp. the M3 or Cayman.

[Lebowski]

M3 is a little younger, more ricey crowd. 911 around here, absolutely the typical buyer is old (and very often fat and old).

Point is, beware of alienating the existing customer base in an attempt to appeal to people who won't buy it anyway.  Avg buyer of a $60k+ 2-seater is older, and sadly the avg American of any age is fat and getting fatter.  Many Porsche/BMW buyers ain't gonna buy domestic nomatter what.

I do wish the C7 was a bit less camaro-ish in appearance and had fewer non body colored vents etc, but I hardly see any of the things I mentioned about the C6 vs C7 (a bit more room and decent ingress/egress) as negatives.  The seats could go either way, but IMO much of the seat complaints were from journalists as opposed to buyers.  I think a sportier seat is nice as an option, though.

[2o6]

I can't believe you guys are railing against this car at all. I also don't think it's as pretty as the C6, but performance wise it'll outwalk the C6, and you get such a better car for the same money.

[Mustangfan2003]

Well I saw my first C7 out in the public for the first time today when I went to get gas.  It was maroon and it looked like it had brown interior (which I thought was a good combo).  I was going to talk to the owner about it but he sat inside the car after he put the pump on auto.  Sounded a bit loud but I'm not sure if it was factory or aftermarket exhaust.  Must have been a manual because he let the car die before leaving 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Well I saw my first C7 out in the public for the first time today when I went to get gas.  It was maroon and it looked like it had brown interior (which I thought was a good combo).  I was going to talk to the owner about it but he sat inside the car after he put the pump on auto.  Sounded a bit loud but I'm not sure if it was factory or aftermarket exhaust.  Must have been a manual because he let the car die before leaving 

The factory exhaust is just loud. I guess that's okay, since most old people can't hear,anyway.

[Mustangfan2003]

The factory exhaust is just loud. I guess that's okay, since most old people can't hear,anyway.

Well this car was driven by a black guy that looked to be in his 30s. 

[Catman]

Well this car was driven by a black guy that looked to be in his 30s.

Did you call police?

[mzziaz]

Did you call police?

No need. He´ll be stopped in a matter of minutes anyway 

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Did you call police?

No need. He´ll be stopped in a matter of minutes anyway 

   

[Mustangfan2003]

No need. He´ll be stopped in a matter of minutes anyway 

Guess that explains the tinted windows. 

[Byteme]

From WIKIPEDIA:

According to research by Specialty Equipment Market Association and Experian Automotive, as of 2009, there were approximately 750,000 Corvettes of all model years registered in the United States. Corvette owners were fairly equally distributed throughout the country, with the highest density in Michigan (3.47 per 1000 residents) and the lowest density in Utah, Mississippi, and Hawaii (1.66, 1.63, and 1.53 registrations per 1000 residents). 47% of them hold college degrees (significantly above the nationwide average of 27%), and 82% are between ages of 40 and 69 (median age being 53).<sup>[92]

From About.com</sup>

The facts are easy enough - according to thie demographic analysis by SEMA, 65% of Corvette buyers are over 50, and the biggest demographic slice is 61-63 at 12% of buyers. But what does it mean?
Corvette sales have fallen 65% over the last few years. According to the demographics, about 40% of new Corvette buyers have household incomes over $100,000 - and the great recession has probably accounted for a big drop in sales. The Corvette is a halo car - it's expensive, high performance, and impractical for most people to use as a daily grocery-getter

From Corvette Blogger.com

If you compare the 911 to the Corvette, the age difference is seemingly small – the average 911 buyer is 53, the average Corvette buyer is 58. Yet the 911 isn't the only product in Porsche's portfolio. If you look at the similarly priced (base model to base model) Porsche Boxster and Cayman, the age discrepancy is much larger.  Comparing a base-model Corvette to a Cayman or Boxster in terms of performance, the vehicles aren't in the same ballpark. The Vette' offers more power, faster 0-60 and quarter mile times, and arguably better driving dynamics...and that's the problem. Younger buyers are choosing to buy cars that offer inferior performance over the Corvette. That's a flashing red indication of an image problem.V


From dailyfinance.com:

Why the 2014 Corvette Stingray Isn't Good EnoughbyJohn Rosevear, The Motley Fool Oct 6th 2013 1:06PM
Updated Oct 6th 2013 1:08PMThe all-new seventh-generation 2014 Corvette is now starting to arrive at dealers. But what kind of audience will it find? Photo credit: General Motors.
The reviews have been very positive: In terms of the overall driving experience, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is a definite improvement over its mostly well-regarded predecessor.
It's lighter. The frame is stiffer, something that matters a lot with a sports car. The interior is well finished, something that couldn't be said of the outgoing model. The revised V8 engine is both more powerful and more fuel-efficient.
Today's iteration of America's Sports Car is a high-tech wonder -- one that General Motors still manages to offer at a price much lower than rivals'.
But the Corvette still has a big problem -- one that GM, for all of the new Corvette's prowess in road tests, may not have solved.
The Corvette isn't a young guy's car
The problem is this: The Corvette's audience is getting old.
Actually, that's not the best way to describe the problem. The real problem is that GM hasn't been able to attract younger buyers to the Corvette, despite years of trying.
According to figures from market-research firm Strategic Vision, the median age of a Corvette buyer is now 61 years old. That's up from 54 years old a decade ago.
It's the same crowd, in other words. The same folks who were buying Vettes a decade ago are the ones buying them now. They're getting older, and soon they'll be hitting the point in life where a low-slung, hard-riding sports car doesn't make sense.
That doesn't bode well for the Corvette's future. Or really, for its present.
And it means that no matter how well it performs on the track, the new Vette may fall short of its rivals where it matters most -- in sales and profits.
Why don't younger folks crave Corvettes?
Apparently, because they're not cool. But what does that mean?
We know that today's young adults -- the so-called "millennials" -- aren't engaged by cars in the way that their predecessors were. There are a lot of theories that try to explain why, but the facts are the facts: Among twentysomethings, interest in (and sales of) new cars are down.
But there's still plenty of demand for sports cars, among younger folks and somewhat older folks as well. Porsche's best-seller these days is the Cayenne SUV, but the German firm is still selling plenty of Boxsters and Caymans and 911s -- most at prices quite a bit steeper than the Corvette's.
The company's demographics are a lot better than the Corvette's: Plenty of Porsche buyers are in their 40s. And Porsche is finding success in China, where a surge of youngish professionals are driving a boom in luxury-brand purchases. The Porsche brand is a global status symbol, and the cars' appeal crosses generations.
Like Porsches, the latest Corvette shines in performance tests. But it doesn't have the same kind of cross-generational appeal. And it's certainly not a global status symbol.
At least not yet. And that's where I'd argue that GM hasn't succeeded with the new car.
The Vette's formula isn't getting the job done
The new car is a fine achievement, a solid improvement on its predecessor. But it's nothing more than that, and as I see it -- and I'm a former Vette owner myself -- that's the problem.
GM didn't rethink the Corvette formula this time around. The last model, the sixth-generation Corvette, had styling inspired by Stealth fighter planes -- as did its predecessor. The new car plays more riffs on that theme, with some added elements that might have been inspired by video games.
The classic curves that made the 1960s Corvettes into style icons weren't part of the brief. The new Vette is a flashy car, not an elegant one -- just like the last Vette.The old Vette is a classic. Will the new one ever have the same status? Photo credit: General Motors.
The new Vette's styling is dramatic, but I think it's going to look dated pretty quickly. And I think it's safe to say that it's not a look that will appeal to the sweet spot of today's luxury-car demographic.
How do I know that? Simple: Look at the cars that do: Tesla's Model S, the latest Maseratis, BMW's coupes, and so forth. For that matter, look at the classic -- timeless -- cool of recent Aston Martins. The Vette is a very different animal. And I think that difference is going to limit its audience, and its sales.)
Also contrast the new Vette with the approach that Ford took with its last Mustang: a "retro" look that still managed to appeal to younger buyers. Like the Vette, the Mustang is an old-school formula executed with some modern technology. But unlike the Vette, the current Mustang managed to find a broad demographic appeal.
I argue that the Mustang's success has had a lot do with its classic, gimmick-free styling. From some angles, the new Corvette's styling is more jarring than beautiful. Photo credit: General Motors.
GM went for flashy over cool, for striking over classic, with the new Vette. That's a subjective call, and it was surely a carefully calculated decision by GM. GM says it wants to attract younger folks to the Vette, of course. But first and foremost it doesn't want to alienate loyal Corvette buyers.
That decision might have been a mistake.
What GM needs to do next time
Nobody wants to alienate a loyal customer base. And GM shouldn't turn the Vette into something radically different.
But consider this: Those 1960s Vettes, the ones with timeless-yet-cutting-edge styling, are the ones that made such a big impression on today's 61-year-old Vette buyers, long ago.
This new Vette is a nice car. But it's not timeless, just formulaic, flashy. That might work one more time with those old-school customers.
But I don't think it's going to win the new customers that GM needs for its halo car. I think that after the initial rush of interest, we're going to see Vette sales head slowly downhill.
And that means that the next all-new Corvette -- if there is one -- is going to have to be very different.

[SVT666]

That red looks phenomenal, but the rear end is still hard for me to like.

[NomisR]

We saw a C7 the other day and the wife likes it.  Maybe an addition to the garage in a couple of years..

[Byteme]

That red looks phenomenal, but the rear end is still hard for me to like.

One of the car mags just tested a yellow one.  From the pictures of the front end and reart end it looked like the offspring of an illicit affair between Pikachu and a new Camaro.   

I was initially impressed, but the more I see it, the less I like it.

[MX793]

I love the profile and I love the front (both look very modern Ferrari to me), but the back is just a little busy for my taste.  I would totally buy (or at least very seriously consider) one if I had the means, though.

[GoCougs]

From WIKIPEDIA:

According to research by Specialty Equipment Market Association and Experian Automotive, as of 2009, there were approximately 750,000 Corvettes of all model years registered in the United States. Corvette owners were fairly equally distributed throughout the country, with the highest density in Michigan (3.47 per 1000 residents) and the lowest density in Utah, Mississippi, and Hawaii (1.66, 1.63, and 1.53 registrations per 1000 residents). 47% of them hold college degrees (significantly above the nationwide average of 27%), and 82% are between ages of 40 and 69 (median age being 53).<sup>[92]

From About.com</sup>

The facts are easy enough - according to thie demographic analysis by SEMA, 65% of Corvette buyers are over 50, and the biggest demographic slice is 61-63 at 12% of buyers. But what does it mean?
Corvette sales have fallen 65% over the last few years. According to the demographics, about 40% of new Corvette buyers have household incomes over $100,000 - and the great recession has probably accounted for a big drop in sales. The Corvette is a halo car - it's expensive, high performance, and impractical for most people to use as a daily grocery-getter

From Corvette Blogger.com

If you compare the 911 to the Corvette, the age difference is seemingly small – the average 911 buyer is 53, the average Corvette buyer is 58. Yet the 911 isn't the only product in Porsche's portfolio. If you look at the similarly priced (base model to base model) Porsche Boxster and Cayman, the age discrepancy is much larger.  Comparing a base-model Corvette to a Cayman or Boxster in terms of performance, the vehicles aren't in the same ballpark. The Vette' offers more power, faster 0-60 and quarter mile times, and arguably better driving dynamics...and that's the problem. Younger buyers are choosing to buy cars that offer inferior performance over the Corvette. That's a flashing red indication of an image problem.V


From dailyfinance.com:

Why the 2014 Corvette Stingray Isn't Good EnoughbyJohn Rosevear, The Motley Fool Oct 6th 2013 1:06PM
Updated Oct 6th 2013 1:08PMThe all-new seventh-generation 2014 Corvette is now starting to arrive at dealers. But what kind of audience will it find? Photo credit: General Motors.
The reviews have been very positive: In terms of the overall driving experience, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is a definite improvement over its mostly well-regarded predecessor.
It's lighter. The frame is stiffer, something that matters a lot with a sports car. The interior is well finished, something that couldn't be said of the outgoing model. The revised V8 engine is both more powerful and more fuel-efficient.
Today's iteration of America's Sports Car is a high-tech wonder -- one that General Motors still manages to offer at a price much lower than rivals'.
But the Corvette still has a big problem -- one that GM, for all of the new Corvette's prowess in road tests, may not have solved.
The Corvette isn't a young guy's car
The problem is this: The Corvette's audience is getting old.
Actually, that's not the best way to describe the problem. The real problem is that GM hasn't been able to attract younger buyers to the Corvette, despite years of trying.
According to figures from market-research firm Strategic Vision, the median age of a Corvette buyer is now 61 years old. That's up from 54 years old a decade ago.
It's the same crowd, in other words. The same folks who were buying Vettes a decade ago are the ones buying them now. They're getting older, and soon they'll be hitting the point in life where a low-slung, hard-riding sports car doesn't make sense.
That doesn't bode well for the Corvette's future. Or really, for its present.
And it means that no matter how well it performs on the track, the new Vette may fall short of its rivals where it matters most -- in sales and profits.
Why don't younger folks crave Corvettes?
Apparently, because they're not cool. But what does that mean?
We know that today's young adults -- the so-called "millennials" -- aren't engaged by cars in the way that their predecessors were. There are a lot of theories that try to explain why, but the facts are the facts: Among twentysomethings, interest in (and sales of) new cars are down.
But there's still plenty of demand for sports cars, among younger folks and somewhat older folks as well. Porsche's best-seller these days is the Cayenne SUV, but the German firm is still selling plenty of Boxsters and Caymans and 911s -- most at prices quite a bit steeper than the Corvette's.
The company's demographics are a lot better than the Corvette's: Plenty of Porsche buyers are in their 40s. And Porsche is finding success in China, where a surge of youngish professionals are driving a boom in luxury-brand purchases. The Porsche brand is a global status symbol, and the cars' appeal crosses generations.
Like Porsches, the latest Corvette shines in performance tests. But it doesn't have the same kind of cross-generational appeal. And it's certainly not a global status symbol.
At least not yet. And that's where I'd argue that GM hasn't succeeded with the new car.
The Vette's formula isn't getting the job done
The new car is a fine achievement, a solid improvement on its predecessor. But it's nothing more than that, and as I see it -- and I'm a former Vette owner myself -- that's the problem.
GM didn't rethink the Corvette formula this time around. The last model, the sixth-generation Corvette, had styling inspired by Stealth fighter planes -- as did its predecessor. The new car plays more riffs on that theme, with some added elements that might have been inspired by video games.
The classic curves that made the 1960s Corvettes into style icons weren't part of the brief. The new Vette is a flashy car, not an elegant one -- just like the last Vette.The old Vette is a classic. Will the new one ever have the same status? Photo credit: General Motors.
The new Vette's styling is dramatic, but I think it's going to look dated pretty quickly. And I think it's safe to say that it's not a look that will appeal to the sweet spot of today's luxury-car demographic.
How do I know that? Simple: Look at the cars that do: Tesla's Model S, the latest Maseratis, BMW's coupes, and so forth. For that matter, look at the classic -- timeless -- cool of recent Aston Martins. The Vette is a very different animal. And I think that difference is going to limit its audience, and its sales.)
Also contrast the new Vette with the approach that Ford took with its last Mustang: a "retro" look that still managed to appeal to younger buyers. Like the Vette, the Mustang is an old-school formula executed with some modern technology. But unlike the Vette, the current Mustang managed to find a broad demographic appeal.
I argue that the Mustang's success has had a lot do with its classic, gimmick-free styling. From some angles, the new Corvette's styling is more jarring than beautiful. Photo credit: General Motors.
GM went for flashy over cool, for striking over classic, with the new Vette. That's a subjective call, and it was surely a carefully calculated decision by GM. GM says it wants to attract younger folks to the Vette, of course. But first and foremost it doesn't want to alienate loyal Corvette buyers.
That decision might have been a mistake.
What GM needs to do next time
Nobody wants to alienate a loyal customer base. And GM shouldn't turn the Vette into something radically different.
But consider this: Those 1960s Vettes, the ones with timeless-yet-cutting-edge styling, are the ones that made such a big impression on today's 61-year-old Vette buyers, long ago.
This new Vette is a nice car. But it's not timeless, just formulaic, flashy. That might work one more time with those old-school customers.
But I don't think it's going to win the new customers that GM needs for its halo car. I think that after the initial rush of interest, we're going to see Vette sales head slowly downhill.
And that means that the next all-new Corvette -- if there is one -- is going to have to be very different.

Wow, this is not very good.

Corvettes have never appealed to "younger" buyers for various reasons, most notably that they're too expensive.

The Mustang (and Camaro) found "broad demographic appeal" because they're about half the cost and are more practical. Complaints about flashy and not-timeless styling apply WAY more to these cars than the Corvette.

The Corvette is selling less and less because the C6 carried on for 10 years and because of more competition, including the Camaro.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I love how the article puts so much emphasis on age! How many 20 or 30 somethings can shell out around 60K for a Sportscar? At that age the Mustang or Camaro it a much better choice! (especially for those that need room for more than 1 passenger) I'd like to see the average age of the guys/gals that buy used Corvettes..........

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Wow, this is not very good.

Corvettes have never appealed to "younger" buyers for various reasons, most notably that they're too expensive.

The Mustang (and Camaro) found "broad demographic appeal" because they're about half the cost and are more practical. Complaints about flashy and not-timeless styling apply WAY more to these cars than the Corvette.

The Corvette is selling less and less because the C6 carried on for 10 years and because of more competition, including the Camaro.

I read that the C7 will have a 5 year lifespand...

[FoMoJo]

Wow, this is not very good.

Corvettes have never appealed to "younger" buyers for various reasons, most notably that they're too expensive.

The Mustang (and Camaro) found "broad demographic appeal" because they're about half the cost and are more practical. Complaints about flashy and not-timeless styling apply WAY more to these cars than the Corvette.

The Corvette is selling less and less because the C6 carried on for 10 years and because of more competition, including the Camaro.

Corvette gradually priced itself out of the younger thirtyish market.  Initially, they were mid-range, now they're looking to compete at a higher level but somehow missed the prerequisites of that market...hence falling into the market of well off FOGs.

[Lebowski]

Inflation for corvette has been no more (and probably less) that most of the competition.  It hasn't been a cheap car at least anytime in my lifetime.

Go price out a well equipped Boxster or Cayman reasonably equipped.

There was a Cayman S in Detroit with an as equipped price of $123k.

[FoMoJo]

Inflation for corvette has been no more (and probably less) that most of the competition.  It hasn't been a cheap car at least anytime in my lifetime.

Go price out a well equipped Boxster or Cayman reasonably equipped.

There was a Cayman S in Detroit with an as equipped price of $123k.

I was basing my observation on recollection and this table...though I can't swear to the precise accuracy of it.

Although the Corvette is closer to the price range of a Boxster or Cayman, it is perceived by some to compete with the 911 Turbo...though it lacks in refinement to all of them.  It's still looked upon as a muscle car.
 

C1's
Production....Year..Base Price..2010 Dollars..Other Base Prices
300.............1953, $3,498.00, $28,388.43
3,640..........1954, $2,774.00, $22,345.34
700.............1955, $2,774.00, $22,428.72
3,467..........1956, $3,120.00, $24,855.27
6,339..........1957, $3,176.32, $24,493.50
9,168..........1958, $3,591.00, $26,924.67
9,670..........1959, $3,875.00, $28,854.37
10,261........1960, $3,872.00, $28,345.00
10,939........1961, $3,934.00, $28,509.92
14,531........1962, $4,038.00, $28,972.92
C2's
21,513........1963, $4,252.00, $30,109.58, Vert $4,037.00
22,229........1964, $4,252.00, $29,721.07, Vert $4,037.00
23,564........1965, $4,321.00, $29,723.95, Vert $4,106.00
27,720........1966, $4,295.00, $28,724.40, Vert $4,084.00
22,940........1967, $4,388.75, $28,472.61, Vert $4,240.75
C3's
28,566........1968, $4,663.00, $29,034.81, Vert $4,320.00
38,762........1969, $4,781.00, $28,228.35, Vert $4,438.00
17,316........1970, $5,192.00, $28,995.85, Vert $4,849.00
21,801........1971, $5,496.00, $29,405.23, Vert $5,259.00
27,004........1972, $5,533.00, $28,682.52, Vert $5,296.00
30,464........1973, $5,561.50, $27,142.00, Vert $5,398.50
37,502........1974, $6,001.50, $26,378.24, Vert $5,765.50
38,465........1975, $6,810.10, $27,428.63, Vert $6,550.10
46,558........1976, $7,604.85, $28,960.85,
49,213........1977, $8,647.65, $30,921.34
46,776........1978, $9,351.89, $31,080.26
53,807........1979, $10,220.23, $30,504.01
40,614........1980, $13,140.24, $34,554.84
40,606........1981, $16,258.52, $38,756.98, First year of Bowling Green Plant, 8,995 Vettes were built there.
25,407........1982, $18,290.07, $41,069.64
C4's
51,547........1984, $21,800.00, $45,464.64
39,729........1985, $24,403.00, $49,143.24
35,109........1986, $27,027.00, $53,434.30, Vert $32,032.00
30,632........1987, $27,999.00, $53,406.86, Vert $33,172.00
22,789........1988, $29,489.00, $54,014.23, Vert $34,820.00
26,412........1989, $31,545.00, $55,124.12, Vert $36,785.00
23,646........1990, $31,979.00, $53,017.85, Vert $37,264.00, ZR-1 option $27,016, (3,049)
20,639........1991, $32,455.00, $51,634.19, Vert $38,770.00, ZR-1 option $31,683, (2,044)
20,479........1992, $33,635.00, $51,947.74, Vert $40,145.00, ZR-1 option $31,683, (502)
21,590........1993, $34,595.00, $51,877.42, Vert $41,195.00, ZR-1 option $31,683, (448)
23,330........1994, $36,185.00, $52,907.01, Vert $42,960.00, ZR-1 option $31,258, (448)
20,742........1995, $36,785.00, $52,302.04, Vert $43,665.00, ZR-1 option $31,258, (448)
21,536........1996, $37,225.00, $51,409.65, Vert $45,060.00
C5's
9,752..........1997, $37,495.00, $50,621.05
31,084.........1998, $37,495.00, $49,844.66, Vert $44,425.00
33,270.........1999, $39,171.00, $50,947.46, Vert $45,579.00, FRC $38,777.00
33,682.........2000, $39,475.00, $49,673.17, Vert $45,900.00, FRC $38,900.00
35,627.........2001, $40,475.00, $49,522.34, Vert $47,000.00, Z06 $47,500.00
35,767.........2002, $41,450.00, $49,925.94, Vert $47,975.00, Z06 $50,150.00
35,469.........2003, $43,895.00, $51,692.80, Vert $50,370.00, Z06 $51,155.00
34,064.........2004, $44,535.00, $51,086.05, Vert $51,535.00, Z06 $52,385.00
C6's
37,372.........2005, $43,710.00, $48,496.61, Vert $51,445.00
34,021.........2006, $43,600.00, $47,937.70, Vert $52,335.00, Z06 $65,800.00
40,561.........2007, $44,995.00, $47,937.70, Vert $52,910.00, Z06 $70,000.00
35,310.........2008, $46,950.00, $47,251.80, Vert $52,335.00, Z06 $65,800.00
16,956.........2009, $48,565.00, $49,051.70, Vert $53,220.00, Z06 $73,255.00, ZR1 $104,920.00
10,???..........2010, $49,880.00, $49,880.00, Vert $54,530, GS Coupe $55,720, GS Vert $59,530, Z06 $75,235, ZR1 $109,130

[Byteme]

I love how the article puts so much emphasis on age! How many 20 or 30 somethings can shell out around 60K for a Sportscar? At that age the Mustang or Camaro it a much better choice! (especially for those that need room for more than 1 passenger) I'd like to see the average age of the guys/gals that buy used Corvettes..........

GM doesn't really care about the age of those buying used Corvettes.  That in itself doesn't make a new one more appealing to a younger demographic.

[Byteme]

Inflation for corvette has been no more (and probably less) that most of the competition.  It hasn't been a cheap car at least anytime in my lifetime.

Go price out a well equipped Boxster or Cayman reasonably equipped.

There was a Cayman S in Detroit with an as equipped price of $123k.

And yet the Cayman has a younger demographic than the Corvette.  That's the problem for GM; how to make those between say 30 and 55 years of age who can afford one want to buy a Corvette rather than a Porsche or whatever.

I see the Corvette, alond with Porsche, AM, Jaguar, Ferrari and others of that ilk as asperational cars.  Younger buyers with money are apparently Ignoring the Corvette, despite it's performance credentials.

Maybe it's an image problem that it's produced by GM bread and butter car division, Maybe it's a perception problem harking back to the 70's vettes. 

[Xer0]

Being in this younger group (mid to late 20s), I can say that my friends and I are digging this Corvette a lot more then the C6.  Sure, we can't afford it, but it actually comes up in contention a lot more now in those hypothetical won the lottery lists.  It doesn't look as old now.

[GoCougs]

I think Chevy did exactly what it had to do to try to tap a younger market - edgier, sharper, more tech, more refined.

[GoCougs]

I'll take mine in white with the black wheels:

[SJ_GTI]

I'll take mine in white with the black wheels:

Nice. I dig that look, don't usually like white though.

[Lebowski]

I'll take mine in white with the black wheels:

I like white as well.

White has become one of my favorite car colors the last few years, ~10yrs ago it was my least favorite. I always thought the C6 looked pretty good in white, that was one of the cars that started to change my mind.

[Lebowski]

And yet the Cayman has a younger demographic than the Corvette.  That's the problem for GM; how to make those between say 30 and 55 years of age who can afford one want to buy a Corvette rather than a Porsche or whatever.

I see the Corvette, alond with Porsche, AM, Jaguar, Ferrari and others of that ilk as asperational cars.  Younger buyers with money are apparently Ignoring the Corvette, despite it's performance credentials.

Maybe it's an image problem that it's produced by GM bread and butter car division, Maybe it's a perception problem harking back to the 70's vettes. 

A lot of those buyers want the Porsche badge. Nothing GM can do to the corvette will change the brand image of anything GM compared to Porsche (or BMW or MB etc).

I don't think it's a perception harking to '70s or any vettes, it's harking to the Big3 in general.  Older people may remember a different time, people in my generation grew up in some pretty dark days for the Big 3, plus our generation is probably more brand focused than previous generations across the board, not just cars.

[Byteme]

A lot of those buyers want the Porsche badge. Nothing GM can do to the corvette will change the brand image of anything GM compared to Porsche (or BMW or MB etc).

And that's a big problem for GM to try to solve.