The Official C8 Corvette Thread...

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'm sure hoping they stick with a N/A motor(s), at least for the base/mid-level trims.

The Z06 and ZR1 (and the Hellcat cars even) have been smash hits but that's a LOT of motor. 550 hp N/A and M/T or DCT, 3,500 lbs, and under $100k and this car will give a hard reboot the sport/performance market desperately needs.

Per the most recent C&D comparo, the Camaro SS 1LE is 100% the performer the Corvette is - something had to be done.

Looks like the base model will have a 480-500 hp LT2! Starting price may be as low as 60-65k! We shall see.....

[Payman]

Yeah, given that this will be the only Corvette going forward, it's unthinkable now that it'll be priced any more than a few thousand over the C7.

[FoMoJo]

10 days and 30 mins.........
https://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/next-gen-corvette.html

Looks pretty good from the side view.  I like the snub nose.

[GoCougs]

Yeah, given that this will be the only Corvette going forward, it's unthinkable now that it'll be priced any more than a few thousand over the C7.

Times are changing, bruh!

There's so much competition in the space, esp. from the Pony cars (and most notably the Camaro, which IMO is the better car overall), the traditional Corvette's days were numbered.

Move the Corvette upscale, at smaller volumes but higher margin - just enough to keep the program viable, while keeping the tradition alive and keep something interesting for the hotshot engineering folks to work on.

[Payman]

The Pony cars play in the 30-50k area, whereas the 'Vette lives in the 60-75k zone, and higher with some trims. The only way the Camaro is a better car is because it comes with a back seat. Even as a Pony car, the Mustang and Challenger are doing it better right now (ie, power and looks, which are what matters most to Pony car buyers).

[12,000 RPM]

I still think there is a huge opportunity for GM to revive the 3rd gen Camaro's design language and basically make the Camaro a 2+2 Stingray

6th gen was a failure outside of C&D comparos so a total design reboot would not be out of the question. If there's one thing the Camaro design has been... it's inconsistent

I think a well done nod to the 2nd/3rd gen Camaros would be a smash hit

[GoCougs]

The Pony cars play in the 30-50k area, whereas the 'Vette lives in the 60-75k zone, and higher with some trims. The only way the Camaro is a better car is because it comes with a back seat. Even as a Pony car, the Mustang and Challenger are doing it better right now (ie, power and looks, which are what matters most to Pony car buyers).

The Camaro is 99%+ the performer of the C7, and costs less and is more practical. The Mustang isn't at the level, and the Challenger is one level down from there, but both are still notable alternatives, and are most definitely eating into Corvette sales (esp. the more expensive models - ZL1, GT350, Hellcat, etc.).

[Payman]

Hardly. Those willing to shell out $60k+ for a pony car is a very small group, and not one that cross shops a base Stingray. These guys/gals are about the numbers, and for a Vette the high numbers are in 6 digit territory. Conversely, the Stingray shopper generally wants a Stingray, and not a $65,000 Camaro.

[GoCougs]

Hardly. Those willing to shell out $60k+ for a pony car is a very small group, and not one that cross shops a base Stingray. These guys/gals are about the numbers, and for a Vette the high numbers are in 6 digit territory. Conversely, the Stingray shopper generally wants a Stingray, and not a $65,000 Camaro.

Might be a small group, but in general, $60k pony car buyers outnumber Corvette buyers as of late.

Individual trim levels production numbers are hard to come by, but from what I can find, the uber pony cars have had some banner sales figures - the peaks figures I can find are in 2017 Ford sold ~7,100 GT350s and in 2016 Mopar sold ~12,000 Hellcat Challengers (and note that does not include Hellcat Chargers or GC). That there alone is 19,100 and bests the C7's 2018 sales (18,000, down almost ~50% since the C7 debut). I can't find anything on the ZL1 but let's say it's 5,000 total, and well, that's a lot of $60k+ pony car buyers.

Of course we'll never know the true numbers of C7 sales lost to pony cars, but my bet is it's in the 8k - 12k range, and it'd probably only get worse, as uber pony cars get better, more interesting, and more numerous (GT500). GM knows that the traditional Corvette is going to have a very tough go in such a market and precisely why GM is remaking the Corvette into a different car, esp. price point.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I still think there is a huge opportunity for GM to revive the 3rd gen Camaro's design language and basically make the Camaro a 2+2 Stingray

6th gen was a failure outside of C&D comparos so a total design reboot would not be out of the question. If there's one thing the Camaro design has been... it's inconsistent

I think a well done nod to the 2nd/3rd gen Camaros would be a smash hit

I think this is whats gonna happen! I'm pretty sure that why GM said The Camaro wouldn't be continuing on the Alpha Platform! I'd try to utilize the C7 chassis for the 7th Gen Camaro! Then All the guys that are crying about The C8 not having a manual can get their front engine MANUAL sports car!

[12,000 RPM]

Might be a small group, but in general, $60k pony car buyers outnumber Corvette buyers as of late.

Individual trim levels production numbers are hard to come by, but from what I can find, the uber pony cars have had some banner sales figures - the peaks figures I can find are in 2017 Ford sold ~7,100 GT350s and in 2016 Mopar sold ~12,000 Hellcat Challengers (and note that does not include Hellcat Chargers or GC). That there alone is 19,100 and bests the C7's 2018 sales (18,000, down almost ~50% since the C7 debut). I can't find anything on the ZL1 but let's say it's 5,000 total, and well, that's a lot of $60k+ pony car buyers.

Of course we'll never know the true numbers of C7 sales lost to pony cars, but my bet is it's in the 8k - 12k range, and it'd probably only get worse, as uber pony cars get better, more interesting, and more numerous (GT500). GM knows that the traditional Corvette is going to have a very tough go in such a market and precisely why GM is remaking the Corvette into a different car, esp. price point.

People buying performance cars use other criterion besides C&D performance tests and comparo wins

And sports car sales always follow the same trajectory... they sell a shitload the first year and sales trail off precipitously. Corvette is no different

[GoCougs]

People buying performance cars use other criterion besides C&D performance tests and comparo wins

And sports car sales always follow the same trajectory... they sell a shitload the first year and sales trail off precipitously. Corvette is no different

Correct, and they bought a LOT of uber pony cars, so much so GM had to reinvent the Corvette as a different car.

[cawimmer430]

Six 2020 Corvette Prototypes Spotted Departing The Nurburgring

We're only a few days away from Chevrolet unveiling the all-new 2020 mid-engine Corvette, an event that you'll be able to follow online via livestream.

Proceedings will kick off on July 18 at 7:30 pm PDT / 10:30 pm EDT, and you can get in on the action using this link. Until then, the automaker is apparently calling for all hands to be on deck, as no fewer than six Corvette C8 prototypes were spotted recently departing their testing grounds at the Nurburgring.



These prototypes, getting loaded onto a transport truck, are all heavily camouflaged and there aren't any new visual cues for us to pick up on, especially since they are the exact same cars that had previously been scooped during track tests in Germany.

Recently, it has been reported that the C8 Corvette's naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine will be known as the 'LT2', and that it will initially equip the entry-level Stingray version.



While largely the same as the current LT1 6.2-liter V8 from the C7, Chevrolet has apparently updated the unit's active fuel management system and also made various valve improvements for the sake of refinement. In terms of power, it could produce somewhere between 480 and 500 horses, giving it a slight edge over the 460 HP currently offered up in the C7 Stingray Z51 and C7 Grand Sport models. As for torque, that should also go up from 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) to around 480 lb-ft (650 Nm).



Power will be sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission, possibly of the dual-clutch variety. Meanwhile, later models will definitely boast more power and should include a twin-turbo V8 as well as a twin-turbo V8 hybrid with upwards of 1,000 HP.

We've also gotten a better look inside the 2020 Corvette C8 as of recently. Aside from the new two-spoke steering wheel, the mid-engine American supercar will also come with a digital instrument cluster, sleek air vents, electronic parking brake, stylish metallic accents and an infotainment display with thick bezels.


Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/07/six-2020-corvette-prototypes-spotted-departing-the-nurburgring/

[Payman]

One of them has a small lip spoiler instead of that sad looking wing. Nice!

[FoMoJo]

Interesting to see what the performance numbers are.  Aero is key.

[Payman]

Lol, maybe they read all the shitposts against the wing, and they're scrambling to see if it works without one.

[CaminoRacer]

Lol, maybe they read all the shitposts against the wing, and they're scrambling to see if it works without one.

They've always had different spoiler/wing options. Why would the C8 be different?

I guarantee they're all functional.

[FoMoJo]

They've always had different spoiler/wing options. Why would the C8 be different?

I guarantee they're all functional.

No doubt they all do something. 

[GoCougs]

Lol, maybe they read all the shitposts against the wing, and they're scrambling to see if it works without one.

No, for many reasons, the chief of them being those that complain on forums do not and will not buy the car.

[Payman]

I was joking.

[SJ_GTI]

I was joking.

Joking is immoral and fascist.

[Payman]

Joking is immoral and fascist.

By definition?

[93JC]

Just take the L.

[FoMoJo]

Joking is immoral and fascist.

Only in Bizarro World.

[FoMoJo]

Just take the L.

What is the L?

[Payman]

Limelight. Or laurels. Maybe victory Lap?

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/07/twin-turbo-v8-lt7-engine-for-c8-corvette-z06-leaks/

[93JC]

What is the L?

Limelight. Or laurels. Maybe victory Lap?

In internetry, as in life, and pro sports, there are Ws and Ls.

[FoMoJo]

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/07/twin-turbo-v8-lt7-engine-for-c8-corvette-z06-leaks/

Makes sense.

[GoCougs]

I was joking.

Others have taken the L for you, so I'll let it be .