Should I get a new C7 Corvette?

we could have had 6 or even 8, dang.

 

Which, nevertheless, makes more sense than the 3 pipes in the Italia. LOL!

 

And just think about it--instead of stopping at 3 pipes the 458 could have 5 or 7! LOL!

 

Or the F40?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

When I think of all the wonderful things they could have done with this basic shape, it's amazing they came up with so many different ideas molded into one.

Some were obviously of the Cadillac camp (sharp edges and creases). Some where of the Camaro camp (the rear and tail lights) and some just wanted to make a fake Ferrari (the side profile and details of the headlights and lower rear).

What a pity.

It may be great value for money and I bet it's going to do really well to spark sales but I can't see how this shape will last 5 more years until the next one.

And that interior.... ugh!

 

The exterior looks interesting to me- I immediately thought of the "rip off" of Ferrari/GTR/etc design clues- I happened to be in a Ferrari dealership when the C6 corvette just came out and a salesman literally just picked up the Car & Driver from his in box and was yelling that they ripped off the 360 lights/front look!

The steering wheel is absolutely terrible, and button filled wheels are a pet peeve of mine on any car- including the 458's rediculous steering wheel. Chevy actually had a nice looking wheel in certain C6 vettes- simple three spoke, the fewer buttons the better. I am biased, but to me the best modern Ferrari steering wheel is the 360.

As far as the original thread starter that worries about his Ferrari breaking/sticky annoyances etc, if you don't have the passion for it anymore I agree it's time to sell it. There is a fine feedback and driving experience to driving the 360 that I never had with any of the porsches I had or the one corvette I had (C4) and it's worth the "price of admission" to me, and I'll include maintenance in the definition of "price of admission". If the car didn't have that special feeling for me anymore I'd sell it and get something that wasn't so expensive to keep on the road. Overall, the 360 has been reliable for me however.

All cars are getting faster now, so it's no longer about the speed (for me anyway- it's diminishing returns of fun/usability if a car does a 11 vs 12 second 1/4 mile), it's essentially the experience and design of the cars. A 360 is plenty fast for me...in a few years minivans will be as fast, but not as fun to drive. The 308/328 guys already live in this reality...the cars are works of art and have a unique feel and that's why they are special- they certainly aren't "fast" anymore.

 

I had the same initial reaction. Not all that cohesive, to put it politely.

I'm not keen on the interior either. Every time I consider a Corvette (or 360/F430), the interior kills it. I like the C6, and it's hard to argue with the performance/value. But I was in a new BMW 550i this weekend and it feels a notch above Ferrari, and many notches above even recent Corvettes.

 

This comment about the gearbox makes me wonder why you would want a manual. The engine blips the throttle for you and matches the revs.

What's the point of having a manual when the nannies do all the fun stuff?

And the shift gate pattern. Anyone sense a bit of overkill here?


http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20130114-2014-chevrolet-corvette-stingray

For the more-is-better file, the C7 brings a novel entry: a 7-speed Tremec manual transmission. Yes, the shift pattern may resemble a Pac-Man maze, but when the driver finds a gear, it may induce delusions of grandeur, thanks to Active Rev Matching – an electronic flattery system that blips the throttle on downshifts to make a driver look, or at least sound, like Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel at the Singapore Grand Prix. Or you can choose a 6-speed automatic (sigh).
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You can apparently turn that feature off too, so you can have it both ways. To me that feature is kind of halfway between a paddle shift and regular gear shift. It does the hard work of rev matching so that you can upshift and downshift flawlessly, but that means that your secretary, that can barely drive a stick can drive the car as smoothly as you, and that takes the skill factor right out of it, which a paddle shifter does too.

 

Well, as my dad always said "You wouldn't want anybody to see you riding in one, as they might think you own it."
Sort of the way to say Timex or Rolex. They both end in an "X".

 

The kool-aide saturated F-car owners don't like the car and want to spout off ad nauseum about why. Please stop cluttering with your thoughts about a car you'd never consider owning anyway. I want to say that is called trolling?

Go back to posting about how awesome you and the 458 or other F car are in the appropriate sub-forums and let us plebian masses who like cars and Ferraris have a more neutral discourse.

And those whose life image depends on the car they drive, watch they wear, etc., well as they say the difference between porcupines and (Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, evne many Vett owners) . . . .

 

The interior really does suck. Amazing after reading all the blatrher about how the interior is going upscale. Even if the interior is way better built, the photos dont back that up, its just an isnsipid chevy inerior design. Really not too different from my equinox. Lets just say for all the effort and words from Gm on the interior they clearly are clueless.

The exterior may be multi car derivative and unoriginal, but it does look good from most angles(front and side). The rear in general is hideous and there is no elegance to the car at all. Its a bling mobile, more pole dancer than model, but I can see the appeal, its not a cliff jump, but I dont see the shape standing the test of time, its all too hard on the eye. Perhaps in a grey it all makes better sense in a stealth fighter sort of way.

The car that really is exciting is the Viper, it has the looks and rawness that appeals, the vette just seems so gimicky in looks. Performance as usualy will have great numbers, lets see if it has feel, feedback and tactility, I sense those attributes will be little more than more hyperbole.

lastly even from the photos you can tell, that they are not yet a hyundai build.

I am sure the z06 and zr1 will blow the doors off performance measures, but the cars are mostly allreally fast now.

After renting and escalade, which was truley hideous in almost every measure and seeing this vette(which will sell, but is a missed opportunity) I am more convinced than ever that GM is on borrowed time. I mean this is their halo product, the best they could do. Kids playing with a cad cam.

 

And F12

 

I think thats what I will do, Z06! The C7 looks awsome! however I don't think selling your 360 is a good idea though =P

Things that I don't like but not going to stop me buying one.........the tail light....what sup with the camero tail light????
The interior/detail/steering wheel are still horrible but I really like the looks.........I am werid...I think GTR is very sexy too.

 

I personally like the looks of the car as well as the interior. Different strokes for different folks. It is not competing with Ferrari, and I think GM has done a terrific job on this car, IMHO.

 

+1

 

I want one, but then again I already did the Ferrari, Lambo, Maserati thing. I enjoy my current Z06 more than any of the cars of the above mentioned names and you avoid all that look at that car stuff. I am old enough not to want attention at least from the car I drive.

 

You can us

 

I think a lot of people might change their minds when they see the new Vette in the flesh, and depending on the color, can also make or break the car. When the California came out, many people here on FChat called it ugly, that it looked too much like a Vette, etc., etc.
Now, myself included, think it's a beautiful looking car. Having driven one didn't hurt either.

 

I wear my Mopar shirt when I'm driving my Ferrari and I'm probably fitter than you. My modded C6 Z06 destroys F-cars around the track, does it reliably, economically and looks great doing it. In many ways its engineering is at least as good as Ferrari's and has the numbers to prove it. I enjoy the high end interiors on my Ferraris and realize that they are indeed special-doesn't reduce my admiration for my Corvettes(and Mopars) any less.

Great post!

Really? Don't you ever have anything better to do than troll any and all GM threads and spew your absolute nonsense? Methinks you must have been bullied by GM(Corvette especially) owners-your Euro heap destroyed by a Vette at the track? or was it by-gasp!-a Camaro? did your BMW X5 get stuck in the mud and have to dragged out by a Tahoe? Caddy V-spec embarrass you and your Audi on the way to dinner? Perhaps, since you reference Hyundais so much, the ZR1s and Vs are simply out of reach and you are envious?

Whatever, the C7 is a stunner.

 

bahahaha. What's next, say something bad about his mom?

 

Well, I grew up a hardcore Corvette fan - still am. My pops owned a '61 283 w/ 2x4bbl black on black. That car is now owned by my brother, but my dad took me to every Corvette show since I was 10-11 years old.

That being said - I'm lukewarm on the styling. I like it from the front and side, but really can't stand all the scoops and odd coloring on the roof / pillars. Interior is ok, but the video game tach is disappointing.

The rear is unforgivable, and I don't mean the size. No 'Vette since 1961 came with anything but round tail lights. Someone else mentioned here - that's part of the brand...it's inexcusable to me that they would mimic a CAMARO when the Corvette is the halo car.

Perhaps too idealistic, but that just kills it for me. I've longed for the day when they downsize the car but retain some of the historic cues (round tail lights)...I always thought more 550 / 575 than Viper.

Oh well, I'm not in the market anyway...

 

Round?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Yea you got me there!!! How about "not square"? (although these are close!!!)

This from an article reviewing the car:

"If there are nods to the Corvette's heritage in the new design, there are also subtle nods to the present competition. Gone are the car's trademark rounded tail lights, replaced with more boxy lights that resemble those found on the Camaro. That's not an update that sits well with many long-time Corvette owners.

"Many individuals are concerned about the rear square lights," said Tommy DeLuca, who owns a 2005 Corvette. "My concern would be how to differentiate the tail lights from other GM cars. The tail lights should be different so that anyone looking at the car will know it is a Corvette."

 

I will add the C7 next to my 360......but not literally. It will be parked outside.