*yawn*

I'm hoping it will be powered by either a two or four-rotor Wankel engine.

This is shaping up to be an unattractive looking car from what I can tell.

19 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

This is shaping up to be an unattractive looking car from what I can tell.

The profile reminds of the Ferrari 360 and 430, but with some squared off elements..going to be interesting to see how it looks in person.  

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

The profile reminds of the Ferrari 360 and 430, but squared off.   

Yes, I think the lines and proportions are going to end up looking strange.

One recent article I saw said that the C7 production would end by June and the last one will be auctioned off, so the C7 and C8 will not likely be sold concurrently as rumored.   Supposedly the base trim C8 will have a 500hp V8 and dual clutch transmission according to another article.

https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/with-the-mid-engined-2020-c8-corvette-set-to-debut-chevy-will-auction-off-the-very-last-c7-corvette-ar185178.html

We will have to wait and see what pans out, definitely seems like the biggest change in the Corvette's long history.

The C8 will likely attract a different buyer than the C7, will be interesting to see how it does..will be one of the cheapest mid engine sports cars on the market.  

Interesting, if they do end the C7 production, could help push prices up on remaining models for those that want it over the C8.

Gonna be interesting to see the final reveal as right now it reminds me TOO MUCH of the Italian Garbage over priced sports cars that I car less about.

It has a bit of an Acura NSX profile to it, and I don't think the NSX looks good.   We have to see it to really comment on how it looks though.  

I think the big make or break for the C8 is pricing.  I get the sense that GM will price this rather high and that may miss the mark for current Corvette owners and a price point that tChevy dealers can support.  And they need GM fans to buy it.  The C8 could go 250 mph and get 100 mpg and cost half what a Ferrari F8 costs, and ZERO Ferrari owners will even give it a look because no one is going from a Ferrari to a Chevy.  This is a similar problem Cadillac has with name brand in going to high dollar segments.

we needed a shakeup in Corvette land.  This is going to stir the pot for awhile!  Dfelt is right, it should help push C7 values up.  Fence sitters, step up and get it or don't cry when its gone.

I'm not always a fan of GM's ways under Mary, but I have a lot of respect for her, and just sayin, she's also ----attractive----. That'd be a hoot to co drive a new C8 together.  WOOT

GM needs this kind of shakeup, the Corvette is a great way to shake it up.  I like the looks of it.  This also opens up showroom space for the Camaro, which let's face it, is a front engine 2 seater anyways.

what's the engine?????

It appears Chevy has avoided the dreaded FWD-esque hugely overhanging mega snouts the Italian mid-engined cars are so frequently burdened with- that's a huge plus. And if it has even 75% of the C7's stylistic mojo it's going to look pretty incredible; you guys know I favor vintage design but the C7 is easily tied (for me) with '56-57.

But there's nothing that really stands out in the ME supercar arena- the platform configuration locks these cars into a very tight stylistic range. Generally- and personally-speaking, I burned out on this genre when I was like 18 yrs old. Lamborghini, which I kinda like, has been twiddledicking the same 1970 design ever since. And once a honda has an ME car, can anyone really get excited?

My question is, although there's a "last C7" defined, is it 100% certain there'll be no FE C8 variant alongside the ME C8? Because that'll be the most disappointing thing this next generation brings, IMO.

8 hours ago, balthazar said:

 My question is, although there's a "last C7" defined, is it 100% certain there'll be no FE C8 variant alongside the ME C8? Because that'll be the most disappointing thing this next generation brings, IMO.

That would be a different car, different architecture...I doubt if GM would be investing in two different Corvette architectures at once.  It sounds like they are going all-in on mid-rear.   It's a risky move.  I'm sure they will lose a lot of long time customers that don't like mid-rear cars...but gain new customers. I can imagine a lot of the old farts griping that it looks like a 'fancy furrin' car''.. 

^ Well, they've already made the investment in the FE architecture - it certainly wouldn't need a complete re-engineering.

IF Chevy is going only with the ME version I agree; it will lose a cornerstone of it's iconic image (not that it 'looks furrin').

IF the C8 is only ME, I guarantee sales will settle out markedly lower than currently. There's just not a lot of appeal in ME cars.
- - - - -
Much tighter overhang than typical for the genre :

If Chevy wants to make the Corvette challenge to McLaren, Ferrari and Lamborghini then they need mid-engine, high rev turbo engine, carbon fiber panels, etc which is all expensive and opposite of what the Corvette has always been.  I think they should made this a Cadillac and kept the Corvette as a V6/V8 front engine car in the $50-100k range.  

As far as the Camaro goes it is too expensive too, sales of that car are bad, they should make it roomier and like the coupe alternative to a Veloster or Golf GTI in terms of price point. But you watch the Camaro move into $35-75k range to fill the void left when the Corvette goes up in price, then the Camaro will well like an ATS and GM will wonder why.

46 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

As far as the Camaro goes it is too expensive too, sales of that car are bad, they should make it roomier and like the coupe alternative to a Veloster or Golf GTI in terms of price point. But you watch the Camaro move into $35-75k range to fill the void left when the Corvette goes up in price, then the Camaro will well like an ATS and GM will wonder why.

Veloster sold 10K units in the US  in 2018. Golf/ Golf GTI/ GOlf R32 only sold 41K.

Camaro sold 51K.

Do you think hyundai is pondering enlarging the Veloster, adding a V8 from the genesis, increasing the starting price by $8K and hope to get closer to the Camaro in sales? Or are they just "wondering why"?

19 minutes ago, balthazar said:

 

Do you think hyundai is pondering enlarging the Veloster, adding a V8 from the genesis, increasing the starting price by $8K and hope to get closer to the Camaro in sales? Or are they just "wondering why"?

A sports coupe based on the Stinger and a luxury sports coupe version of the G70 for Genesis would be really cool, but I don't see it happening.

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Veloster sold 10K units in the US  in 2018. Golf/ Golf GTI/ GOlf R32 only sold 41K.

Camaro sold 51K.

Do you think hyundai is pondering enlarging the Veloster, adding a V8 from the genesis, increasing the starting price by $8K and hope to get closer to the Camaro in sales? Or are they just "wondering why"?

The Veloster has low sales, maybe that is a bad example, but the Camaro isn't an inexpensive sports car anymore, as the original mission was.   Or maybe sports cars are just dying and it doesn't matter.  

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

A sports coupe based on the Stinger and a luxury sports coupe version of the G70 for Genesis would be really cool, but I don't see it happening.

They won't because sports car sales are so low.  A 4-door Camaro that undercuts the Stinger by $5k (and VW Arteon by $8k) could have appeal.  It would be easy to make a 4 door Camaro lift back off that platform, hell most of the work is done with the CT5.  And they could price that where the current Impala is when that dies.  Then at least Chevy would keep 3 sedans, whatever compact survives, Malibu and Camaro sedan.

On a side note I think Ford is in trouble in the future, because Lincoln is weak, their SUVs like Escape, Ecosport, Edge are easily outsold by the Asian competition, and there is more Asian competition coming, they are basically hanging on by the F150.  If Tesla or someone else disrupts that full size truck market, Ford doesn't have anyplace else to make money.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

A sports coupe based on the Stinger and a luxury sports coupe version of the G70 for Genesis would be really cool, but I don't see it happening.

According to our DP, there is a Genesis AWD coupe coming.  We just signed on to be the only Genesis dealer in SE PA, and he's seen it.

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

A 4-door Camaro that undercuts the Stinger by $5k (and VW Arteon by $8k) could have appeal. 

Hmmm- Stinger sales were only 17K- do you really think adding 2 more doors to the Camaro is going to raise it's 51K sales?

Perhaps these hip-shot product ideas need a bit more reflection time, eh?

18 hours ago, balthazar said:

It appears Chevy has avoided the dreaded FWD-esque hugely overhanging mega snouts the Italian mid-engined cars are so frequently burdened with- that's a huge plus. And if it has even 75% of the C7's stylistic mojo it's going to look pretty incredible; you guys know I favor vintage design but the C7 is easily tied (for me) with '56-57.

But there's nothing that really stands out in the ME supercar arena- the platform configuration locks these cars into a very tight stylistic range. Generally- and personally-speaking, I burned out on this genre when I was like 18 yrs old. Lamborghini, which I kinda like, has been twiddledicking the same 1970 design ever since. And once a honda has an ME car, can anyone really get excited?

My question is, although there's a "last C7" defined, is it 100% certain there'll be no FE C8 variant alongside the ME C8? Because that'll be the most disappointing thing this next generation brings, IMO.

Yup, your first two paragraphs here are spot on.

7 hours ago, balthazar said:

Hmmm- Stinger sales were only 17K- do you really think adding 2 more doors to the Camaro is going to raise it's 51K sales?

Perhaps these hip-shot product ideas need a bit more reflection time, eh?

Stinger is wildly over priced.  The Turbo V6 goes over $50k which is getting into 340i territory and the 340i is much faster, plus it a BMW not a Kia.     Even the 4-cylinder Stinger is $33k base so most of those are probably listed for $40k.  And the Stinger isn't any nicer inside than an Optima, and that new Sonata looks more luxurious than the Stinger.

If Chevy added a 4-door Camaro  that was $27k base and $45k for the 460 hp V6, they would add some sales to that 51k, rather than watch it just die off as coupes die.  

I think if they ever make the Camaro habitable for humans and make it so you can see out of it, give it an all wheel drive option, and style it so it’s nice looking to the majority of the population again, and they don’t overprice it, 

then the Camaro should sell quite well!

or did I just describe the challenger 

Must admit, I am not a fan of the C7's sharp-edges look. I tend towards being more traditionalist re: Vette's outer skin aesthetic, preferring the C6 2011-13's rounded/smoother looks as far as later model years go. That said, I like the looks of this ME C8. Have read reports that it will start at a base of $62,000, which IMO hardly makes the C8 unattainable for either entry-level or loyal Vette buyers. One can spend that amount on a full-powered/optioned-out Hellcat, Camaro or Mustang.

On 4/13/2019 at 9:14 PM, smk4565 said:

It has a bit of an Acura NSX profile to it, and I don't think the NSX looks good.   We have to see it to really comment on how it looks though.  

I think the big make or break for the C8 is pricing.  I get the sense that GM will price this rather high and that may miss the mark for current Corvette owners and a price point that tChevy dealers can support.  And they need GM fans to buy it.  The C8 could go 250 mph and get 100 mpg and cost half what a Ferrari F8 costs, and ZERO Ferrari owners will even give it a look because no one is going from a Ferrari to a Chevy.  This is a similar problem Cadillac has with name brand in going to high dollar segments.

I'll stop short of saying ZERO.

I personally sold a C7 Z06 to someone who had 2 previous Ferraris. He was done with them. Done with poor service, done with poor reliability, and done with their outrageous costs.

In fact, in a lot of ways, i think Ferrari owners are the the stereotypical Corvette owners of the supercar realm. They buy them to conclude to themselves and show others they've made it, they hardly ever drive them, and they are oftentimes little more than petulant fanboys.