Rando thoughts brought on by C8 Corvette

[rtmozingo]

I think I get the general point the OP is trying to make. The C8 is a huge value when you compare it to a Porche, M6, etc car. 60k base and most likely a little under 70k with Z51 2LT will be amazing. The Raptor is an awesome truck, but the "value" is much harder to place since it is a segment of really only one truck. There is no Ram or Gm Raptor equivalent, or any other truck on the road really. So a 70k Raptor is really hard to be a value in a sense since there is no 90k Porche (or who ever would make an exotic truck) model to compare it to. It still amazes me that Ram (maybe with the Rebel TRX) or GM has no come out with a true competitor to the Raptor. They are basically doing their share holders a disservice by not competing in a segment that Ford has proven to not only create a large market share, but also be extremely profitable. Remember Ford it self spends $0 on incentives on Raptors, where the typical F-150 gets somewhere around $6k+ of Ford incentives per sale.

That's fair, but I think part of the reason the Raptor has no competitors is because nobody can match Ford in value, and thus make the decision not to compete. We've seen GM and Ram try with the Reaper and Ram Runner, with less than stellar results. More expensive, not nearly as well balanced (and horrendously ugly, in the Reapers case).

If the TRX makes it to market it will either be over $100k, or match the Raptor in price but be severely outgunned.

Gotta remember the 2010 Raptor was a huge risk for Ford, hence why it was an SVT vehicle * produced in small numbers.

Back on topic tho, I was astounded by the C8's price. Still would much rather have a C7 ZR1, but $60k starting price was very impressive and definitely made the vehicle a lot more interesting.

*Still is, technically, since SVT merged into Ford Performance

 

[smurfslayer]

Did GM just torpedo the GT500?

They seem to be set on pricing the C8 to undercut the GT500 - and the 350 for that matter by a substantial amount, and if the 0-60 is legit, that is a huge amount of acceleration on hand. If it’s reasonably linear, Ford is going to have a really hard time justifying their MSRP + ADM right out of the gate. Just like the acceleration, if the C8 does well at launch, there may be some lower priced GT500’s sooner than Ford dealers are expecting.

Who knows. As previously stated, it’s a good time to be a performance vehicle enthusiast...

 

[hammer73]

Did GM just torpedo the GT500?

Who knows. As previously stated, it’s a good time to be a performance vehicle enthusiast...

Agree. I feel that many folks always liked a Vette but never pulled the trigger. It always was ‘almost there but just not yet’. I now totally would sign up if I hadn’t been daydreaming and missed the window. I love the GT500 but this C8 is special. Fortunately Chevy is not trying to maintain prices high by exclusivity. I believe they want to sell as many as they can and my expectation is that they will ramp up production fast. While less ‘hot’ this is a model that will do great for quite a few years to come.

While the Raptor and Vette are completely different cars there is one other MAJOR difference. My Raptor is my daily driver that can meet many purposes. The Vette however serves only one. Be cool and go fast. It does it very well though.

Time to think about how to ADD a car... [emoji56]


18 SCrew Magnetic, Roush CAI. Whipple tuned. SPD adapters, Kooks Green catted down pipes. Kooks mid pipes w/ resonator. HF & VHF Connected.

 

[davidl81]

Did GM just torpedo the GT500?

They seem to be set on pricing the C8 to undercut the GT500 - and the 350 for that matter by a substantial amount, and if the 0-60 is legit, that is a huge amount of acceleration on hand. If it’s reasonably linear, Ford is going to have a really hard time justifying their MSRP + ADM right out of the gate. Just like the acceleration, if the C8 does well at launch, there may be some lower priced GT500’s sooner than Ford dealers are expecting.

Who knows. As previously stated, it’s a good time to be a performance vehicle enthusiast...

I’m guessing the GT500 is not much of a concern to GM when pricing the Vette. They should sell ballpark 35k C8s a year or so compared to I’m guessing 5k GT500s

 

[smurfslayer]

I’m guessing the GT500 is not much of a concern to GM when pricing the Vette. They should sell ballpark 35k C8s a year or so compared to I’m guessing 5k GT500s

yeah, the closest parallel I can think of ... ’87-’89 Mustang LX 5.0. ’87’s could be had for $13k and could tick off a 13 second 1/4 mile at MIR with a set of gears. Sure, it was a Fairmont unibody but what the heck? This isn’t the best analogy, but that era Mustang made period performance affordable.

Here, Ford is pricing the GT500 higher and yeah it’s got more power, but numbers say it’s half a second slower to 60. That’s a big deficit to make up, and won’t be happening on the street. I suppose we’ll see when people start getting their hands on the 2.

 

[Badgertits]

Did GM just torpedo the GT500?

They seem to be set on pricing the C8 to undercut the GT500 - and the 350 for that matter by a substantial amount, and if the 0-60 is legit, that is a huge amount of acceleration on hand. If it’s reasonably linear, Ford is going to have a really hard time justifying their MSRP + ADM right out of the gate. Just like the acceleration, if the C8 does well at launch, there may be some lower priced GT500’s sooner than Ford dealers are expecting.

Who knows. As previously stated, it’s a good time to be a performance vehicle enthusiast...

You must not have ever driven a Vette. Maybe 2% of vette owners/engineers/salesmen etc. think more than 2 seconds a year cumulatively about a mustang. Any mustang.

 

[Blue Ballin]

So here's my thing: I'm in the market as well for a 2020 911 (might wait until the turbo comes out because the spy photos are ridiculous). Price isn't so much an issue as is comfort and AWD access which the 911 will offer, and which the C8 does not (although admittedly, I do not know if a mid-engine vehicle compensates for that). I had a Panamera Turbo Sport prior to the Raptor and really enjoyed and the all-wheel drive compared to previous 2 wheel drive sports cars I've owned. I also have young kids. Will need to squeeze them into the backseats once in awhile, and I obviously can't do that in the Vette. So, I'll likely go for the Porsche even though it will be priced well over the top level Vette. It is what it is until I can get a two-seater again without my wife killing me.

 

[Badgertits]

So here's my thing: I'm in the market as well for a 2020 911 (might wait until the turbo comes out because the spy photos are ridiculous). Price isn't so much an issue as is comfort and AWD access which the 911 will offer, and which the C8 does not (although admittedly, I do not know if a mid-engine vehicle compensates for that). I had a Panamera Turbo Sport prior to the Raptor and really enjoyed and the all-wheel drive compared to previous 2 wheel drive sports cars I've owned. I also have young kids. Will need to squeeze them into the backseats once in awhile, and I obviously can't do that in the Vette. So, I'll likely go for the Porsche even though it will be priced well over the top level Vette. It is what it is until I can get a two-seater again without my wife killing me.

Dunno bout the newest ones, but my boss has a 2012 9114S cabriolet black edition, stick shift, routinely gets his ass handed to him by me in my C5Z, however we swap cars occasionally & IMHO while it’s rattle free/tight & handles very well etc. it sure as shit doesn’t ride “comfy” - it’s about as stiff riding as any Vette I’ve been in & while it absorbs road imperfections well you feel everything- which is kinda the point I guess. Any vette w/ magride has a more comfortable ride. The mid engine car will probably have even better suspension....I wonder if they’ll end up fitting it w/ multimatic DSSVs like in the ZR2 Colorado, my guess is probably yes.

 

[EricM]

Did GM just torpedo the GT500?

You can't put kids in the back of a Corvette. The C8 is badass, but it's still apples and oranges.

I still remember riding in the area behind the seats where the convertible top went on my dad's 65 convertible Corvette. My older brother would sit in the passenger seat and I'd climb in the back area. It wasn't often, but we did it more than a few times. That shit would get you arrested nowadays. Not that you could do that with a mid engined car anyways.

 

[Simplejack]

https://jalopnik.com/this-looks-like-the-first-public-c8-corvette-crash-1837127259/amp

already!