s1vannah

Just bought an '11 GSC (in "arrest me red"), my 7th Corvette, and since I live near the plant, have several friends working there and I visit Mecca often. I was at the plant in Dec watching my car go thru and my contacts there told me the following:

C7 will be built in Bowling Green, "they just put in a 2.5M fixed piece of equipment" so they won't shutter the plant and move production and they are to formally "sign the contract" to provide C7's in Mid March. C8 may be a different story(read on). (Quotes are their words, not mine).

C7 will be a "very very enhanced C6 (evolutionary, not revolutionary) pushing on quality, efficiency, and and price/performance but will be "one of the shortest generations" of the platform as the C8 will quickly follow "within about three years" after C7 release. That car will be totally new."

Further Plant staff comments(paraphrased and quoted)

"The big C7/Corvette brand concern really is a generational "changing of the guard." The upcoming sports car buyers entering the market generally no longer have Corvette on their "radar" as they have grown up in a Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Hyundai culture while additionally price is becoming an increasing factor in undermining Corvette's success with this next sports car generation(there are poorer than the previous generation. "This is going to have to be addressed."

Corvette production is currently down 50%+ and "Camaro has significantly impacted Corvette sales based on price/performance.

"Look for the 2012 to be a commemorative "Send off" of the C6 like was done with the C4 and C5. Also this year is the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet(specifically this coming November). A commemorative play is being worked on that angle. Possibly an enhanced GS with a new color "in the works." "Jet blue" will be retired and a "Caddy brown/creme being seriously looked at." Not sure which paint code he was referring to.

Some very minor enhancements to the 2012 such as adding little functionality like express up windows, etc. other tweaks in addition to the commemorative play will happen. "To make vette a little more attractive look "for some more things to move to standard equipment at the same price."

As I hear more I will let you know. Again these are plant comments and I would think those folks get heads up on things.

Cheers.

PS: Don't be shy on buying an '11 or '12 so long as you stay in the GS or Z06/ZR1 area. I absolutely love the thing, had an 08 and it is quite the upgrade. With a 4LT interior and the revised seats frankly the interior issues are fixed. Cheers and thx.

RonnieC6Z

I have heard pretty much the same thing...the 2012 model will be the last C6 and the 2013 due out in the 2nd half of 2012 will be the C7 with the major changes being in the engine and the interior, although the body will be somewhat changed. I was also informed that the original idea for the C7 was to be mid engine, but because of the financial difficulties, that was put on hold for the C8. For those folks that turn their noses up at the idea of a mid engine Vette, let me say this: I am on my 10th Vette since 1991 (2010 GS vert) all manual trannys, and just love Vettes. However, I have owned 2 mid engine Ferraris and will tell you that if Chevy ever makes a mid engine Vette I will be first in line. Driving a mid engine sports car is just a blast ( I am NOT talking about a rear engine cars like Porsche, which I do not like driving).
The balance of a mid engine car along with the sound right behind you is intoxicating. And, as much as I like a 3 pedal car, if Chevy ever comes up with a true F1 tranny like I had in my F430 Spider, or better yet, like the dual clutch tranny in the Ferrari California and 458 Italia, it will be so long manual. The set up that Corvette has now for their automatic is just crap.
Corvette MUST continue to evolve with the times in order to generate sales like the old days. With sales almost at an all time low, they can not afford to remain stagnent.

JerriVette

Dual clutch would be awesome!

Rumors state a new GM v8 to start production 2/ 2013.

Blue Angel

Well, sales of the C6 may be in a slump, but so is the economy and 'Vettes are pretty close to the bottom of the "priority" scale when things are tight. I hope the boys over at GM keep this in mind instead of translating low sales directly into "lack of interest" in the brand.

Overall I believe the C5/C6 Corvette has been a pretty good success story for GM... looking at the C4 it's amazing a Corvette even exists today.

Mid engine is not likely... it would remove practicality from the car. Front engine, rear transmission, Rear and AWD is much more likely. The ZR1 has shown us what a front engine car is capable of as far as acceleration goes, but is pretty much on the limit. That much power could definitely use an AWD system, especially in the corners. Getting the drive from the rear transmission to the front wheels is the only hurdle then. Electric motors, anyone?

McGirk94LT1

"Camaro has significantly impacted corvette sales based on price/performance"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAnd that right there is why I dont believe anything you just said. Sorry, i gotta stay doubtfull as every week someone knows somebody who knows somebody who has insider news... and that everyone else is supposedly wrong.

craftfox

lol i believe him. Camaros are alot easier to push on wives, and have a back seat, and do not run badly. i bet they did hurt corvette sales.

niteriderc5

so lets no expect better seats in 2012 since 2013 models will be C7

Kenny94945

3 yrs for a C7 production run.....how's that equate for GM?

Do they get a return on investment that quickly? From above we know that at least one new tooling maching is $2.5M. C2 series, the shortest run 1963 to 1967. Was the C2 series the same chassis as the 1957 on C1?

Chicago1

I can't see a new gen being only 3 years in production so it's still alot of bs/rumors untill I see real proof. Not saying your lying op but it's that friend of a friend. I want to hear something from GM. Camaros impacting vette sales? Doesn't the new mustang outsell them now yet GM doesn't say that the mustang hurts performance sales. Lots of holes in this one

vette54728702

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2011/...=Yahoo%21+Mail

jrose7004

Sounds like the C7 will really be a C6.5 or just a C6 warmed over for sales. That'll certainly make folks wait for the C8.

s1vannah

Regarding the Camaro rebuttals, Camaro in 2010 outsold Mustang and Camaro did it with no convertible model which is birthing as I write. I think the plant comments of Camaro impacting Corvette sales is a valid one; if simply one person bought a Cam in lieu of a vette which was certain to have happened, there's been an impact on sales and yours truly is quite sure that happened more than once. Dah. My original post was just a recap what I heard around the plant floor as I feel there are accuracies in that group of people's comments to me(afterall they build them) and are quite sharp(as well as very mature and passionate about the Corvette). Regards and Cheers.

Garrett W

Thanks for the info!

mtnman

What I'm hearing from "evolutionary vs revolutionary" and "3yr model run" is more akin to the changes between a 59 and a 62... Modified rear, grill, and trim - but basically the same car...

BMadden

I think it's a safe bet that the C7 will look good and perform well. What they do(or don't do) to the interior is what interests me most at this point. You'd think after years of getting hammered by every automotive journalist on the face of the planet about the inferiority of the 'Vette interior compared to other sports cars GM would finally take steps to make significant improvements. I hope the C7 is finally the solution to that problem.

lt4obsesses

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...7-changes.html

See post #11. They have about one more generation on this platform and then it is going to be time for some major rethinking of the brand.

s1vannah

A word about all the interior C6 gripes (of which yours truly used to voice). I now have an '11 GSC with the upgraded 4LT Ebony Leather wrapped interior and the revised for 2011 seats. Having been a long time Corvette owner(this being my 7th new one) I can gleefully report that with this combo the interior is now as good as any of it's peers. The only thing Corvette could do is make this the standard dressing (the new seats are standard) and not charge some 3K additional for it. But since in addition to all the supplier discounts, dealer and year end incentives, etc. I got, I was additionally sent that 3K "retention" rebate from the General so I guess it was essentially a no charge item for me. Worth every penny though. Just my .02. Kindest regards.

Boo383

This particlar story has shown up here multiple times so it very well may hold water. None of us know anything for sure yet, but thanks for the post!

haveblue

Chevy should just put the Corvette on "hiatus" for now, and bring it back in 4-5 years as the C8. Witness the hype with the return of the Camaro.

In my opinion, the mid engine C8 is the answer. Any Porsche fan will tell you the mid engine Cayman handles better than most 911s, and would be THE top Porsche if only Porsche would put a bigger motor in it.

What if Chevy did that? A super slick handling mid engine 500+ hp monster. Forget 911s, forget Audi R8s. You instantly have what Chevy desires. A brand new supercar that would be aspirational to future young buyers, would stick it back to the Europeans, and provide Chevy tons of publicity.

lt4obsesses

You mean recreate the Ford GT? No thank you.