vipreatr

what is gm's position one year from now when everyone is releasing their 04 models.

LymanSS

What do you mean? GM will also be introducing most of it's 2004 models. Everyone will introduce their cars, and then they'll all sell them...same as always. What's the question?

Scott

logansowner

Their position in to release their 2004 models also :lol: What did you think they'd do sell old 2002's? :jester

BQuicksilver

I agree, I was in Detroit for a conference last week and happened to bump into Bob Lutz at a local bar. After a few drinks I was able to get him to admit that the 2004 product line WILL be sold during the 2004 year. At risk of litigation, I decided that I would confirm this rumor to the forum. :lol:

GDP

Come on guys, seriously, the guy's asking what's GM's position about the C6 in 2004. Don't have to give him a hard time, it's his first post. Don't we want to treat newcomers with a little more respect? :cheers:

As for the question, I have no idea. I'm guessing, by looking at past trends, that there will be a special version of the C5 the year before they release the C6. Such was the case in 1996 with the Grand Sport and the Collector's Edition before introducing the new C5 in 1997. All of this, of course, if GM still intends to release the C6 in late 2004 as a 2005 model. Does this in answer the question?


[Modified by GDP, 1:12 AM 11/2/2002]

BQuicksilver

It was just too easy to have fun with. But to be nice :blueangel: I'll have to say that GDP is likely correct. I'd also expect the price to jump up that year to make the C6 base price look like less of an increase in 2005. I do think there will be some sort of special version, but I couldn't even guess what it would be. My best guess would be a 25 hp of so increase in all models to help boost sales. How they would get it, I don't know. Even though most of us have heard otherwise, it would make sense to have the C6 come out in 2004 since they have an obvious gimmick (50th anniversary) to sell 2003's and avoid a last year slump, but I don't know what they'll do for 2004.

Bigdaddypr

GDP is right

It could be a toss up.
More hp less weight more cash.
better hp to weight ratio.
Does any one know what Gm’s Formula is when figuring Horsepower to cost ration. :crazy: :crazy:


[Modified by Bigdaddypr, 5:32 AM 11/2/2002]

BQuicksilver

Unsure of Hp/Cost ratio, but in C5 development, Dave Hill said that adding $10 to the car price for every kilogram removed was acceptable.

Mr Mojo

All GM has to do is tell you they gave 25 hp and most everyone would believe it. They would publish 1/4 mile times 0-60 etc and people would believe it.

I think they should go for introducing the C6 at a lower price than the C5 just like they did when they finally released the C5.

If they put the Z06 tweaks on the LS1 they would get their extra 25 ponies.

FASGLAS

Waaay too easy! :rolleyes: Any way, I had hoped that GM would have done something completely new to mark Corvette's 50th anniversary. I don't regard a couple of badges and a paint color to quite rise to the occasion. The ideal scenario would have been something that NONE of us even suspected. They, GM, are quite able to do these things. The 2003 models are more of the same... :sleep:

Maybe the 75th or the 100th anniversary years will see something special...

Kent1999

I would suspect that in 2004, GM will release a "Collector's Edition" special C5, just like they did in 1982 (end of C3) and 1996 (end of C4). Similar to the previous CE Vettes, this model will probably consist mainly of a special paint/interior combo and some badges (I know, the 82CE also had the first Corvette hatch). Other than that, I don't expect anything special.

As long as I have the crystal ball all warmed up, I also foresee that, as others have speculated, there may not be any 2005 Corvette at all, but an early-release 2006 C6 released Jan 2005.

DarkHalo

:eek: I just hope Im around for either of those anniversaries. 75th...probably, but the 100th? Thats prolly a stretch :lol:

(Ill save you having to check...Im 47) :blueangel:

BQuicksilver

Confused?? What are you saying?

I'd love to see this too, but I doubt it'll happen just b/c they'll need to use expensive parts to drop weight much more, and you know Hill's trying hard to do just that.

Putting the LS6 in the Coupe and Vert may be a very good band-aid for slumping 2004 sales, but then I assume that you'd need to bump up the hp on the Z06 too, and I'm not sure how easy that would come.

The "collector's edition" idea certainly makes sense, but I'm not sure if that would work since the 2003 is also a collector's edition. I really think that they'll need to deliver something more than badges to sell in 2004.

Bigdaddypr

Yes I agree, but what will they do?

A. put the LS6 in coupe and rag top models.

B. New front and rear, aka Tiger Shark.

C. All of above.

Who knows what GM will do. We can only guess from what GM did in the past aka C-4's last year :confused:

Weasel

G.M.'s (He said I could call him General),position is an easy question.The General is coming out with a high-performance version of the Z06. Sort of like the anniv edition in 96.There will be 20 horses and maybe wheels and a cute little something that I hope is clever. :yesnod:

BQuicksilver

You sound pretty sure of yourself....can you back up your comments, or are you just guessing like the rest of us?

Weasel

I'm seeing how they've done it in the past. Otherwise, persons will wait the short time left for the C6. And above us is a post that makes a certain amount of sense. For $00 cost...they really can fudge a little on the power. Maybe they have reserved a cool color to introduce too.Another $00 cost thing that whispers "Psst, I'm new". :chevy

FASGLAS

Whispers?? :bs I want something that SHOUTS it! (but it appears that's not the plan)

Curtis A. Franz

Okay this thread is all over the map on C6 release date. It goes from late 2003 to 2005 perhaps. Isn't it still second quarter of 2004 as a 2005 model? :chevy

SWCDuke

"Late Spring, 2004" has been publically quoted by the Corvette Product Line Marketing Manager.

Neither he nor any other GM official has stated the model year designation, but I would be willing to wager a substantial sum that it will be billed as a 2005.

GM has also admitted that the C6 was "delayed" six months (likely due to ordered changes by Lutz), but they used some euphamism, and claimed it wasn't really a delay. This implies that the original target intro date was Fall, 2003, and it could NOT have been billed as a 2005. In order to bill a car as a 2005 it cannot go on sale until January 1, 2004 at the earliest.

So the '04 C5 will sit beside the '67 as an extension of the existing model due to delays in the new model. It's probable that GM Powertrain will be ready to go with a new C6 base engine by the start of normal '04 production (Fall, '03), and it's conceivable that '04s will have the upgraded C6 engine(s) - but then the current LS6 will not be much of an "improvement" over the base engine, so maybe they will just carry over the existing engines. It would be a marketing decision, and that decision has certainly already been made at this point in time.

There is a historical precedent for installing new model engines in the last year of production for an existing model. The 327s in '62, which carried over to '63 with only minor changes, and the Cross Fire 350 in '82.

The new engine(s) will help keep sales figures from dropping off being as how everyone knows that '04 will be the last C5. Everyone knew a new Corvette was due out in '63 and '83. Of course, the '83 turned out to be an '84, but I don't think GM wants to skip a model year again.

Duke


[Modified by SWCDuke, 8:14 AM 11/4/2002]