jvp

I'm pretty sure you went into it expecting to dislike it, and were just desperately looking for something to validate your opinion. That's fine, but what you wrote was a bit on the silly side.

You're on. I'll happily take that bet.

jvp

We've seen the pics of the cargo cover, and it's clear they were concerned about the "flapping in the breeze" one we have in the C6. This is how the new one works: it's actually 2 pieces.

Piece one: attaches via 4 points on the underside of the hatch itself, which will hide what's under the rear window.

Piece two: attaches via 6 points. Two on the inside of the rear fenders, two onto cargo tie-down rings behind the driver (ie, put there so you can use bungees if you want), and two on the surface of the trunk area. The first 2 pairs of tie-down points make piece two horizontal. The last tie-down pair bends the material at 90º so that it's vertical.

With all of those mounting points, the flapping of said shade should be significantly reduced. If you pop the top off your targa, it'll slide right under the horizontal part of piece two, and then be completely hidden by piece one when you close the hatch.

Glenmcp

Great report. Any journalist experience?

jvp

None. I'm an engineer by trade and understand how to look at things critically and think through things logically.

NoOne

And why exactly would I do that?

Have you sat in a C7? I have, the seating material quality is cheap. The Napa leather surfaces are hardly discernible from the standard seating surface.

GM cheaped out on the leather. The money had to come from somewhere so that is where it came from. I have a very similar material in my Regal GS and the center console shines like glass after a year.

It looked decent the day I got the car, now it looks like plastic.

I don't have time for games, it is an objective opinion based on what I saw and felt.

It is disappointing from the stand point that GM made a huge deal about the base price knowing the take rate would be small, but that low base price means that for your extra 20K over base the interior material quality is not much better if at all.

I had high expectations in seeing the car. I did not care for the design until I saw a few on the street. Once I saw a couple in person I went down to Bloomington to see them in person and put down my money.

I went with 2LT and will take the 4K and put it into replacing the seating surface with something that is actual decent leather.

jvp

Thanks for participating in a thread I started, and not actually reading what I posted. You've basically just invalidated anything else you add here.

Have a day.

NoOne

I'll stand by what I said.

Having worked in the vehicle engineering industry for 20 years, including at GM I know the tug of war that goes on in development.

GM is famous for bean counter engineering and while from a technology standpoint the C7 got all the great stuff the money had to come from somewhere and that somewhere was the material surfaces.

The Napa leather is not any better than the stock leather, which is not that great either, and that was strictly for margin.

To make it sound like its anything else but that is disingenuous.

I'll even bet that for 15/16 you will see better seating surface materials as this being a complaint in the overall quality.

Geof180

Tool cool!! Thanks!!!

DevonK

Am I correct in thinking that the cargo cover only comes with the 2LT and 3LT trim levels? If so I imagine it would be a dealer installed option?

JudgeNjury

Just a perspective...I didn't care for the leather in the new 2014 impala LTZ..

I'm with you on going without the 3LT...but I'm a cheap SOB who prefers z51 MRC NPP and maybe the competition seats....

I'm grateful gm kept the option list to suit each corvette buyers personal preferences..

I have found over the years a lot of extra cost luxury items..I used and enjoyed for six months and then I tend to set and forget them..

I dig the HUD and I've had it installed or purchased with a few of my past vettes...if it can be put in relatively in expensively cool....if not no big deal...

But z51 MRC and NPP are must haves for me.

Thanks for the opportunity to read various perspectives and insights.

jvp

I'm not sure what trim levels it comes with, but if it's anything like the previous cars, its installation will be part of the dealer prep prior to delivery. It takes someone all of about 30 seconds to install both pieces.

jvp

Several people have asked, here and elsewhere: when are they going to the N'Ring?! Answer: soon. It's an expensive endeavor to do so, but it will happen soon. This will be the first time a base Corvette (with Z51) gets a published N'Ring time complete with on-board cameras and telemetry information and so forth.

While in Germany, they'll also visit the big track in Papenburg for top speed running. They haven't had that opportunity yet.

There will also be a high-speed Autobahn run as well.

Stay tuned!

Blancpain

That is all I can ask for in your review. An unbiased, logical observation from a non-GM employee. Great! Thanks!

jvp

I don't know if it's been mentioned already but: no ashtray, nor cigarette lighter. The flip-up compartment in front of the cup holder compartment is an empty +12V plug.

rcallen484

ADA will probably sue on behalf of some nicotine addicts

jvp

The validation engineer had an interesting story about how they had to perform the validation for the targa. To do this, they needed engineers to volunteer to: sit in the car, unlatch it, get out of the car, pop the trunk, lift the targa, put it in the trunk, and then close the hatch. Once done, reverse the process.

Eight thousand times. Needless to say, he had trouble finding volunteers.

jvp

I spoke with my contact about the temperature and pressure sensors in the wheels. My original assumption that they were assuming a fixed volume and calculating temperature by changes in pressure was: wrong. The pressure sensors are new, and actually do have small thermal couplers in them.

And the car will auto-learn new sensors without the use of a tool. Just start the car up and drive away.

Neat.

427Z0SX

Thanks Jas for the thread, solid info and opinion!
Not sure if it's just me, but in the rear view of the car in post #18, the tires look smallish. The width doesn't stand out as beefy steamrollers. Maybe the larger size will come in the Z version. What's the largest tire width that will fit under there in your estimation?

jvp

I think it depends entirely on the diameter of the wheel, to be honest. Get too small a diameter (like an 18") and you run the risk of rubbing the wheel against the LCA during suspension droops. Stick with the 19s and/or 20s and I suspect a 315 or 325 would be gobbled up easily by the fenders.

I didn't measure, though, so those are purely guestimates.

brightonvette

Great read, enjoyed every detail you provided.

A couple a weeks ago a poster suggested that the Corvette team was just a bunch of salary men hacks. I responded that every member of the team I have come in contact with has a true passion for this car, loved their job and feel honored to be part of it. As I read between the lines of your posts I think I got it right.

Best C7 post/s I have seen on this forum, thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts and the excellent observations you documented.