HARVEY T.GLUCK

It's obvious GM must change there Marketing Strategy in the very Near Term - Demographics say in 5 or so Years the present Corvette Buyers will be gone-so in comes the new Much higher priced mid engine for the next generation and they will keep the present Configuation for a few more Years for its present market.. .
Personally I think GM'S problem is whether the mid engine goes to Cadillac under a different name and the present configuration stays Chevy..
GM also did not invest all this money into the Plant without entertaining another vehicle -- to cost prohibitive for just one present configuration..and/or Model....Harvey

Kent1999

5 years!??!

Wow --- me and most of the Corvette owners I know are going to have MUCH shorter than average lives --- according to those so called 'stats', we'll all be dead in our late 40's and 50's!!!

And here I was, foolishly planning on buying and driving Corvettes for another 25 years!

obxchartercaptain

Harvey...while I haven't owned as many Corvettes as you....I have purchased one new from every generation but 2.(to young for #1 and hated the looks and performance of #4 I am in that Demographic you talk about but I planned on outliving the actuary tables and buying a MID ENGINE Corvette. And as I get closer to that Corvette Car Show in the sky I've learned you can't take it with you sooooo I am buying one when and if they make it.

Corgidog1

I guess a mid engine vette will be "progress" but I am one of the older traditionalists who likes to open the front hood and see a big V8 engine.

speedlink

^^^ And probably with the round tail lights crowd. This to shall pass. If the mid engine is all that its cracked up to be, most will like it more.

HARVEY T.GLUCK

One observation which I guess is apparent --go to Corvette Rally and at 75 you are Young.. Go to a Porsche or Camaro Rally etc at 50 you are ancient. That's GM'S dilemma.....

sunsalem

^^^ When the current bunch of "old guys" die off it won't be a big deal for GM.
There will just be a replacement crop of new "old guys" come in.

JustinStrife

I've been going to rallies for 10 years with my own Corvettes. You're off on your demographs a bit.

Even my dad who has had 16 corvettes since 1969 isnt 70 yet(another week and a half away).

Can't take your thread seriously.

Kent1999

Gotta agree with Justin... here in Las Vegas, seems like mid-late 50's is the median/norm. Sure, there's members in their 70's but it's the exception, not the 'young' end.

Harvey, perhaps you live in a retirement community?

Camaro rally? Yeah, average age there is MUCH younger, but the car starts brand new at just over $20k -- LOTS of high school drivers at that price point. Not really my kind of gathering, but to each their own.

COvert-red

A mid-engine car is going to handle extremely well - this is no surprise to anyone associated with performance automobiles.

A mid-engine car is also going to be louder, hotter, and far more expensive to maintain and/or repair with regard to major component failure (unless extremely innovative engineering is brought to bear - $$ -). Talk about a "Corvette Tax!"

Would the Mid C, therefore, be a departure from the shaped "luxury sports car," and become more of a performance platform?

B&BVettes

Thanks

JerriVette

Thanks for the heads up Harvey...you certainly the man in the know...

GM decided to build us the mid engine corvette they have been promising us for 40 years...

I for one will be glad to see a production rear mid engine corvette before I leave for the after life..

roadbike56

No, I don't agree. The GM marketing plan calls for a high performance sports car that has a base price in the lower priced luxury class, in other words, about $55K to $60K. To suddenly move to a high end only, somewhere north of $80K or $90K would be marketing suicide. It would be saying, "Yup! Porsche has been right and we've been wrong". While the targeted buyer will change to a younger generation as you suggest, the basic plan for Corvette is etched in stone. If a mid-engine is the only platform for the future, then it will be priced somewhere around $60K to start. Maybe a two platform marketing plan is in the future. Maybe a two marque, two car plan is in the future, but Corvette will still be the more affordable high performance vehicle that's a thorn in every high priced performance cars marketing plan.

pdiddy972

Where are you getting those age numbers?

WhiteDiamond!

I think the mid engine Corvette will happen along with a Cadillac pal. I don't think the front engine car will go away. The mid engine car will be an additional Chevrolet model maybe not even badged as a Corvette. In fact it could be called the Chevrolet Grand Sport or The Chevrolet Manta Ray without the Corvette name attached to it at all. This would allow GM to have their cake and eat it too and ask a near $200K price for them and not hurt the Corvette sales or heritage in the least.

Patman

We have a big group of guys here in the Toronto area and I honestly can't think of a single one who is over the age of 70. Most people are between the ages of 40-60.

Greg00Coupe

Same problem for Harley Davidson. Boomers. But some day the corvette will be electric. They have a $30K Bolt so the groud work has already started.

Personally I put a $1000 deposit down on the Zora almost 2 years ago. Checking with Forum dealers at the time I went with Stanford because I was able to get in his top 10. I figure those ahead of me will decline or die I guess per above so I may have a shot at a limited car to flip and make a little $. Today that list is approaching 100.

Kent1999

Yeah -- what the hell is wrong with those older people anyway? Don't they know it's time to let go of what they want/like and embrace the latest trend???

Anyway, the statement that GM (and Harley) have a problem with Boomers is completely and demonstrably false. They ONLY way Boomers can influence GM (or any other company) is if GM wanted the Boomers to purchase their products. Period. If GM doesn't need Corvette sales to Boomers, then they can create a product that completely ignores what Boomers want with impunity. No problem.

Any "problem" would only manifest itself if GM's master plan for a product was not in sync with the desires of its target market. In that case, it's a lack of intelligence of the Marketing or product planning team, *not* a problem with the customers. That's just Marketing 101 stuff.



Warms the heart to see a true Corvette fan gush about his love for the marque. Hopefully other people's passions and life won't get in the way of you making some money.

AORoads

twilhelm39

I'm 40 and make good money, but can't justify a 911 or a Ferrari + a $60k daily driver. I just hope when the mid engin comes out it's under $125k so I can buy one without my wife telling me how foolish I am. I know it's going to look and sound unbelievable. Maybe buy a used garage queen a few years aftter launch if the maintenance isn't As high as a current super car.