EasyLivin

I think most people agree that the Corvette needs to attract younger drivers to survive but there may be some consequences like higher insurance costs... Older drivers tend to have corvettes as weekend cars and garage queens while younger people will be using these cars more as daily drivers and also in areas without garages as they gravitate to a more urban lifestyle. That will also make them more likely to be used in snow and other adverse weather conditions. The car will attract more single drivers who are more likely to be out after 1 am and drinking and or using. I'll think you'll also see much higher theft and vandalism rates as well with less affluencial people seeking cars and parts. I can see all of this wreaking havoc with the actuaries.

C8Jake

^ outstanding observations

BIG Dave

Same as it’s been for ages; fast sports car + younger single male buyer = higher insurance costs.

NY09C6

I don’t see it being any different than the c7

thill444

Many young single drivers simply will not buy this car for the very reasons you highlighted:
- Impractical 2 seater sports car
- Very high cost of entry (about double what the average new car cost in the US)
- High cost to insure
- High cost of gas
- Not a good all weather car

Etc, etc. The Corvette demographic will likely be the same it has been for many generations which is 50+. I really doubt this will be an issue. What you will see is more younger people being able to afford a C6 or C7 as the price of entry is lower and perhaps it is not their daily driver.

EasyLivin

That would mean that GM failed at it's mission to attract younger buyers... I guess if they get them into the showroom they can always pitch a turbo camaro as an alternative with a corvette as a car to aspire to..

thill444

They (the media and GM marketing) said the same thing about the C7. That it would attract younger buyers. The bottom line is you need to follow the money. Who has the type of disposable income to spend on this type of car. I guearantee you the average age of a C8 Corvette buyer will be 50+ with the largest demo being over 55.

The average car payment on a financed C8 will probably be $1200-1600 a month or so, before gas and insurance. For most younger buyers that is probably close to $2K a month, and many of them already have big student loan and credit card debt.

ZeroDark30

I don’t think the C8 is going to create much work for the actuaries.

While it may draw a younger crowd, “younger” will be relative; currently the bulk of buyers are 55+ years old, while the 25-34 crowd accounts for under 5% of ownership per 2015 SEMA stats published in a McMulkin article.

The C8 might lower the average age a few clicks, but it’s doubtful millennials will throng to the local Chevy dealership to buy a $60+k two seat sports car. The under 35 crowd exist, but are for the most part outliers and will be charged premiums accordingly.

As for theft; you’re better off with a Corvette than a Hemi Charger or Hellcat Challenger, as those get snatched at roughly 5 times the national average (CBS news report).

My advice- don’t be a 22 year old Hellcat owner in Albuquerque and you’ll be fine.

JALLEN4

The average age now for a Corvette buyer is 61. I don't think GM anticipates dramatically changing that number but rather making incremental improvements. The car really isn't built for the 20 something or 30 something. It is too expensive and not really totally practical as a primary vehicle... especially for younger folks with families. It has always been an aspirational vehicle and if the average age was lowered to the mid to lower fifties it would be considered a great success.

usrodeo4

If you have a clean driving record, once you reach age 25 most insurance companies drop your rates into the same as older males. My experience anyway...as to whether the C8 will have a slightly higher rate then the C7 I would not be surprised if you are correct.

golddog

Most of C8Jakes posts are

Red Mist Rulz

I think we need to consider what "younger" means. GM isn't really targeting 25 year olds with this car. With the current average age of Corvette buyers around 60, younger probably means buyers between 45 and 55. The same people buying Porsches. Sure, there are a relatively small number of millenials making big bucks in tech or finance, but most aren't in a position to spend $60 to $80K on a toy car. I'm not sure a 45 year old Corvette owner has a much greater risk profile than a 60 year old owner.

23/C8Z

Sucks for me as I am the target demo. 45yo 3x corvette owner (2 time new) and I hate the look of the ME car.. not all of them. But this one. It's not growing on me. So stuck in the past I guess? Idk.

But agree with above. They aren't trying to get 30yos with young kid . They're not going to do it. But if they drop it 10yrs its monumental.

Maybe the C9 will appeal to me? Maybe you're an ME guy or not?

I'd rather have a car I'm passionate about but isn't as fast as a car that I'm not. Because for 99% of the time you're either looking at, sitting in, or driving relatively normal... like marrying a "but-her-face"... in the end what are you looking at most of the time lol.

Love the tech. Hoping the DCT is on point. And look forward to what they learn with this gen. And please lose the one person cockpit. It's moronic. Unless you're single and have no friends.

sly1

The first sports car that I bought was a C2 and I was only 25 years old when I bought it. I saved for two years for that car and paid cash. Back then the enthusiasm for sports cars was high among guys in the 18 - 30 age bracket. I'm not sure that same enthusiasm exists in young guys in 2019. As far as Insurance rates are concerned, insuring a Corvette isn't expensive if you are over 25 and don't live in the city. My guess is that the reason most young guys don't buy Corvettes is that they just aren't interested in sports cars.

ssidekickbp

I may get flamed for this opinion, even though I'm 34, but I don't see a ton of younger guys buying them unless they have all their ducks in a row. You probably shouldn't order a car like this unless you at least:

- Have a house already with a garage to keep it safe

- Have a second car if living in a more seasonal climate

- are making enough to not care about the car payment at all. ( not making yourself car poor).

I'm sure there are more..... Bottom line, the car may appeal to some younger, but that doesn't mean they can and should make the commitment unless absolutely possible.

SladeX

I think there are more 35-45 buyers available these days. I got my first C6 at 33, and at 38 I'm on my 3rd vette, a c7 z06. The C5, C6 and now C7 generation are much lower in price these days and are great entry cars to the Corvette world. In my first year of ownership, I went down to the BG plant and museum with my wife. I plan to make the trip again with the Z06 in another year or so. A C8 is the price of entry for the older folks or those with a ton of disposable income, but those older gen cars aren't bad either.

I would not worry about many 25 year olds getting a vette. There's not enough income on average for that age group to barely afford a car TBH

Classax

The demographics of Corvette buyers will always be the affluent young professional and the more seasoned mid life and older crowd simply because of the cost of entry. What they hope to to do as they did with me with the C3 was draw in aspirational buyers. When I was a kid I fell in love the the Vette when others were going for Lambos or Dinos. I remember building an MPC "Ghostrider" model wide body race Vette and vowing I would own a Vette some day. My first ride in a Vette was in my uncles C4 which was a terrible car as far as Vette go but it solidified by aspirations. If the C8 can convince a 12-30 year old that he or she will own one some day then they have achieved job one.

The 45-70 year old market share battle will remain pretty much the same, the C8 won't really move the needle much there. People who can afford exotics are doing so for many reason some of which include investing and exclusivity. The folks who access the Vettes for the performance per dollar always will and the C8 is just more of the same. If you see your product as an aspirational purchase which I think GM does, the you have to inspire deep desire in a generation that can not yet purchase it.

I think the styling of C8 and the press of this change will likely do so. GM now has to get the vehicle in an Iconic film role. Look what Iron Man did for the R8. If the C8 were John Wicks new ride, the deal would be sealed, they could sell this body style for next 20 years.

EasyLivin

Now I'm wondering how the C8 mid engine design compares to the more conventional front engine design when it comes to collision repair costs and the likelihood that a somewhat minor collision is considered a total loss...

JALLEN4

Just for informational purposes. The average age for the 911 buyer in the U.S. is 52. The Boxster/Cayman buyer average is 47.

Classax

Porsche and BMW have long enjoyed the benefit of Status Nameplates. No matter how well or poorly a vehicle is made or performs, due to current perceptions on brand value the statements "at the end of the day its still a Porsche" vs "at the end of the day its still a Chevy" carry two very different connotations. The up and coming young Exec crowd Beamers and Porsches are standard issue kit.