FIRST pics of new 4LT interior IN the car!
 

The new 4LT interior was on display today for the first time at the CorvetteForum Cruise-In. Tom Hill - Corvette Plant Engineer said that these seats were put in the car just yesterday for the first time. He also detailed other changes including the speaker placement on the dash, etc.

The new seat is a big improvement, especially the shoulder bolsters that seem to really round out the comfort, particularly for "spirited" driving. The actual headrest seemed to be very hard and stiff, compared to the current seat.

Here are a few pics...

http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/47...500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/46...500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/11...500x500Q85.jpg

Here's the new speaker placement:

http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/45...500x500Q85.jpg

:thumbs: Looking good, those seats certainly look better than the current version and I assume they will offer a bit more support for those who road race and drive em hard.

They are a big improvement!

wow :thumbs:

Hmm.. i would like those seats in my 2011

:cool:

+1.
Wow!
coop

Look great!

Wonder how much gm will charge for the seats alone. Do they still use the same tracks and electrical?

beautiful

:withstupid:

The new 4LT option looks sweet as do the seats and stitching:rock:

What a huge improvement! Especially with the yellow stitching. Thanks for posting these. :)

Me too.

I'm already ordering a 2012 steering wheel when they are available.

Those seats are sexy!

See. GM is listening to us. :yesnod:

The Corvette just keeps getting better and better. :rock: :flag:

Those seats look fantastic. But... The side bolstering looks as though it might actually be the same as it always has been.

They are no Caravaggio seats but they are nice. :yesnod:

:withstupid::thumbs:

Hubba Hubba! (Whistling). :eek: I really dig that! Thanks for sharing!

I sure do like the look. Makes my old '08 look REALLY old!! GAG.

Awesome! I like it. :cheers:

Looks good. I line to see it in Two Tone. Make mine Titanium/Ebony. :thumbs:

:iagree: :chevy :woohoo: :cheers:

I wonder if we are looking at the C7 seats and just don't know it yet. Maybe they want to see how they are received, and make minor mods to the C7 seats before the release of the car.

It only took them 7 years to improve the seats. :rofl:

And yes, the Vette does keep getting better. :rock:

Im worried the cost will be the same. I mean they want like $1000 for the 2010 seat covers, I imagine the whole seat will be close to the Daytona's. If thats the case, they wont get my money. If they are less than 50% the cost of the Daytona's I will probably get them, assuming they drop in.

Do want. Those look terrific.

The Recaro's are a $2800 stand alone option in the base CTS.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/19/c...-like-v-model/

I wonder how much the 4LT with these seats will MSRP for?

Tom

:flag:
:iagree: Same for my '10 GS.

Who really cares how much they'd cost at the parts counter? You'd have to be pretty loose (read stupid :yesnod:) with your money to even consider buying them new. They'd be a nice junkyard upgrade though. :thumbs:

For those that mentioned it, GM IS listening. Tom Hill made a big point on that.

Also, the stiching on the 4LT can match the color of the car. You can also match the color of the calipers. On the Grand Sport, the chrome emblem (that many don't like - I like mine), can be switched to black if you choose. And the suede is very nice too.

I really like the feel of the new wheel, too. Very nice. All they had on display was the 4LT, but overall it looked a lot cleaner and more refined. I hope this carries over to all the packages. But bottom line, after what I've seen, that if I was going to order again, I'd definitely get the 4LT

Another point of interest was Tom Hill discussion of the GM Navigation system. He agreed that it sucks. But explained why they haven't done much with it. In summary, at the time when they were developing the C6, what GM decided on was state-of-the-art at the time. The next step is to designed the required size/electrical/components, etc. into the architechtural design of the instrumentation panel. As technology for the Nav got (significantly) better, they were "stuck" with what they had without having to do substantial changes to the panel. He agreed that that is one of the most frustrating issues to the engineering team on Corvette, as they know it can be better, but right now their hands are tied.

Here's a few more pics:

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/47...500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/46...500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/21...500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/45...500x500Q85.jpg

Brad, you sat in the new seats? If you did, on a scale of 1-10 (10 best) how would you rank your current GS seats in compraison to the new seats?

New Seats Rank
Current Seats Rank

Good question, Frank -

First, given that I don't track my car (which is where I think the new seats would make a BIG difference), I'm answering based on driving my car on weekends and about 5000 miles a year, here's my rating.

Current seats - 7

New seats - 8

What I really like about the new seats are the shoulder bolsters, but the head rest in really hard for some reason, otherwise I'd give it a 9.

But if I was tracking the car, my guess would be I'd probably think the current seats are about a 5-6 and the new seats a 8-9

:thumbs:

So when is GM recalling the minivan seats to give us the ones the car was supposed to come with? :D

Wonder if any of the vendors have that steering wheel available yet, and if so how much...

:cool: :thumbs:

one of the reason's i ordered the 12..

Long Awaited :canadaflag:

Wait till you see the 2013! :lol:

Nice going GM.:thumbs::thumbs:

I like the seats, so far by viewing them.

Not a fan of the stitching being accented around the entire cabin area, to busy for my taste.

I think GM is trying though I am sure most will welcome the changes.

Seats may look good but will they pass the butt test. My butts not a big fan of the CTSV's Recaros don't like dangling my feet 5' 6" and its hard as a brick. Like to be able to move around without fighting seat. I like to drive fast but I don't just run fast around curves all the time. My 2 cents time will tell when I can get some seat time in them.
z51vett

^ lol, so just keep the crappy stock seats if you're more worried about that instead of having a real sports car seat.


Are these actually better? Or do they just look better?

How is the side bolstering? I want something that holds me down in place and feels like a glove when I sit in it.

Do you have to get 4LT to get these seats? If so, that sucks. I want a base model corvette with the best seats offered.

I was unaware anyone actually used a headrest in a car....being totaly serious here.

Looks good! :thumbs:

It seems that I read a post here a couple of weeks ago that the seat frames were the same as the current C-6. The change was only in the upper bolster padding and new skins on both top and bottom. If this the case you could convert your current C-6 OEM seats to the 2012 seats with the new upper foam and new skins. It would be interesting what the parts cost would be when available from GM. I'm sure one of our forum vendors will keep us in the loop as to the cost of the conversion. I would be interested in making the change providing the cost was reasonable, say $1,200 or so. :thumbs:

At long last they actually have a seat the at least looks worthy of a 50,000 dollar car even though it may cost 70 to get them! :D

:thumbs: Thanks for Posting Brad, Can't wait to check these out in person. Very nice change IMO:D

That interior looks fantastic. It looks as good as the interior in my wife's new car. The picture doesn't show it as well, but this interior is black with light gray stitching. It's an Acura TL...

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...onsole1000.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...iorshifter.jpg

just a question: what's with the raked-forward fixed headrests? is that some kind of new law to save us because it surely looks a bit uncomfortable as in Jim's TL especially.:ack:

Bill, I'm not positive, but I think that is actually true. Might be worth a "google".

I will tell you though that in the Acura you still don't hit the headrests when you are driving.

Jim, I may have to do something different w. my driving position. Usually my head is close to the headrest, in just about any car. I guess it's "ergonomic" or "eggohead-saving"....maybe C6 owners can just "send it out to DSV or Caravaggio or APSIS"...:D

True, I don't use the headrest, but at times, i.e WOT when you may feel the headrest, it's soft. My point is that I think that every time that I did touch my head to the headrest I'd think that I'm hitting a piece of cloth covered cardboard. Just my .02.

I have a 2010 GS 4LT vert and the new seats IMO, are a visual improvement, and a harbinger of the interior improvements in the future C7. Couple of comments, my current seats run "hot," especially with the top down, are the suede inserts vented, or will they be even worse for heat retention? Also, GM, how about adding small speakers to the seat headrest to improve the sound quality and filter out some of the road noise!
Looking forward to my future C7: 4LT!

Not sure how "vented" the suede seats will be, but Tom Hill seemed to think that everyone would really like them - it should breathe better though. It's not actual suede, since that wouldn't be good for seating - would wear out in no time at all (anybody remember Hush Puppies - how long did they look good???)

According to Craig, the interior designer for the Corvette, it is basically the same seat. The piece that is added under the headrest is new. It also looks like the headrest is new, too.
Interesting how the seat fits right up against the door when it is shut.
But they do look good.

:cool:

In the video from Sebring, the new headrests are discussed. They say that the hardness and angle are required by a new federal regulation that requires your neck to not tilt back more than a certain amount (7 degrees?) when rear-ended.

Without active headrests, probably most cars will end up with something similar.

That $2,800 is probably the upgrade cost, not the net cost of the seats. Man, those are lovely. I wish they had an aftermarket version we could put in our C6s.

Just to confirm, you are correct. The $2800 is the upgrade in a Premium sedan that already has ventilated seats included in the Premium package. On the CTS-V the Recaros are $3500 which includes ventilated seats that are not available on the base V seats.

Hmmmm....well, then that would explain it then. Just what we need, more government regulation...:toetap: Well, hopefully it saves a few necks and lives.:thumbs:

Can the Cadillac seats be adopted for c6? I'd assume the wires for the airbags would be the same. Are the seats too wide?

Going to revive this thread to get an answer on this: Aren't the 'suede' inserts supposed to be only on CE cars??? At least that's the only part they're showing on that yellow Vette, since it's a bad idea in wear areas, like the steering wheel and gear knob. All package descriptions I've read didn't say anything about 'suede' seat inserts in the regular 4LT package (no CE). And yes, I initially wanted the contrast stitching, but it's too busy indeed. Plus the white 'corvette' and headrest embroidery looks cheesy IMO.

Nice...but :iagree:, the side bolsters look the same.

Since I was there when he was introducing the new interior, I don't have a specific answer for you. What I do remember is that he said this was the new 4LT interior - I don't remember him mentioning that the suede would only be available on the Centennial Edition (CE). In fact, Tom mentioned something about the suede being better than leather from a wearing standpoint, which to me, suggests that they would do that for all 4LT packages. But that's just my guess. Maybe Corvette Conti or Ken Fitchner can chime in on what they may know.

4LT - Custom Leather Wrapped Interior Package , features leather-wrapped upper instrument panel, upper door trim panels and console storage cover. Exclusive leather color and two-tone design with suede inserts includes seat headrest crossed flag embroidery and enhanced armrest padding. Special gunmetal pattern console trim plate

Thanks man, but that seems to be an OPTION on top of 4LT, no? Regular 4LT package does not include 2-tone, and neither 'exclusive' colors. I'm confused.

Yeah, hopefully one of the dealers can chime in with details. It's obviously going to be offered due to the 'evidence' above :D, but I didn't think it'd be standard. And unfortunately, it's obvious GM is not using the premium stuff (Alcantara), but some imitation, akin of the cheap leather they use for the seats. Cared for properly, leather should last A LOT longer than microfiber cloth. And reason manufacturers are jumping to it is because they're charging the same prices as leather for freaking cloth; they're laughing all the way to the bank :smash:.

Looks nice

http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/45...500x500Q85.jpg They still can't get that little corner piece to stay down though on the pillar.:D

I thought all 2012's were getting the new seats?

It's a little misleading but I believe everything listed is included with 4LT. Dark Titanium is a color that's exclusive to 4LT and the Dark Titanium/Ebony 4LT interior is definitely 2-tone. The all-ebony 4LT interior is not, of course. There's also a Cashmere/Ebony 4LT interior available although Cashmere is not exclusive to 4LT. Regardless of color choice, all 4LT interiors cost the same. (Colored stitching is a stand-alone option that's available only with 4LT.)

^^^^ What he said. - agreed.

All you said was clear to me, but what's not clear is if every 4LT interior is getting the black cloth center sections on the seats. Or maybe just the GSs and not the coupes? Again, only the CE mentioned having cloth on the seats, along with steering wheel and many other parts. But that picture of the yellow Vette above proves otherwise. Guess will have to discuss that with dealer before ordering; don't want it. Thanks gang.

Nice

4LT seats come with cloth inserts

I believe they are suede inserts.