Filed under: Coupes, Chevrolet, GM
Corvette C7 put on indefinite hold
According to multiple unnamed sources speaking with Autoweek, General Motors has put its plans for a C7 Corvette on "indefinite hold, with no official or set timetable." That's a pretty broad admission, but not entirely surprising considering the financial issues plaguing GM, the rest of the domestics and the world as a whole.
Originally it was thought that the current C6 Corvette would undergo significant upgrades over the course of the next five years, with the C7 coming to market in 2014. That timeframe doesn't appear to hold water anymore, and Autoweek maintains that GM's leadership doesn't have a clear plan for what the future holds for the 'Vette, not to mention the rest of the General's lineup.
However, Corvette vehicle-line executive Tom Wallace assured the weekly pub that the halo coupe isn't going anywhere. "We're still working on future Corvettes," Wallace said, and "there are changes, some neat stuff, coming for 2010 that I can't talk about yet." Wallace went on to say that the 2010 model wouldn't be considered an all-new car and that the 35-mpg CAFE standards for 2020 are having an effect on future drivetrains specs of the next Corvette.
[Source: Autoweek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
dibbage 3:57PM (10/17/2008)
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
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Amien 4:53PM (10/17/2008)
ZR1 not enough for you? I'd rather they wait now, and do a great job once they really get around to it. The ZR1 is more than capable of holding fort till then. GM has bigger issues to tend to.
RJ 10:33PM (10/17/2008)
Read this month's Car and Driver: Lightening Lap. There are only 4 cars that can beat a BASE Vette with Z51 package:
Mosler - purpose built race car
Viper ACR - purpose built race car
GTR
Scuderia
If you don't consider that amazing, I don't know what is.
BoneHeadOtto 8:52AM (10/18/2008)
it was amazing that the base vette was that fast. But to say there are only 4 cars that can beat it is just plain wrong. There were not many cars in that test and i am shocked that they didnt even include the z06 or even the mazda speed 3 in the test. Those are the obvious performance bargains out there.
Eddie 3:59PM (10/17/2008)
Wouldn't cars like the Volt and Hybrids offset the Corvette's cafe ratings?
Isn't that why Porsche wants to buy VW, to use the polo and golf to make up for the 911 turbo?
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Hike15 4:02PM (10/17/2008)
idk if vw would considering the companies they own, like lambo and bentley
Eddie 4:06PM (10/17/2008)
I thought Lamborghini was almost unaffected by Cafe because of their low production numbers.
MachinaDC5 4:00PM (10/17/2008)
Why fix what isn't broken? The C6 could stand to hang around the market for a while longer, it's that far ahead of its competition. Plus the longer it's on the market then the greater its chances for eventual price drops. GM needs to save some money for the moment and shouldn't waste that money making a C7 when the C6 will be just fine for a while. Don't worry GM, we understand.
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Tecmec 4:06PM (10/17/2008)
agreed
innoc3nt 4:36PM (10/17/2008)
I agree. As much as I'd love to see new sports cars, it doesn't really make financial sense right now.
J 5:47PM (10/17/2008)
As a C6 owner, I fully agree. 4 years into its life cycle, and there is still nothing even close to a base C6 in terms of price, performance, practicality, and style.
P.V. 6:24PM (10/17/2008)
I beg to differ. The Acura NSX was way ahead of the competition for years after its introduction. However, right around (IMO) the middle of its life, it was getting completely outclassed by newer competitors, it not having been redesigned at all.
I have a feeling the Corvette will face the same fate.
MachinaDC5 6:46PM (10/17/2008)
P.V., it's important to remember that GM is a business, and businesses need to make money. GM doesn't need to burn capital developing a C7.
If Honda came out with a new NSX every 5 years they'd be bankrupt, especially with GM's current sales figures. Between discontinuing production or keeping such a great car alive, I'm glad they kept it alive. But I'd rather see Honda make a profit than lose money because they want a halo car. Plus, the NSX was theoretically never a car that could age well because average horsepower-per-car was naturally going to increase in its age.
I wish I had either an NSX or C6 though!
J M C 3 12:13PM (10/18/2008)
A rebody and a better interior would be nice to keep it current.
TJ 4:06PM (10/17/2008)
*cough*unfoundedrumormongering*cough*
slow news day, huh?
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MikeofLA 4:15PM (10/17/2008)
If they improved the interior a bit more, and added some colors and wheel options, they'd refresh it well.
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Nelson 7:56PM (10/17/2008)
Absolutely, and we know they can. Just look at the CTS. Even Jeremy Clarkson likes it. What they need is
1) CTS level interior
2)DI Gen V engines
3)Restyled fascias and headlights.
To those predicting a v6 vette, I say BOOOO!
I do think a much smaller V8 is likely. It is quite convenient that the 5.3L is close enough in size to be marketed as a 327.
J 5:55PM (10/17/2008)
Why DI? The car is already capable of 28-30mpg with a soft touch, and it certainly doesn't need more power.
The 08+ interior is not quite CTS good, but it's still one of the better american interiors. In the two years that I've owned mine, everyone who has sat in it has been impressed with the interior, because they were expecting 1990's GM crap. It's perfectly reasonable for what it is. Maybe not the $100,000 ZR1, but a $46,000 C6? Leave the interior alone.
Nelson 7:56PM (10/17/2008)
DI will allow more HP and less fuel consumption/emissions at equal displacement. Or it can allow a smaller engine to maintain the same hp with even greater consumption/emissions gains. From what I've read elsewhere the LS3 was among the last new engines that GM will be releasing without DI.
I agree that the 08 vette is a nice car, but to stay competitive they need to keep raising the bar. The top level CTS interior is gorgeous. That level of quality should be in the Corvette.
Chris 4:25PM (10/17/2008)
Just be grateful is hasn't been killed off.
*cough-viper-cough*
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