2020 Corvette Stingray C8: What We Know and Our First Impressions

loosecannon said:

I can see the average age of Vette owner getting lowered a little with this car.

I'm really interested in how this plays out. I forsee some traditional Vette guys not being willing to embrace the change, but with luck they'll be more than offset by a new crop that's never previously considered the car.

Frankly I think that this puts pressure on many of the absurdly expensive exotics. "Let's see. Explain again why your $500K car is superior to a $75K Vette that's just as fast and doesn't cost me the price of a Hyundai every time it breaks."

In reply to Kreb :

Perhaps, but folks who tend to buy new Italian exotics do so because the high cost to purchase and maintain and the exclusiveness that brings is what they want. It's the same line of thinking that makes some with the means pay exorbitant dealer mark-ups for early cars.  

In reply to Kreb :

I think you are right about the C8 drawing in more new customers than pushing away Corvette die hards, or at least I think it's within the realm of possibility. But I think you might have the wrong idea when it comes to how it's going to affect the rest of the market.

I absolutely think that the C8 is going to put pressure on its direct rivals like the NSX, 911, or GT-R, but I don't think it will be doing much to the 720S' and Aventadors of the world. The reality is that part of the reason people buy those cars is simply because they can. These are the people that buy S and G65 AMG's when the 63's are buy all accounts better vehicles. The C8 is insane value for performance, but some people have completely different ideas of what constitutes value.

Edit: I think the more possible scenario would be these people actually considering the C8 as part of their fleet. It's less likely a case of "one or the other" but "both and" when it comes to those types.

In reply to MTechnically :

IRT the exotics, you're probably right. But I think of a well-heeled friend who changed over from Ferraris to Porsches. At a certain point he said basically "Why am I paying this huge ego tax?"  You're always going to have your Saudi prices buying their Paganis, but a certain - probably small segment is going to ask "As a smart guy, why am I buying a stupid car?"

I heard it is going to be at Corvettes in Carlisle next month.  Definitely might be worth taking my boys (3 year old twins) over for a look.  I wonder if they (GM) will put it in the parade through town.  For the Ford Nationals, Ford had a whole fleet of vehicles that they brought out for the parade, surely GM could drive one C8.

It will have to have a much nicer interior to get me out of my 911. I've also owned a number of GM cars to question  it's quality. It'll be fast but numbers aren't everything, especially for a street car. 

JimS said:

It will have to have a much nicer interior to get me out of my 911. I've also owned a number of GM cars to question  it's quality. It'll be fast but numbers aren't everything, especially for a street car. 

The thing is, a 911 isn't a $75-80k car anymore. The 2020 911 has a starting MSRP over $113k. And that's before Porche's infamous options are tacked on. It better be one hell of an interior to justify that $50k+ price difference with the C8. If Porche 911 buyers are even considering the Corvette that's a big win for GM.

For $113k, One could buy a C8 and a Camaro SS 1 LE and still have a few thousand left for track consumables, or extra sound deadening or whatever. Or they could wait for the faster, more expensive Vettes to come along in a year or two.

The Corvette seems like it could be similarly priced to a 718 Cayman, the least-expensive sports car that Porsche currently offers. That's impressive.  

In reply to David S. Wallens :

At that point the only draw of the Porsche are the badge and the Manual. Which are relevant.

I'll be curious to see how the features of a 718 Cayman S and C8 Z51 stack up against each other  dollar for dollar. I'm sure the Porsche will be more expensive..  But how much is the real question.  

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You don't have to buy a new 911. I chose a used 911 over a new C7 and have no regrets. As I said before I've owned a lot of GM cars and my son has a Cayman S and I have a 911 and all I can say is you get what you pay for. I know performance wise the Corvette is a lot of bang for the buck but there's more to a car than numbers. 

JimS said:

You don't have to buy a new 911. I chose a used 911 over a new C7 and have no regrets. As I said before I've owned a lot of GM cars and my son has a Cayman S and I have a 911 and all I can say is you get what you pay for. I know performance wise the Corvette is a lot of bang for the buck but there's more to a car than numbers. 

You must have a much newer 911 than I do.  My 80s era 911 interiors are nothing to write home about,  even my past 993 and 996.  Then again I don’t buy my sports cars based on the interior.  I personally really like the c8 and think it would be a nice complement to my German and Italian sports cars,  but I also like variety,  so ymmv.

I agree. I have 991 and my son's is a 981. I don't buy for an interior but you need to be comfortable and feel good. I also like variety. I had an s2000 before my 911, a z28 before that, a couple gti's, an rx7 etc. I happen to like the simplicity of the interiors of early 911's. I just think most cars are over styled today. Everyone have different tastes and likes and I respect everyone's opinion. I think the car will be a big success. 

I haven't read every comment in this thread but with the C8 now in the same league as the Ford GT, will it have crazy resale value like the GT has? If you want an American made, mid engine supercar (yes, I'm calling them supercars) would you rather have a V8 or twin turbo V6? I can't wait to see next years IMSA and WEC races against these two

JimS said:

I agree. I have 991 and my son's is a 981. I don't buy for an interior but you need to be comfortable and feel good. I also like variety. I had an s2000 before my 911, a z28 before that, a couple gti's, an rx7 etc. I happen to like the simplicity of the interiors of early 911's. I just think most cars are over styled today. Everyone have different tastes and likes and I respect everyone's opinion. I think the car will be a big success. 

I like the simplicity of the 911 interiors too,  but it’s things like the hvac controls that crack me up.  For the heat and ac there are three different control panels to adjust them in the 80s cars if you have ac.  I’m fine with that,  you get used to the quirks,  but these days people would lose their minds over that type of thing.  Back then you were just happy to have even mediocre ac (at best) in an AC 911. 

loosecannon said:

I haven't read every comment in this thread but with the C8 now in the same league as the Ford GT, will it have crazy resale value like the GT has? 

Doubtful. One reason for the high GT resale values is the limited production numbers. Once production gets going, Chevy will build more C8s in a month than the entire (current) GT production run over a few years. 

Zora is smiling like a Cheshire cat right now

Cotton said:

JimS said:

I agree. I have 991 and my son's is a 981. I don't buy for an interior but you need to be comfortable and feel good. I also like variety. I had an s2000 before my 911, a z28 before that, a couple gti's, an rx7 etc. I happen to like the simplicity of the interiors of early 911's. I just think most cars are over styled today. Everyone have different tastes and likes and I respect everyone's opinion. I think the car will be a big success. 

I like the simplicity of the 911 interiors too,  but it’s things like the hvac controls that crack me up.  For the heat and ac there are three different control panels to adjust them in the 80s cars if you have ac.  I’m fine with that,  you get used to the quirks,  but these days people would lose their minds over that type of thing.  Back then you were just happy to have even mediocre ac (at best) in an AC 911. 

^^^ I have an 86 Cabrio, fiddled with the HVAC controls when I first got it and got frustrated. Never tried to use the heat or AC afterward.

Kreb said:

Frankly I think that this puts pressure on many of the absurdly expensive exotics. "Let's see. Explain again why your $500K car is superior to a $75K Vette that's just as fast and doesn't cost me the price of a Hyundai every time it breaks."

That's a feature, not a bug.

You're looking at exotics as a tool to go fast.  The true purpose of an exotic is to show off how much play-money you have.  Or at least, how much play-money you want other people to think you have.

Knurled. said:

Kreb said:

Frankly I think that this puts pressure on many of the absurdly expensive exotics. "Let's see. Explain again why your $500K car is superior to a $75K Vette that's just as fast and doesn't cost me the price of a Hyundai every time it breaks."

 

That's a feature, not a bug.

 

You're looking at exotics as a tool to go fast.  The true purpose of an exotic is to show off how much play-money you have.  Or at least, how much play-money you want other people to think you have.

Some people buy them because they want an amazing sports car.  Weren’t you the one that said not to judge a double parking Camry owner?  Lol

In reply to Cotton :

I'm speaking of generalities, not absolutes 

This forum in particular should be familiar with the idea of speed being cheap if you are more concerned with having fun than impressing other people.

And to be fair to the exotics, if they couldn't perform, they wouldn't be all that much of a status symbol.

I've just seen my first C8 in the wild, no camo.  I was running errands at lunchtime.  I was surprised at how much it looks like a Corvette if that makes any sense.  I saw it head on at first, opposite from me as I was at a stop light.  We both turned right, away from each other so I saw the side.  Never saw the rear.  It was dark burgundy and as soon as I saw it my brain went 'Corvette, no, that's not right it looks different.......oh, it's a new C8'  IT also looked taller (height) and shorter (length) than I expected.  I don't think the color suited it TBH.

Cotton said:

Knurled. said:

Kreb said:

Frankly I think that this puts pressure on many of the absurdly expensive exotics. "Let's see. Explain again why your $500K car is superior to a $75K Vette that's just as fast and doesn't cost me the price of a Hyundai every time it breaks."

 

That's a feature, not a bug.

 

You're looking at exotics as a tool to go fast.  The true purpose of an exotic is to show off how much play-money you have.  Or at least, how much play-money you want other people to think you have.

Some people buy them because they want an amazing sports car.  Weren’t you the one that said not to judge a double parking Camry owner?  Lol

So, this summer I got lucky enough to ride and drive around a track in a few high caliber sports cars.  The C8 Z06 is plenty fast, capable, and makes a great noise.  The 3rd gen. Viper is a sexy hammer.  The Ferrari (can't for the life of me remember if it was a 488 or 458) might not be much faster around Gingerman, at least in the hands of a mediocre driver, but even from the passenger seat it's on another level in terms of sounds, feel, looks, and all around special. It's hard to describe but the "Ferrari-ness" is real.  Now I completely understand why someone would pay the $$$ for the exotic even if the Corvette is equal on paper.

I'm surprised no one has posted now that the first reviews are out for the C8. It sounds like they've made it a great dual purpose car, made a nice interior, but from the factory it understeers, may not have great balance, lacks a bit of steering feel, brake feel. C&D found the C8 0.9 secs faster than the C7 around Grattan. Both cars had the Z51 package, but the C8 has PS4S tires, while the C7 has 1.5 gen older PSS, so the true performance difference is probably at most half a second. It sounds like the acceleration from low speeds is far superior in the C8.

In reply to Snrub :

The R&T review chalked the acceleration from a stop up to short gear ratios.

The R&T review was a little down on the car, but they always compare the Vette against a 911, instead of its actual price competition, a GT350 or, now, a Supra. I guess they do mention a Cayman but even the Cayman is way more out the door than a Vette.

The MT review seems like the most insightful one. The understeer tuned into the stability control is to prevent snap oversteer. On the plus side, the c8 can put all of its power down coming out of a corner. Brake by wire stinks (duh). Tl;Dr they are saving the supercar performance for the Z06.

What's up with the availability on this thing. Getting a convertible even an option in 2020 or everything sold out  with addendums.