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C7 Thoughts

5K views 33 replies 21 participants last post by  sixpeedreams 
#1 ·
Now that the cat is out of the bag, many points of view are coming to the forefront. Some love the new car, and some hate it. Even Ed Welburn said it had the 'potential' to be polarizing. While the word potential might be an understatement, the car is our new C7 love it or hate it.

If anyone recalls my previous posts, I am not a fan of the car. I have had the opportunity to view and play with the car at some length and while I had hoped it would grow on me, it has not. In fact, the more I look at it the more things I dislike.

The Camaro tailights are the car's biggest glaring flaw. For those who do not see the resemblance, the only logic I can find is that you are lying to yourselves, out of brand loyalty, or disbelief perhaps, I'm not sure.

When you get past the Camaro tailights, the rear end is still greatly flawed. Some have noticed, there is a bump in the middle. It is almost a nose. Why? I suppose this is intented to be a nod to the 63' teardrop design that comes to a point in the rear? Whatever the reason, there should not be a nose in the middle of the rear bumber.

As far as things I'm ok with, the black vents and the quad exhaust. Those can stay. Though the Lexus LF-A does the venting much better.

I will not comment on the side and front much. Some have said they look like the new Viper. The Viper has always been a pretty car, the new one is exquisite, and an example of the proper way to update a car. I can see the resemblance to the Viper in the new Vette's front and sides, it is vague but there. Regardless, front and sides of the new Vette are more subtle than the Viper and are 'lacking' for a better word, boring.

The wheel presented thus far, not bad...but not great.

On to the interior. I applaud the similaries to the late C4 interior design. It is warm, inviting, and familiar. However, there are a few things that just don't make sense to me.

The six sided squarish thing in the middle of the steering wheel. Nothing to say about that other than, er?

Then we have the radio. It is retro style unit that looks as though it was pulled directly out of the Camaro. Are we not over with this retro styling trend? Can we get on with the future?

Last thing about the interior, carbon fiber. Why? It is the earmark of boy racers and high class exotics. No one wants to be associated with the former, so fail in that regard. And with regard to the latter, aren't we a little late to the party? Can't we do something original with corvette that the other guys didn't do? Oh wait, we did, we gave it a nose in the middle of its butt. Fail.

Ed Welburn should be ashamed of himself and so should any Corvette fan who buys one of these. You may love the car but be aware that due to how polarizing the car is, every time you show up to a car show someone will be there to ask why you bought the Corvette that looks like a Camaro, or Cormero, and I'll be among them because I just can't understand why anyone would want this car.

There are many great car designs on the market right now or on the horizon. The Sideswipe concept was good, the Lexus LF-A is good, the new Viper is good, the 2015 Mustang is even good, the Ferrari 458 Italia is genius. There are lots of great cars coming down the line, the new Corvette just isn't one of them. It may be great from an engineering perspective, but it doesn't matter because of the car's exterior. Unless they change the design of the rear, as far as I'm concerned the Corvette stops with the C6. I know some hope that people buy this car so that we can have a C8. No. I would rather this car kill Corvette and be exposed for the fraud it is, if we lose Corvette in the process, maybe GM will learn a lesson, because it doesn't seem like they've learned anything from their failures in 2008.

As far as the claim that this car is for a younger audience, I am in my early 30s. I have been going to car shows and been in Corvette clubs since I could drive. This car does not appeal to me. If I were to buy a new sports car on the market right now I would buy the new Viper. If I'm looking to spend a little less money I might buy a Z4 roadster, heck I might even buy a ZL-1 Camaro convertible. But I will not, and I think I speak for most whether you agree or not, buy a C7 that looks like what Welburn has given us.
 
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#2 ·
Sorry you feel that way. I think its the most radically styled Corvette introduced since 1968. But time and sales will tell whether Ed Welburn is a hero or zero. IMO if it performs well the styling will NOT hold this car's popularity back.
 
#4 ·
Styling will not hold it back? Styling is the backbone of every car on the market. If a car looks good, people then want to take a closer look at the car, and then the interior. If they still like what they see, they'll take it for a drive. So, it seems to me that styling is the first thing people look at and engineering is the last.

The Pontiac Aztec might have been a great car, was certainly innovative in some ways but the public did not like its appearance, and it failed as a result.

I think simply because the C7 is new it will sell, but after they people who love the design have bought the first year model I'm not sure who will be left to buy the second.
 
#9 ·
Man I respect your opinion, and I understand your frustration. Early on I felt the same way, but the more I studied the leaked photos the more they grew on me until I have fallen in love with the car and what it represents. It is a cutting edge vehicle. It has challenged us to rethink what Corvette "Is", and that is the painful part for many. I am just as guilty as any other for initially hating it because it was not what I expected to see. Looking at it now really has made me look past the "non round lights" that pissed me off. I see it as the more advanced vehicle that it is, and it is the first time in a long time that I have said I wish I could afford to buy this car brand new right now. Hell, I'm finally accepting the fact that people don't want to pick up the phone and hold a conversation, they just want to text. :laughing: Reserve judgement until we see that bad boy rolling down the highway. I think a lot of us will be surprised at our reaction. :thumbsup::buhbye:
 
#13 ·
When I first laid eyes on the C5 I was in love...but when the C6 came out I was incredibly disappointed. Still am. Which is why after I sold my Z, I stayed with another C5. I only considered jumping to a C6 for performance reasons.

After all the C6 is just a C5.5. :D So seeing the C7 I am in love again. It is radically different and that's why I love it. The rear end is perfect. I'm sure when we all see it on the road our jaws will drop.

...plus, those round tail lights have been played out anyway. :D
 
#22 ·
Ed Welburn should be ashamed of himself and so should any Corvette fan who buys one of these. You may love the car but be aware that due to how polarizing the car is, every time you show up to a car show someone will be there to ask why you bought the Corvette that looks like a Camaro, or Cormero, and I'll be among them because I just can't understand why anyone would want this car.
I've seen guys joke around and take friendly jabs, but this? You would be the first douchnozzle I had ever met at a car show that actaully had enough balls to seriously put someone down for their choice of car. I seriously doubt you would.

No. I would rather this car kill Corvette and be exposed for the fraud it is, if we lose Corvette in the process, maybe GM will learn a lesson, because it doesn't seem like they've learned anything from their failures in 2008.
LoL
 
#24 ·
Well GM certainly did create controversy with this C7. Now we have corvette lovers at odds with eachother... just sad.
I really don't know what i would say to a C7 owner, i don't want to insult him or the brand because i love the brand and respect someone who puts down their hard earned money on one.

Longtimer and Patrick were right. I had hoped for a much better design and could not believe that the JAlopnick attrocity was accurate !

I showed the C7 to the younger guys in my office, they all didn't like it. My young Asian collegue ( a car guy ) said that the back end looked RICE and said it looks like a transformer car designed by Michael Bay. The other one said that the back end reminded him of a Crossfire. Then he winced when he saw the GTR beside it... my other buddies wife who at least knows a bit about cars... says... "is that a Camaro ?"

This C7 forum has been going on for a long time and i like to think i had a feel that i was not in the minority for not being overwhelmed with this new C7 and yet, just after the intro, there are so many new posts proclaiming that they love it.

I have less interest in the C7, start the C8 thread !
 
#33 ·
Well GM certainly did create controversy with this C7. Now we have corvette lovers at odds with each other... just sad.

I really don't know what i would say to a C7 owner, i don't want to insult him or the brand because i love the brand and respect someone who puts down their hard earned money on one.
Corvette lovers have been at odds with each other for a long time - just ask a C4 owner how many times they've heard other Corvette owners point out the myriad faults of the '84 - '96 while they stand next to their cars.

It isn't just on forums, either - just in casual conversation with C5 and C6 owners, I've been reminded that the C4 is regarded as the 'red headed step child' of the Corvette world.

There are C3 fans that gripe all the time that the last 'real' Corvette generation was the C3, and all that came afterward have been nothing but pretenders.

So, don't be surprised about this latest tempest in a teapot. Some people will hate the C7 until they depart this earth, while others will love it. Then there are some like me, that will wait to see it in person, and perhaps it will grow on me over time.

With regard the Camaro tail lights - it's true, the lights DO look like - or at least bear a similar appearance to - the Camaro. But it isn't like the Corvette has exclusively used ROUND tail lights since 1961. As I recall, the 90 ZR1 came out with not quite round lights, and that was mainstreamed to successive C4 cars after that. Additionally, revered C5 NEVER had ROUND tail lights - they are more accurately described as ELLIPTICAL. The C6 returned to the more traditional ROUND lights.

Odd - I don't really remember much controversy about the shape of C4 and C5 tail lights.

As for what I'll say to the C7 owner's I meet, I think it will be something like "Congratulations! Great car! Do you like it?" because Corvette generations 1 - 7 are ALL in the family, and we should, at the very least, take care of family. But I'm a C4 owner, so it might be nice to have someone else that the elitist owners will show disdain to along with me!

Steven
 
#25 ·
I find it ok, I'll get used to the rear.

I have a BMW nut at work that I showed the pics to and he said (seriously) that the rear end was beautiful. He wouldn't buy it cause he's not into american cars but he really likes the design.

To each their own. I respect anyone that likes it, same as I respect anyone who dislikes it. But someone who just trashtalks to hear his own voice (or read his own text) .. no thanx.

// Stefan
 
#31 ·
C7 is absolutely beautiful to me, I love every single design detail. Finally an agressive design that is beautiful. Did I say I love it?

Compare the Viper fron end to the C7, Viper looks like a nice comfy soft pillow, Vette looks like an F-117 Nighthawk Stealth fighter. I think she will be a big hit...
 
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