C8 Corvette Reveal

[BudgetPlan1]

Little slow at work today (imagine that...slow at a swimming pool service company in NE Ohio in Winter) so left early and headed down to the C8 Roadshow at dealer we bought our Corvette from last Spring.

To me, the new Vette looked a little tubby in the pics I`ve seen but I guess the camera adds a few pounds as it looked MUCH better in person.

Our C7 has a *very* `cockpit-ish` feeling; driver side OK for this lanky 6`2" guy but passenger side is so devoid of legroom that 3hrs would be all I could take on that side...with my knees nearly in my ears.

C8 has improved legroom...but not by much and passenger side really feels closed in due to `wall of buttons` on console between driver and passenger.

Drivers side is overall a little roomier with better sight over shorter hood...win for the C8 on that count, seemed a bit more shoulder room as well.

Still, if I had endless garage space and endless money I`d buy one. Definately not something I`d roll across the country in but looks pretty cool in person although I think I`d go with a lighter color like silver or white.

Haven`t seen a dark colored one in person but think the lighter colors keep it looking somewhat svelte. The side vents don`t look nearly as obtrusive in person as they do in pics and the somewhat squished rear end doesn`t look nearly as squished in person either. I think it looks very good in person but not so much in pictures.

Glad I saw it in person.

They also had an 2019 Chevrolet COPO Camaro 50th Anniversary`in the showroom. They took down the ropes around it, opened the door and told me climb in...a somewhat difficult task w the roll cage...but not as difficult as getting back out.

Hopefully nobody was filming my exit cuz there were my arms and legs sticking out everywhere in and around the roll cage, eventually they kinda hadda pull my out despite gravity`s efforts to keep me entombed in there. Was a real lanky-guy dork fest

And then they fired it up inside for a minute: https://youtu.be/4Ga7dGJmRY0

Fun stuff, sure beat working all afternoon.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing.

 

[Sizzle Chest]

Very nice! Appreciate the pics!!

 

[Detailrookie!]

Love that Red interior!!! Thank you for sharing!

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[BudgetPlan1]

Love that Red interior!!! Thank you for sharing!

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I`ve never been in a car with that much Alcantara everywhere. How does that stuff stand up to daily use? Is it easy to clean?

In that color though it did give kinda a `velvet/bordello` vibe to the interior. Not sure that`s what they were going for

 

[atgonzales]

Nicely done, Budget

 

[Coatings=crack]

That COPO! Means as f&$k! That cam! That exhaust! That’s what got me back into American muscle.

Like the Vette too. Still trying to talk myself out of it. Red looks good don’t know if I could pull the trigger on it myself


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[tom p.]

Are people sharing thoughts on the driving experience yet? Like? Dis-like?

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Are people sharing thoughts on the driving experience yet? Like? Dis-like?

Won`t start building production units February so only impressions are from magazines and such testing pre-production cars.

One of those apparently named it one of the 10 best cars for 2020? A bit premature methinks

 

[SWETM]

Thanks for shareing your thoughts on the new C8 Vette!

Kind of liked how it looks. Does it has any feel from the old Vettes or is it like a whole new modell?
Personally I don`t like colors other than black on the interior. Then if the color scheme goes with something of the exterior colors in the seams or a small panel it can looking great. Some color combos can look good as well interior and exterior combo. But I want clean and descreat interior.

LMAO budgetplan and would be fun to see a video when they pulled you out of the Camaro LOL.
The Camaro looks like a beast! Is it sold that way to customers from Chevy and is it street legal or just raceway car?

Nice pictures and video!

/ Tony

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Thanks for shareing your thoughts on the new C8 Vette!

Kind of liked how it looks. Does it has any feel from the old Vettes or is it like a whole new modell?
Personally I don`t like colors other than black on the interior. Then if the color scheme goes with something of the exterior colors in the seams or a small panel it can looking great. Some color combos can look good as well interior and exterior combo. But I want clean and descreat interior.

LMAO budgetplan and would be fun to see a video when they pulled you out of the Camaro LOL.
The Camaro looks like a beast! Is it sold that way to customers from Chevy and is it street legal or just raceway car?

Nice pictures and video!

/ Tony

This is a whole new Corvette re-design, mid-engine vs 66 years of front-engine configurations. Also a move from torque converter auto trans to a true dual clutch automatic...and no manual transmission offered

It`s been suggested/reported that the main reason for no manual tranny was lack of space in footwell area, couldn`t fit 3 pedals in there. I forget the actual #`s but previous generations were skewed largely towards auto trans, very few manuals ordered in comparison. I think it was back in the 1997-2004 C5 Generation that the manual tranny was an extra-cost option vs rge standard auto trans.

I shoulda knowed something was up when dealer friend said "Hey, come on over here...wanna see if you can fit in the Camaro"...it was later in the day and they probably needed some entertainment.

Camaro is non street legal, factory-built competition car.

COPO Camaro https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/06/rare-chevrolet-copo-camaro-50th-anniversary-for-sale-for-163k/

 

[re-tired]

If I was rich I would like to have the Camaro. I would also like a 2019 ZR1- fastest production car EVER made in the USA. And maybe while I am at it I would like a `65 & 1/2 corvette tanker coupe .

But back to reality & the C-8-- looks real good Xcept for the ugly red interior. Check out Jay Lenos garage for his demo ride with the head honcho of vette engineering, its pretty cool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvTzcNtaSLU

 

[SWETM]

This is a whole new Corvette re-design, mid-engine vs 66 years of front-engine configurations. Also a move from torque converter auto trans to a true dual clutch automatic...and no manual transmission offered

It`s been suggested/reported that the main reason for no manual tranny was lack of space in footwell area, couldn`t fit 3 pedals in there. I forget the actual #`s but previous generations were skewed largely towards auto trans, very few manuals ordered in comparison. I think it was back in the 1997-2004 C5 Generation that the manual tranny was an extra-cost option vs rge standard auto trans.

I shoulda knowed something was up when dealer friend said "Hey, come on over here...wanna see if you can fit in the Camaro"...it was later in the day and they probably needed some entertainment.

Camaro is non street legal, factory-built competition car.

COPO Camaro https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/06/rare-chevrolet-copo-camaro-50th-anniversary-for-sale-for-163k/

Way cool the Camaro!
In general I like these retro classic new cars as Camaro and Mustang and the Dodges. Would absolutely being an option for me if I would have the budget to buying such of a car as a DD. Have had a dream of restoring a real american classic car with a modern setup inside of it with a newer engine and with a/c and better suspension. My dream would be a Chevrolet Bel Air `57. Or any of those kind of bodylines that has. Is the first cheaper modells that`s Chevy 210 I think that what`s could be happen to do realisticly LOL. Or an american classic muscle car as a second option. These are so high of a price here in Sweden. Some still does import these but that`s have been done with many of the american classic cars the last 15 years or so. It`s huge market for these cars in Sweden. And a lot of them gets very well restored which I think is awesome to save these old cars. If anyone knows where to get these american classic cars. You can do a lot of great business with shipping them to Sweden LOL. For being such of a little country the market is still huge here. How is it with the prices on the american classic cars now in the US? Are they going up or is the prices standing still. And I meen on every conditions of them you can think of.

Will be very interesting to see how the new C8 Vette does in the original setup on a track. Think that they would be better with the mid engine they have now. Just that they have been putting in the development needed to get them going fast in the cornering too. And if the new Vettes reach the same amount of sales that the C7 did. Or if it gets lower or higher with a bigger margine than before. Have they said how many of the 2020 will be made?

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Will be very interesting to see how the new C8 Vette does in the original setup on a track. Think that they would be better with the mid engine they have now. Just that they have been putting in the development needed to get them going fast in the cornering too. And if the new Vettes reach the same amount of sales that the C7 did. Or if it gets lower or higher with a bigger margine than before. Have they said how many of the 2020 will be made?

Early reports indicate a noticeable amount of understeer which some claim is `designed in` to help protect overzealous consumers. Despite an infinite amount of fairly contentious debate in Corvette Social media outlets, no one will really know until cars start to be actually delivered to end users.

But it`s a jungle out there in Corvette world right now..."This car will put Porsche outta business!", "Ferrari and Lambo quaking in their boots!", blah blah blah. Really getting nutty, albeit funny if you don`t take it seriously.

I think they expect to sell 40k of base model this year, many holding out to see what Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 bring. Dealer I was at had 20 allocations, all spoken for.

You can still get an allocation at larger dealer despite erroneous magazine claims that "Corvette is SOLD OUT for 2020!"

It`ll be interesting to see how it goes w first year and such a departure from previous cfg. Heck, GM never really fixed some long running problems from previous C6 and C7 generations so a whole new, first year redesign might be a little, uh, questionable as far as being completely sorted out.

Will watch with interest but will likely never have an interest in another Corvette. Our 2019 is nice.. fun and all but likely the last we`ll buy. Too many other, more fun things have been discovered that better meet our personal tastes.

Still, every time we fire up the V8 I remember why it`s so cool.

 

[Desertnate]

Are people sharing thoughts on the driving experience yet? Like? Dis-like?

Several of the automobile mags have done reviews. Car and Driver was pretty positive with only a few gripes. Road and Track had it as a finalist in their Performance Car of the Year competition, but it didn`t win. They seemed to like it as well. I haven`t read any other initial reviews yet.

Budget: Thanks for the write up. I really want to see one in person to form my own opinions. Right now I`m not liking the wall of buttons idea or the Camaro-like taillights. I`m also not quite sure what to make of the front view. The C7 caught my attention right away and a Grand Sport or Z06 will still turn my head. I`m not sure if this one will or not.

Regardless of how it looks, I`m really eager to see the C8.R`s debut at the Roar Before the 24 and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Budget: Thanks for the write up. I really want to see one in person to form my own opinions. Right now I`m not liking the wall of buttons idea or the Camaro-like taillights. I`m also not quite sure what to make of the front view. The C7 caught my attention right away and a Grand Sport or Z06 will still turn my head. I`m not sure if this one will or not.

You might just change your mind regarding exterior when you see in person. From the middle of the doors back, notably those side scoops, I thought the design was a total failure based on all the pics I had seen. It appeared somewhat bloated, far too much flat horizontal surface area. Looks much slimmer in person.

The pointy end of the scoop/door when opened is likely gonna be a problem area for some, I could see that getting banged on things in close quarters and being a point, its gonna leave a mark and not an easy one to deal with...*crunch*.

The deal-killer for me if I was otherwise interested is the fighter-cockpit interior...it`s just not wide enough on either side and the wall of buttons insures your passenger better not be claustrophobic...very narrow.

At 6`2", 200 lbs I`m more lanky than broad but still wouldn`t want to spend endless hours behind the wheel; the inability to flex or have much lateral movement from mid-torso to feet would get old to me after a while. Shame because the view from the drivers seat is much improved over previous long-hooded generations.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts when you see in person.

Surprisingly, I came away with a reformed view of the exterior...I could live with that. Interior though is a no go. No biggie, to each their own and I`ve got other ideas for the next toy car. Looking forward to seeing them out in the wild...when real opinions can be formed.

 

[JSFM35X]

I’ve heard some talk that the delays in brining the new vette to market center on making the vette easy and safe to drive fast. Seems too many have gotten away from the non race car test drivers. I agree this vette should be a very easy to drive kit otherwise the post sale publicity won’t be good.

Looks wise I love it. The rest is to be seen. I don’t think I’m in the market for the first bunch. Let’s see how they do and perhaps the second go round ?

 

[Coatings=crack]

You might just change your mind regarding exterior when you see in person. From the middle of the doors back, notably those side scoops, I thought the design was a total failure based on all the pics I had seen. It appeared somewhat bloated, far too much flat horizontal surface area. Looks much slimmer in person.

The pointy end of the scoop/door when opened is likely gonna be a problem area for some, I could see that getting banged on things in close quarters and being a point, its gonna leave a mark and not an easy one to deal with...*crunch*.

The deal-killer for me if I was otherwise interested is the fighter-cockpit interior...it`s just not wide enough on either side and the wall of buttons insures your passenger better not be claustrophobic...very narrow.

At 6`2", 200 lbs I`m more lanky than broad but still wouldn`t want to spend endless hours behind the wheel; the inability to flex or have much lateral movement from mid-torso to feet would get old to me after a while. Shame because the view from the drivers seat is much improved over previous long-hooded generations.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts when you see in person.

Surprisingly, I came away with a reformed view of the exterior...I could live with that. Interior though is a no go. No biggie, to each their own and I`ve got other ideas for the next toy car. Looking forward to seeing them out in the wild...when real opinions can be formed.

“Other ideas”?


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[DBAILEY]

The interior cockpit does look narrow but it finally does not look like a Chevy interior at all and looks as special as the rest of the car is. Whereas that Camaro interior looks exactly like a Chevy interior.

 

[BudgetPlan1]

“Other ideas”?


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Turns out I like small nimble cars, even those w less outright HP. My views used to be focused on HP/TQ curves, dyno sheets and 1/4 mile times. Turning is fun too it seems.