Poll C8 Stingray First Impressions - Poll

Do you like the C8 and will you consider getting one?

  • Yes - Already put a deposit

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Yes - 2020 here I come

    Votes: 5 7.4%
  • Yes - Will wait for Z06, ZR1 or GS

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • Yes - Will wait for 2021+

    Votes: 10 14.7%
  • Not sure - wait and see

    Votes: 26 38.2%
  • Me No Likey

    Votes: 9 13.2%

  • Total voters
    68
Poll thread.

Early days but let's take a gauge of how you feel GM handled the rollout and whether you may be putting in a deposit for the C8.
as is often the case, hold off on final judgement until you see it in the flesh....i think it would also be advantageous to wait for the higher trim levels to start rolling out vs jumping on the intial base model
 
Well some of us just prefer the manual transmission.
We all buy these cars with our own expectations and I shake my head at people that tell me why I should prefer something with a track perspective and 10ths of a second in advantages. 90% (rough guess) of Corvettes never see a track.
I specifically had my car trailered in from across the country because that is where the car I wanted with a manual transmission was.
Not knocking the DCT and yes we all know F1 uses them exclusively. However I’m not driving in F1 and how often is the great advantage of the DCT going to mean anything on the street?
Some people who are driving in public places and roads just enjoy rowing the gears. As it requires a certain level of skill and connects them to the car, thus enhances the experience. I’m one of them.... and far from alone in this sentiment.

I’m not a marketing person but I know what I like and expect from a car. GM did a very good job rolling out the C8; but with no Manual option I will be hesitant to spend the money for something that I may end up having to tolerate.

I suppose this all points to the younger customers GM is targeting with the ME platform.
Well, point well made. I am however very experienced in the proper way to use a manual - many cars - last one was a GT500 which only came with a S.T.: very heavy clutch with decent gear box - probably get away around town in 3rd gear if I wanted. I had a Maxima with a S.T. etc. and do not miss using a S.T.. Where I live here in Vancouver with brutal traffic it is nice to have the best of both worlds without a clutch. I am not a young person - I'd pay a ton of money to get back 10 or 20 years though - any ideas? Enjoy your car - be safe!!
 
You are not a marketing person - my forte - very good job IMHO. An amazing car with awesome features for a fraction of the price of an Italian stallion. This will be a big winner, I believe. All F1 cars are DCT - why? Quicker, more responsive and a hell of a lot of fun: I put mine in M mode and hit the paddle shifters - love it!!! Hey, I love your quote - my sentiment exactly - let the hair blow!!!
Not disagreeing with you but I was a marketing manager for a large corp for 20 years so I do know marketing when I see it. I guess I just like to drive cars with a very visceral feel and shift those gears myself so while I think this will likely be the best Vette ever made so far from a performance standpoint, it's just not my style even though I do appreciate the need to build this version.
 
Well, point well made. I am however very experienced in the proper way to use a manual - many cars - last one was a GT500 which only came with a S.T.: very heavy clutch with decent gear box - probably get away around town in 3rd gear if I wanted. I had a Maxima with a S.T. etc. and do not miss using a S.T.. Where I live here in Vancouver with brutal traffic it is nice to have the best of both worlds without a clutch. I am not a young person - I'd pay a ton of money to get back 10 or 20 years though - any ideas? Enjoy your car - be safe!!


Yes the clutching and shifting can get pretty old in heavy traffic. 100% agreed there. Fortunately I’m not subjected to that often as I pick my times to be in the car and what roads I’m on generally. I don’t daily drive it so it’s fortunate that I can do that and reduce leg and clutch trauma. Not to mention embarrassing moments stalling it leaving lights in B2B traffic. 😂
Definitely the M7 is challenging with the ratio coming off a full stop in heavy traffic. The damn thing just goes too quick to creep along. But.... I love it 🥰
So ya.... DCT best of both worlds for that.

As far is going back 20 years. Easy... cone and join me in Thailand for a few weeks.
Works like a charm. 👍👍
 
I think another choice should be yeah, I like it, but I really need to see the car, sit in the car, test drive the car, to determine if I'm buying one. And as others mentioned, I really need to build to order to understand where it prices out. I'm driving a 2019 GS Vert at $80k. If a similar configured C8 is close I'm probably ordering, if it's at $100k, I'm not.
 
FWIW, I waited until i was 55 to buy my first vette (C6) only had 12k on it, manual etc. I was very disappointed, within 8 months I sold it. I got a glimpse of what was coming, saw the market trend and the number of C7 that were flooding the market, could not be happier with the launch of the C8. It ticks every box for me. I believe the C8 is a game changer. I put the dough away for this opportunity to own a true stallion. Next will be in person visual, seat test, then I'll just buy it. I feel the market will go south now on many of the c6 and c7 cars. U cannot compare those to the c8. It is not possible from any standpoint IMHO. Cheers
 
FWIW, I waited until i was 55 to buy my first vette (C6) only had 12k on it, manual etc. I was very disappointed, within 8 months I sold it. I got a glimpse of what was coming, saw the market trend and the number of C7 that were flooding the market, could not be happier with the launch of the C8. It ticks every box for me. I believe the C8 is a game changer. I put the dough away for this opportunity to own a true stallion. Next will be in person visual, seat test, then I'll just buy it. I feel the market will go south now on many of the c6 and c7 cars. U cannot compare those to the c8. It is not possible from any standpoint IMHO. Cheers


Have you even driven a C7?
A base car? GS or Z06? Unlikely a ZR1.
C6 to C7 is night and day difference. Ya I’ve owned them both. C6Z and 2 C7Zs
Lots of guys are thrilled with an anticipated price drop in the C7s to get into one for less.
About the most senseless post I’ve read in a while.
Hopefully your boxes get checked ya. Remember you get what you pay for.
 
FWIW, I waited until i was 55 to buy my first vette (C6) only had 12k on it, manual etc. I was very disappointed, within 8 months I sold it. I got a glimpse of what was coming, saw the market trend and the number of C7 that were flooding the market, could not be happier with the launch of the C8. It ticks every box for me. I believe the C8 is a game changer. I put the dough away for this opportunity to own a true stallion. Next will be in person visual, seat test, then I'll just buy it. I feel the market will go south now on many of the c6 and c7 cars. U cannot compare those to the c8. It is not possible from any standpoint IMHO. Cheers
You also could not compare your C6 to a mid eighties C3. Evolution. However they are all Vettes and were the class act in their time. FYI my C6 puts a smile on my face every time I get into it, and when the time comes to part ways, my next one will do the same whether it’s a 7 or an eight. Hell it might even be a nine...lol
 
Its just a dream and with no manual, not something I'd pursue. Reality, is I'll just keep enjoying my C4 6 speed standard and
I'll use the $70,000.00 plus on enjoying retirement. It is a nice dream though.
 
What do you guys think of the back end on the C8 vs the C7? I still like the C7 better and wish they would have incorporated the C7 exhaust tip arrangement 😔.

Watched the full reveal - great show; presentation by Tadge was excellent. Initial impressions; front view - beautiful, sideview - beautiful, rear view - butt ugly. The a$$ end looks like someone tossed a bunch of pieces in a box and then attached them haphazardly. The C7 rear was not well received at introduction so we might get accustomed to the C8 backside. If I am following one on the street, it will certainly be a pleasure to oogle the shape and flow of the rear curves. I think we will all get used to the exhaust tips being pushed out to the sides but it is kind of 'ordinary' versus the four chrome stove pipes all lined up in the middle.
 
I loved my C6 with a MT and thought I could not enjoy driver an automatic. I love my C7 with the automatic. Don't get me wrong I still think both cars are awesome and still miss my C6..If I had the coin I would order a C8 ASAP... I could never be unhappy driving any Corvette!!!!
 
Growing up in the 50's & 60's there was not much choice over a Three on the Tree manual transmission in cars and trucks. 3 and 4 on the floor were highly desired but scarce alternatives. Automatic trannys were for the well-off folk. I recall my dad being offered an automatic transmission as an option on a new 1955 Pontiac StratoChief; he declined because he was concerned the neighbours would think he had a lot of money, :rolleyes: it also helps to know he immigrated from Scotland!

I do enjoy the M7 in my car but occasionally curse myself when hunting for 7th gear or when shifting into 2nd when stone cold. The difference became clear when I rented an A8 vert in Vegas last April. In town, in automatic it was a pleasure, on the outskirts of town it was in M paddle shift mode and it was very exciting to take it up through 5k revs on the first 2 shifts with the exhaust in track mode. While a manual is part of my DNA, I can understand the reasoning and accept the A8 as the only available transmission for the C8.
 
Saw the live stream and was impressed especially with the exterior styling and the improved interior ( not so sure about all the buttons on the counsel). The intro was a bit over the top but I guess it goes with the hype of first mid-engine Corvette. The fact that GM kept the price down will help sell many 2020's. To achieve 0-60 under 3 sec. one has to buy the Z51 package which I am sure will be expensive as most race guys will want it? The front lift of 2" is nice to have also. This model will have many changes down the road and I am sure will get H/P in to the 1000 MPH range within 3-4 years. Perhaps the 2020 will be my last car purchase.
 
Some aspects of the presentation were funny, especially with the long lead up and NASA history, but that's become par for the course in car unveils. It's become a bit of a joke among the auto press of how relevant some of that marketing really is to the vehicle, and how close the people depicted in the marketing match the real buyers. I found he preamble stuff to be quite cold and forced (which is to be expected), even though I do appreciate the NASA history, but then once the GM people were on stage they were on point.

The car is a considerable leap forward in performance, and even though I might be able to nitpick, I can't dismiss the performance for the cost. Corvette has offered some of the best performance for the dollar for years, and this car takes that to the next level, bringing it into supercar performance and design. The next most affordable cars with this level of performance are the Audi R8, Porsche 911 Turbo, Nissan GTR, Acura NSX, and McLaren 540C, all of which start around twice as much or more, with the 911 Turbo, GTR, and NSX being the only one ones with a sub 3 second 0-60 mph time.

I too am lamenting the lack of a manual, but it's important to note that the transmission is a dual clutch, so different from a planetary gear torque converter automatic, is the fastest and most precise shifting transmission, and if trying to achieve the best possible performance is the way forward. Obviously a manual is more engaging, so I do hope they recognize this and give people a choice, since Corvette manual sales are still strong, and many people do buy them as fun sports cars for the street, not track cars. Automation is a funny thing, as when autonomous driving systems are perfected, they will be faster and safer than a person, but what's the fun in that? Porsche received enough backlash when the 991 911 GTR didn't come with a manual, that they released the 911 R as the manual version, and then the 991.2 911 GTR came with a manual. The head of Aston Martin recently stated that they will continue to offer manuals, even in the upcoming mid engine Vanquish.

The styling nick picks are early on, and if the performance lives up to the expectation and then some, the naysayers will be in the few. When the C7 was debuted, many critiqued it for being to edgy compared to past Corvettes, using more of a Viper or Ferrari like design style, and for not having round tail lights (even though late model C4s didn't have round tail lights) then when the press cars went out for reviews it was highly praised and the naysayers were mostly forgotten. When the C6 came out, there were groups critiquing the lack of pop up headlights, even though the C5 was the last car (at least in North America) with pop up headlights, and the light buckets negatively affected aerodynamics so the C5Rs had composite lights.

My guess on the exhaust tips is they were moved to the sides to create more room for the cargo space behind the engine. The cargo well appears to be quite a bit deeper than the C5-C7 to make up for the lack of length. The C7 was the third generation with centre exhaust tips, just like the front engine rear transmission layout, so
 

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