Is It Time For The Corvette Brand To Break Away From Chevrolet?
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We’re not the only ones who have explored this before: it may be time for Corvette to be its own identity. So much brand identity sits within the name, it could ditch the Chevy preface tomorrow, and many wouldn’t bat an eye. That was just the subject from the latest opinion piece from Autoblog, and the idea is to aim Corvette squarely at Porsche.
As the piece notes, Porsche was once a purist brand, and anytime the company veered away from the rear-engined formula, purists cried fowl. Volkswagen AG eventually committed a cardinal sin by introducing the Cayenne, and by the end of this decade, Porsche will have quadrupled its sales globally.
Maybe General Motors should be paying closer attention to this formula. Autoblog openly suggests a whole lineup of Corvette branded vehicles. Yes, SUVs included. If there’s one thing GM has always been a peach at making, it’s an SUV or truck.
It’s wildly weird to imagine, but not as difficult for Chinese consumers to swallow. The Chinese consumer base appreciates the bang-for-your-buck Corvette offers, but does without the long-standing sense of Corvette being strictly a two-seat V8 power sport car. And they have no notion about Corvette being tied to Chevrolet. Not to mention bolstering Cadillac’s image with a lineup of razor-sharp Corvette vehicles in its showroom.
The report cites Porsche moving 47,000 vehicles in the U.S. market last year with seven different models. Corvette nearly eclipsed that number with one model at 35,000. Could it work? Maybe. That’s not for us to ultimately decide. But with a mid-engined Corvette an almost-sure thing, who knows what other programs are lurking in the shadows.
A brave new world it would be, indeed.
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Absolutely yes
GM must use the Corvette and the Cadillac brand, to represent the company worldwide and achieve prestige.
They must create specific departments to sell and publicity for Corvette/Camaro and Cadillac in European and Asian markets.
Volkswagen has a Lamborghini and Bugatti, BMW has a Rolls Royce……………… has 2 jewels which knows no avail
Why does it need to break away? It already has it’s own badge. If GM wants to make a few ‘Vette cars, put them in a special area of a Chevy showroom. People will ‘get’ it.
Sorry the Solstice has come and gone. Sales are difficult for a low priced sports car. With low volume it is hard to keep the car updated or even built to where you get all you would like in it.
Most 2 seat cars outside the Corvette and Miata all have had short runs unless they are much more expensive.
Also Pontiac is dead so non of their models will be back. I loved the Solstice and Sky too but that boat has left.
Right now just keeping a goal of a Corvette in the mid $50K range is very ambitious. While that sounds expensive it is cheap for this kind of car especially for the performance it provides.
I do expect a smaller roadster from Cadillac at some point and it may be in and or around $50K.
GM needs to unlock some of the value that is under exposed and under developed within the company. Globally, Corvette would be a great place to start because of the make’s history and fantastic potential.
I also think that Cadillac needs to do a better job promoting and molding it’s V series as a true AMG rival in every sense of the word.
GM and VW are unique in that they are the only two global brands capable of managing more than one brand per segment and then managing the overlap.
Not long ago people were considering ending the Corvette program and giving the segment to Cadillac. The current Stingray proves that customers will flock to a high quality product with compelling history.
Caddy needs to take notes!
The 2013 zr1 corvette is in a class by it self.
Go find one then drive it
THEN GO FIND A C7ZO6 AND DRIVE IT.
They are completely different .
You will not run out and buy the c7.
The c6zr1 is better all around.
Straight line the ZR1 WILL WIN.
DEPENDING ON THE DRIVERS IT’S A TOSS UP ON A TRACK. THE C7 ZO6 IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE A ZR1 OWNER WANT TO MAKE THE SWITCH.
THE INTERIOR IS SMALLER , Less button and leg room . As of now I might never give up my c6zr1.
The zr1 c6 Corvette is superior to the c7 z06 hands down.