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Mid-Engine 2020 Corvette Stingray Meant To Help Solve Nameplate’s Graying Buyer Problem

The Chevrolet Corvette is well connected to plenty of jokes about white tube socks, sneakers, and jean shorts, but the mid-engine 2020 Corvette Stingray is meant to help solve that age problem.

General Motors is well aware of the fact Corvette buyers are getting older, and as they age, many of them aren’t looking at sports cars any longer. Enter the 2020 Corvette Stingray, which with its exotic looks and mid-engine layout, is ready to become a new-age poster car for even the younger crowd. GM President Mark Reuss told WardsAuto in an interview published last week that the team wants to reach out to every age bracket with the mid-engine sports car.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Reveal - July 18 2019 007

Reuss summed it up well and said the buyers will come once they realize the absolute bargain the mid-engine Corvette is and what kind of performance is available for the money. A “beautiful” car that “delivers performance” and “is attainable” doesn’t need to worry about “who can’t get into it any longer or doesn’t want to get into it any longer,” the GM executive said.

The Baby Boomer generation, characterized as those born following World War II through the mid-1960s, was a major force in pushing the Corvette to its heights in the last century. In 1977, a prime earnings year for the Baby Boomer generation, they purchased 42,571 Corvettes. Last year, the Corvette struggled to sell 18,791 units. Some of the poor sales may be attributed to pent up excitement for the, at the time, rumored switch to a mid-engine layout for the nameplate.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Reveal - July 18 2019 005 - Mark Reuss

Not only does Reuss think the 2020 Corvette Stingray speaks for itself with regards to desirability, he thinks GM has a one-two punch on hand with the value proposition. At a time when some rear-wheel-drive muscle cars cost over $70,000, GM will sell a true world-beating rival for less than $60,000.

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Source: WardsAuto

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Old Vette buyers = water is wet, sky is blue…..

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  2. I don’t see this car as having a future. Low sticker price, exotic performance, and Budweiser buyers are bound to result in astronomically high insurance rates, which I see resulting in mass trade-ins which will bring down resale value and thus hurt new sales even more than the alienation of the traditional buyers. GM will hedge the bet with a Cadillac version to boost profit, and consumers will respond as they did to the ELR, and laugh at the price gouging. Prices will rise with volume loss and the Vette will be dead along with Cadillac’s version. This car has so many things that I feel like will backfire and ruin it’s chances of success. I am not a rear engine fan, the only mid-engined car I’ve ever liked was the Lamborghini Countach, and my love of it came down to the pointless delta wing when I was eight! That being said, I want it to success, but GM has killed too many good products which didn’t have as as many obstacles in front of it. I fear ego built the business case for the C8 and it will crumble when reality sets in.

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    1. First of all this new Corvette for some reason that I can’t fully understand has a look that just feels right to me. It may be the short front and long rear. Which is the way all mid-engine cars have to be built.. I like the car, and I am not alone. Now lets address the price and who will buy it. Do you all know that the average wage in this country is just a hair over $ 47.000 The car is starting just under $60.000. Sounds like a deal. It is for some people. I contend that most of those people aren’t raising two kids and making house payments. So we are left with with a group of people that are in the fifty to seventy range group. GM had better do all that they can do to entice the fifty somthings, if they do they will have them for the next twenty years. This little bit being said GM fully understands that the Corvette is not for everyone. One other thing> Who wants a base model when all those goodies are available to you. It would have been nice if the Z51 was the base.

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  3. I’m sorry all of you fellow GM lovers, but I agree with RecoveringGMaddict,

    This exact vehicle, in my opinion, should have been an electric Cadillac.

    It is my belief, that the old white rich guy, is no longer as rich as he thinks, and this vehicle is just another example of the arrogance and ego at GM.

    Someone has to explain how this is not ego and arrogance.

    If GM, cant, spend the money it would take, to make the interior of the largest selling segment in their lineup, ( the truck ) class leading, but can come up with the money for an entire new vehicle, which sells less than others they have cancelled, it just makes no fiscal sense.

    And it is my opinion that the people making these decisions are caught up in there generation.

    Sure, I love the Corvette, I own a 1968, dual quad, four speed, white – silver cove with red interior, but, in my opinion, the affluent dreamers of this world, today, dream of a Tesla.

    I do wish this new corvette all the success in the world, and might buy one when I’m 70 as a collector item, but chances are, the collectors item I want is an, elegant, electric, Cadillac, sedan.

    Its my choice, I’m paying for it.

    Good luck C8 Corvette !

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    1. well, we’ve been told cadillac’s future will be EVs.

      if anything, the c8 should give hope that these EVs will be very competitive and may be even special.

      maybe the same company that can produce a $60K super car that competes with other vehicles costing 2, 3, or 4 times as much can produce a luxury EV that doesn’t require a hefty EV premium.

      the c8 reminds me of the first generation nsx. it blew up the exotic car world.

      the c8 just shocked the super car world. maybe cadillac will do the same to the luxury EV world.

      before the c8, that might’ve been laughable. after, that falls into the realm of possibility.

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      1. And I hope you are right steve, and we get both.

        That would truly be a great GM.

        And just might break the old GM stigma.

        You obviously read my whole post, how did you miss the 1968 year test ?

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    2. I assume you mean 1958.

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      1. Good catch, a well studied Corvette person.

        Out of 32 negative ratings you won a prize.

        I wish I could take you out and buy you a beverage or something for noticing.

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  4. Nice car; except for the boorish shifter. REAL CORVETTES have a real shifter!!!!!

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  5. Chevrolet has kept age out of the equation by keeping the C8 Corvette at essentially the same price point as the C7 Corvette at under $60K which means it is very affordable and with low interest rates and overall performance, Chevrolet can expect the C8 Corvette to be very popular in the under 40 age group as well.

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  6. I have laughed for years when I see a Corvette driver looking 55+ years old and make a joke about how that age group are the only ones who could afford it. Settled in their career, Making good money, Kids moved out (hopefully), Not having a lot of alimony payments, Etc.
    It’s the costs that keep younger people from purchasing a new one. Not just the cost of the car but the cost of ownership. Insurance costs alone would murder you. About 2 years ago I got the VIN# from my local dealer of a 2017 Grand Sport and then called my ins. agent (Allstate) and asked for a quote based on that VIN. I had 5 Bypass heart surgery back in 2013, Once he told me the price I thought I’ll will be needing another one.
    In my state (Louisiana) it would cost me $4800.00 a year. At that time I was 59 years old with no accidents, No Tickets, No DWIs. I can’t imagine what it would cost some 30 year old.

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    1. Have you looked into collector car insurance? Granted, it has some restrictions, but if the Corvette is not your daily driver it can make it much more affordable. We offer insurance for all makes nad models of collector vehicles – NCM Insurance. http://www.ncminsurance.com

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    2. Ya I am an old dude did not finish H S Blue Collar worker retired 36 years at the same job! Well I have had countless G M cars, on my 3rd Vette 19 GS. You Americans have it so good my WW2 Vet. father taught me the value of a CDN dollar. I have payed cash all my life for all new cars I have had. Bottom line is regardless what the price of something is that is not a necessity of life you can not afford it if you have to pay on time!

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    3. I’m laughing now when I hear people like you state a 55+ is the only ones who own Corvette’s (check out YouTube). A classic originalor Resto-mod C1-C2- early C3 may be true but there are MANY C3’s-C4’s-C5’s & C6’s that are owned by the “youth of America” now and being enjoyed and hot rodded, Affordably. Yes insurance is an issue as IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN since the ’60’s, especially based on YOUR driving record. More and more “younger” people are buying high performance mid-engined sports cars, and yes NEW! Imagine that! Proof you ask? Try YouTube and all the video’s of high performance cars being not only owned but modded to higher performance levels and yes, raced on the street & track.
      The old days many of us remember is the “affordability” of the early muscle cars if not the insurance but that has changed dramatically. Now there is the new generation of high tech big money maker “kids” out there and my nephew is one. Don’t know yet if he’ll buy a new C8 but he CAN, AND afford the insurance. Times have changed and “kids” are buying Audi R8’s, Lambo’s, Porsche’s, Ferrari’s and YES, Corvette’s. The C8 is going to rock this segment, regardless of age, IF, and I stress this highly, IF, the C8 delivers the goods as far as quality, fit finish, reliability, performance, and yes, price (bang for buck). Buy a Porsche killer for less with all the competitions attributes? Yes, they are not stupid and will take pride in being the new generation/ future generations of Corvette enthusiasts. Out with the “old guard”, in with the new….

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    4. $4800 a year? Somethings isn’t right with that quote. I have GEICO and live in a city. I insure 5 cars to include a corvette and the cost is $352 per month.

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      1. I’m afraid so Steve. Welcome to Louisiana where we pay the second highest auto insurance rates in the country. So say our State politicians.
        I pulled out my last insurance bill just to be certain. I have two vehicles, 2011 GMC pick up and a 2018 Cadillac XT5. My total bill is 2,940.00 per year. The XT5 alone cost is 1,760.00 per year.
        In the same file I found the quote for the Corvette and I need to correct myself. It was 3,800.00 a year. That is in addition to the 2,900.00 I’m already paying.

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  7. As the article stated , the baby boomers and teenagers of the 50’s and 60’s was the targeted buyer. When daddy’s Oldsmobile cost $3500, the Corvette was around the $5K mark but it was attainable by many young buyers. Today, everytime you read about the Corvette it is always about some high performance model that blows everyone off the racetrack and then the price is mentioned for the street version, $20-$30k or more over the base model. That scares a lot away not knowing that there is a base model Stingray in the $50K range.

    In the spring of 1964 an older teenage neighbor drove me home form HS in his new 1964 Stingray convertible. It was the most beautiful car in its day and i still dream to have one. Chevrolet has done the right thing with the C8 Corvette. It was becoming my daddy’s Oldsmobile.

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  8. I absolutely believe that this is the right move for Chevrolet…this car is stylish Its not an old mans car at all…I know I will be getting one!

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  9. Just looking at it made me feel 40 years younger!
    Oh, and by the way, I bought my first Vette, a 1968 L71 roadster, in 1976 when I was 19. Sure it was used, but in what world can a young guy making $500/month afford a new car? My third car, my first was a 1950 Ford with a 300 hp flathead, my second car was a 1970 Datsun 510 that had won the championship in the northwest, ( I so regret letting it and the 68 go).
    I like to take my cars to the track, so an exceptionally well handling car is something that gets me excited, so I’m looking forward to see how the new C8 does at VIR against all the other sports cars. To a lessor degree, how it does at Nurburgring.
    DCT, some are good, and some are really bad. The Ferrari’s F1 is good, the Aston Martin’s not so good– shudders. I hope Chevy got it right the first time.

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  10. gm has done something remarkable and i hope they get rewarded for it.

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  11. “It was becoming my daddy’s Oldsmobile.” Lol, yeah, I can feel that as I owned an ’82 but that was then and certainly not now or since the late ’80’s C4’s. The new C8 is revolutionary and not evolutionary as it will attract the youngest of buyers that can afford it based on value and performance as long as reliability, quality go along with that. Resale value should be no problem, but time will tell when it’s evaluated. Call me cautious but I’ll wait on that note.

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  12. Tadge has redeemed himself, that’s all I have to say.

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  13. Still won’t really help to be honest. This young hip/woke generation does not care about ownership for anything really. All these young folks want to do is borrow something when it is needed because they do not want to be beholden to anything. That is why services like uber are so popular. Many young people do not car about owning a vehicle. This is not only for cars too. Besides the largest consumers these days for new stuff in general are women, in regards to cars they only want tall FWD station wagons. Young males are effectively neutered and don’t car much about cool sports cars like the previous generations. So until the social aspects change which wont happen anytime soon, we are only getting softer by the day, the sports car market will continue to be consolidated.

    Another thing that disgusts me is when people associate a “mid-life” crises with one buying a corvette. I mainly hear women projecting that onto men and weak men repeat the same garbage. Most of the time men are finally able to afford one in their 40s because they were taking car of their families. I am in my 20s and see guys my same age drive C7s.

    This car will still sell very well though because the whole world will want it. What I am curious to see is how this impacts the big threes muscle cars. Traditionally Camaro buyers did not always cross shop for a corvette. Who knows maybe the Camaro will morph into an even more elite car since the corvette is no longer front engine.

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  14. This new and groundbreaking Corvette will make several sports cars irrelevant…….For instance, the new Toyota Supra, which is really a BMW, and overpriced. Who the hell would buy one when the reviews were not that great and they could have the Corvette for the same price. Then there’s that Acura NSX, at about $100,000 more than the Corvette C8.., hardly competitive, and justified. In fact, at 0-60 in less than 3 seconds, even the Mc Larens are going to become irrelevant, especially after the ZO6, and ZR1 land….even the new 700+ hp. Mustang, at $30,000 more than the Corvette, is in danger……

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  15. Because suddenly, the Corvette is NOW a performance bargain?
    Because suddenly, younger people will somehow have the disposable income to buy a Corvette?

    Unless he means that a younger buyer is someone who is 59 instead of 61, he’s dreaming, and it shows how out of touch with the Corvette buyer* GM is.

    *Buyer: Out of all of the people who admire, desire, aspire to own the product you’re selling, the buyer is the one who is ACTUALLY giving you money for it. You can impress the heck out of everyone else in the world, but if you neglect the buyer, you’re out of luck.

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