Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Corvette Stingray

[Autos_Editor]

A Stingray of sunshine.
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[pcsp]

Guess we better get used to the huge price gap again between US and Canadian prices. Seems to be about one third more expensive in this case.

The last paragraph of the article was hilarious. Well done.

[SKYMTL]

I want to drool.  I really do. 

However, I don't think anything will shake my perception of the Corvette being lumped together with greying 50+ year olds riding around with a baseball cap so their bald spot doesn't get burned.  No offense to the 50 somethings on this site of course but I think that problem of perception has been dogging the Corvette since its inception. 

Oh, and my statement is backed up by GM themselves since they have identified it as an ongoing issue with the median age of Corvette buyers now at 61:  http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/corvette-oldster-problem-173431426.html

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I want to drool.  I really do. 

However, I don't think anything will shake my perception of the Corvette being lumped together with greying 50+ year olds riding around with a baseball cap so their bald spot doesn't get burned.  No offense to the 50 somethings on this site of course but I think that problem of perception has been dogging the Corvette since its inception. 

Oh, and my statement is backed up by GM themselves since they have identified it as an ongoing issue with the median age of Corvette buyers now at 61:  http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/corvette-oldster-problem-173431426.html

Median age of a new car buyer in the US is 56. Older people are the ones with money.

[tpl]

^^^ Not to mention that there seems to be a sweet spot in insurance ( in Ontario anyway) when one is in ones '50s and '60s without any serious offences or crashes.   
But overall I agree... when you get to 50 you should have some money in the bank..

[johngenx]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

[SKYMTL]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd. 

[SaskSpecV]

Alright, this has been percolating in my mind for a while now, but I've kept silent.  Probably because I've been too ashamed and embarrassed to admit this heresy for fear of ridicule, shame, and belittlement by the autos.ca faithful...

 

I just don't like the C7 rear end very much. 

Front, side, and 3/4 views - I think it looks fantastic.  But initially, the rear end just wasn't doing it for me.  I thought "once I see it in person, I'll like it then..."  But nope, it isn't getting any better for me, even after checking out the C7 in a variety on colours.
Overall, I think I prefer the C6 exterior...

Let the public flogging begin.

BTW, don't construe this admission as meaning I would kick a C7 out of my garage!

[Fobroader]

Alright, this has been percolating in my mind for a while now, but I've kept silent.  Probably because I've been too ashamed and embarrassed to admit this heresy for fear of ridicule, shame, and belittlement by the autos.ca faithful...

 

I just don't like the C7 rear end very much. 

Front, side, and 3/4 views - I think it looks fantastic.  But initially, the rear end just wasn't doing it for me.  I thought "once I see it in person, I'll like it then..."  But nope, it isn't getting any better for me, even after checking out the C7 in a variety on colours.
Overall, I think I prefer the C6 exterior...

Let the public flogging begin.

BTW, don't construe this admission as meaning I would kick a C7 out of my garage!

I love the C7, want one oh so badly but I totally agree with you. That rear end is not very attractive. The Z06 gets a pass because anything north of 600+ hp could look like Rosie O'donell and still be ok, but yeah, not a great design. The C5 and C6 were MUCH better looking.

[SKYMTL]

... because anything north of 600+ hp could look like Rosie O'donell and still be ok, but yeah, not a great design.

The second you said this I thought of the Challenger....

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd.

Are those numbers for owners or new car buyers? Young folks can buy them second hand at large discounts, but that hardly matters to manufacturers.

[Fobroader]

... because anything north of 600+ hp could look like Rosie O'donell and still be ok, but yeah, not a great design.

The second you said this I thought of the Challenger....

That would be a weight comparison and I would go more with battleship comparison then..... 

[SKYMTL]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd.

Are those numbers for owners or new car buyers? Young folks can buy them second hand at large discounts, but that hardly matters to manufacturers.

I know the Porsche, GTR and M3 are new car figures.  Not sure about the R8. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd.

Are those numbers for owners or new car buyers? Young folks can buy them second hand at large discounts, but that hardly matters to manufacturers.

I know the Porsche, GTR and M3 are new car figures.  Not sure about the R8.

The other thing to consider is sales volume. The larger the volume, the more it should skew towards the mean. The Corvette is head and shoulders ahead of similar cars. BMW doesn't seem to break out M3 sales, but total YTD 4 series is 28k, many of them will be entry models.

2015 US YTD

Corvette  21,101
911           5,850
Cayman     1,918
Boxter       1,808
GT-R            826
R8               404

[johngenx]

I liked the C5 okay.  I liked the C6 okay - the Z-06 is sweet.  The C7? STUNNING.  I thought when I saw the pics "oh, looks nice."  Then I started seeing them in the tin, and wow, it looks like a true exotic car.

[Allen]

I love the new vette  , ever since I saw the grey one at the auto show... so much better looking and nicer inside than the ones I owned when I was in my mid twenties

[Kris78]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd.

Not to be a jerk - I'm honestly curious - where did you get those numbers?

The article cited earlier in the thread had a quote from Strategic Vision with these ages:

911: 59
Audi TT: 57
BMW Z4: 56

Here is an article on the GTR referencing 45-50 as the median age - not 41:
http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2014-nissan-gt-r-targets-women-older-buyers-says-automaker.html

So, other than the GTR, the numbers that I could find seem to support the late 50s argument for sports cars.

Also, with the M3, leasing would also come into play as well as it being a competent "all purpose" sedan (nor sure what the sedan/coupe split is).

[ChaosphereIX]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

yeah you especially see the difference at classic car clubs. The Ottawa Italian car club includes all of the marques, but at 31 I am easily the youngest person at all the events...

but I guess I just an old man at heart - being a military historian and all, not many young guns in that field of work either...

[SKYMTL]

I agree - I don't see many young people at all driving $60K plus cars of any type.  I was in my late 20s/early 30s going to the PCA events and I stuck out as to how young I was.

Even for higher income buyers in their 30s they typically are having families and taking on mortgages, etc, and a $70K "toy" just isn't on the priority list.  Late 50s?  Kids are gone, mortgage is gone, now they start to eye things like a Corvette or Porsche.

Porsche 911 median age = 52

Boxter = 47

GTR = 41

BMW M3 = 43

Audi R8 = 44

Tell me again about 50+ folks having money in the bank to spend on toys.....

The fact remains that younger folks have been gravitating towards some VERY expensive cars, just not the Corvette. 

Unfortunately, the cars I mentioned above are considered status symbols.  While a Corvette may get a few looks and comments from the country club folks, most people associate the brand with the opposite of status; it reflects that someone may have just hit the tail end of their mid-life crisis. The others will be the ones parked out front of hotels (minus the Boxter I guess) and other "look at me" locations.  Like it or not, that's the kind of stuff that matters to the younger crowd.

Not to be a jerk - I'm honestly curious - where did you get those numbers?

The article cited earlier in the thread had a quote from Strategic Vision with these ages:

911: 59
Audi TT: 57
BMW Z4: 56

Here is an article on the GTR referencing 45-50 as the median age - not 41:
http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2014-nissan-gt-r-targets-women-older-buyers-says-automaker.html

So, other than the GTR, the numbers that I could find seem to support the late 50s argument for sports cars.

Also, with the M3, leasing would also come into play as well as it being a competent "all purpose" sedan (nor sure what the sedan/coupe split is).

Strategic Research.  May 8, 2015. 

[Nuttygent]

  I have to be honest...this is one horribly styled car inside and out. The chassis and performance are amazing, the C6 was the nicest styled vette ever. Oops, the C2 was right up there as well.