MR Corvette C8 - General Discussion

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So a little bit over 300k canadian including sales taxes and Trudeau's new luxury tax... I have a feeling that a lot of people on the waiting list will back down from it.
 
Had a look at what people are asking for the 2019 ZR-1 over here and it’s between $160,000-$230,000AUD. It was $160,000AUD when new. Porsche 911 start at around $315,000AUD. Depending how many Australia are allotted, I think it will be a hot seller.
 
05XR8
Had a look at what people are asking for the 2019 ZR-1 over here and it’s between $160,000-$230,000AUD. It was $160,000AUD when new. Porsche 911 start at around $315,000AUD. Depending how many Australia are allotted, I think it will be a hot seller.
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Are you sure it will come in Australia? I remember reading somewhere they'll only sell the ZR1 in North America...but I don't know if it was a reliable source... I hope there's just enough allocations so I can make it through 👀
 
Canada_25
Are you sure it will come in Australia? I remember reading somewhere they'll only sell the ZR1 in North America...but I don't know if it was a reliable source... I hope there's just enough allocations so I can make it through 👀
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Had a look at an article from July 2024. It read not coming to Australia and New Zealand for now.
 
Canada_25
Are you sure it will come in Australia? I remember reading somewhere they'll only sell the ZR1 in North America...but I don't know if it was a reliable source... I hope there's just enough allocations so I can make it through 👀
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North America & the Middle East from what this article says.
However, it may not have a chance to challenge The Continent's finest on their home turf. A new report from GM Authority claims that, unlike the Stingray, Z06, and E-Ray variants, the new Corvette ZR1 will not be available in Europe.

When asked for comment, Chevy didn’t offer a concrete confirmation or denial. “We have shared Corvette ZR1 will be available in our North American and Middle East markets,” spokesperson Trevor Thompkins told Road & Track. Whether that's a hedge against the current situation or indicates the plan going forward isn't clear.
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Here's the source 05XR8 referenced as well.
“The Corvette ZR1 is not currently planned to join the line-up in Australia and New Zealand, but we will monitor demand and assess further over time,” a GM spokesperson told Auto Daily.
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Hybrid ZR1 Zora becomes the ZR1X, with 1,250hp thanks to the addition of a front axle electric motor to compliment the twin turbo V8
2026-chevrolet-corvette-zr1x.webp

 
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Considering what you're getting, it's really cheap. 1250hp for $180k? That's cheaper than a 911 Turbo.
 
Speaking of Ford, they should have bought the rights to the Mach Forty and labelled that an MR Mustang. Then maybe the price would be justified.
 
05XR8
Speaking of Ford, they should have bought the rights to the Mach Forty and labelled that an MR Mustang. Then maybe the price would be justified.
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I mean the original 2005 Ford GT was considerably cheaper than the GTD, even accounting for inflation. That was a wholly bespoke platform with only modest production numbers (meaning limited ways to amortize the development cost) and Ford allegedly still made a profit on it. The GTD is like peak financial engineering cynicism - although loaded Ferrari Roma's listing for $450k is up there too. I think in both cases, the whole point is to create a "goodwill opportunity" for wealthy customers to get in good with the brand for the next actually exclusive drop - GT, F80, etc.

But this is a Corvette thread. The ZR1X is probably the best looking of all the C8s, but I still can't help but feel like GM is missing a huge trick by not offering a more stripped down, manual transmission equipped variant of the C8. People are paying huge money to convert 458s to manual transmissions...GM could surely sell manual C8s. Also, how many more respectable LeMans results do we need for Cadillac to give us a wreath-badged variant of the C8 with that awesome cross-plane 5.5L V8 and WEC-influenced styling? Come on Cadillac! And make sure it has a gold paint option. Damn it.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
I mean the original 2005 Ford GT was considerably cheaper than the GTD, even accounting for inflation. That was a wholly bespoke platform with only modest production numbers (meaning limited ways to amortize the development cost) and Ford allegedly still made a profit on it. The GTD is like peak financial engineering cynicism - although loaded Ferrari Roma's listing for $450k is up there too. I think in both cases, the whole point is to create a "goodwill opportunity" for wealthy customers to get in good with the brand for the next actually exclusive drop - GT, F80, etc.
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I don't think you're wrong, but I can't personally see why they'd do that. The 2nd Gen Ford GT already created that customer pool for them given all it had to go on was 1st Gen Ford GT owners & I guess whoever had a lot of Mustangs/Ford collectables. If they're creating another supercar, that pool will surely remain largely unchanged since I'm assuming these GTD owners will already own those same "desired" cars by Ford would want future GT/F80/etc. owners to have.
Eunos_Cosmo
But this is a Corvette thread. The ZR1X is probably the best looking of all the C8s, but I still can't help but feel like GM is missing a huge trick by not offering a more stripped down, manual transmission equipped variant of the C8. People are paying huge money to convert 458s to manual transmissions...GM could surely sell manual C8s. Also, how many more respectable LeMans results do we need for Cadillac to give us a wreath-badged variant of the C8 with that awesome cross-plane 5.5L V8 and WEC-influenced styling? Come on Cadillac! And make sure it has a gold paint option. Damn it.
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That would be something, but I feel that'd have to be done just right & within' a threshold of a certain price limit. Cadillac once gave us a Corvette-based car and that thing at its peak was making 443Hp for $110,000 when you had a 500Hp Z06 cheaper than the standard XLR ($73,225 vs. $86,215 in '09 I believe).

Granted, cars have gotten a lot more expensive & Cadillac's reputation is in a much better place, but I agree to have that sort of variant lay into WEC/ALMS as its selling point. Maybe make it a toned-down ZR1 at a price point of $150,000 so it's well out of Z06 territory, but just far enough distance where it doesn't encroach on the $175,000 ZR1 and look like a bargain for equal performance. Cadillac already has a Escalade V model at $163,000, so the price point won't come across unappealing for a Cadillac, either unlike that $300,000+ Celestiq. Have GM follow your desire for a WEC-influenced styling to really set it apart & use that 5.5L V8 as the main selling point given how unique & favorited the V-Series.R is for its engine noise. 670Hp is the same as a Z06, so maybe up it to 700-750Hp to get more bang for buck and also still keep distance from the 1,000Hp+ ZR1.

We've seen Porsche do this for years with their ability to tone down models to keep from encroaching on each other. I believe you're on to something here & that GM can mimic that development layout.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
The ZR1X is probably the best looking of all the C8s, but I still can't help but feel like GM is missing a huge trick by not offering a more stripped down, manual transmission equipped variant of the C8. People are paying huge money to convert 458s to manual transmissions...GM could surely sell manual C8s.
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The big difference is that the 458 can probably take a modified F430 transmission since the engines are from the same F136 family and it's likely to bolt on without too much fuss, but there isn't a mid engined GM car to donate the parts. They'd have to develop an entirely new gearbox to begin with.
 
If only the engine in the base Corvette was a direct derivative of an engine that had been attached to cars with a manual transmission all the way back to when Ferrari had first introduced their automated manual, moved about 6 feet backward but left in the same orientation; and if only there was a compact mass produced off-the-shelf manual transmission offered in a transaxle configuration for cars originally designed with dual clutch transmissions in mind that GM could buy to their specifications when making their "purist"-targeted markup-laden limited edition manual C8 just like they are already doing when buying the TR9070 from Tremec (and just like that hypothetical transmission would already be used for).


Alas, all we can do is dream.
Eunos_Cosmo
I mean the original 2005 Ford GT was considerably cheaper than the GTD, even accounting for inflation. That was a wholly bespoke platform with only modest production numbers (meaning limited ways to amortize the development cost) and Ford allegedly still made a profit on it. The GTD is like peak financial engineering cynicism - although loaded Ferrari Roma's listing for $450k is up there too. I think in both cases, the whole point is to create a "goodwill opportunity" for wealthy customers to get in good with the brand for the next actually exclusive drop - GT, F80, etc.
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Okay but the Corvette doesn't have the Plymouth Prowler suspension boom there's $150,000 right there Jalopnik said so.
 
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That's hypercar performance and characteristics territory. But for some, you need prestige and the price that goes with it to categorize it that way, and that's totally fine.
 
Joey D
It kind of is a hypercar though.
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I think it just eclipses where the sort of boosted track-day supercars were from the previous generation. And I'm saying that because the next generation of those cars will likely be hybridized and also have absolutely gobsmacking performance. If we can call those hypercars as well then I'll relent.

And for the record, the Corvette team should be immensely proud of themselves for the last several years and its probably my favorite vehicle in production at this moment.
 
At the moment, a Cadillac variant based on the E-Ray would probably be the one to start with.

Corvette is the USA sports car. Price should never be an issue with its heritage and racing pedigree.
The ZR1X is show n go. So, I don’t have have an issue with paying to play. Anyway, I still feel there should be Corvette as an FR offering and Sting Ray as the MR to connect to motorsport and road car world beating.
 
05XR8
At the moment, a Cadillac variant based on the E-Ray would probably be the one to start with.

Corvette is the USA sports car. Price should never be an issue with its heritage and racing pedigree.
The ZR1X is show n go. So, I don’t have have an issue with paying to play. Anyway, I still feel there should be Corvette as an FR offering and Sting Ray as the MR to connect to motorsport and road car world beating.
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Eh, some could argue it should be one of Corvette's priorities. The fact you can still get a near 700Hp Corvette for just around $110,000 just like 15 years ago is commendable, but the market has also caught up, pumping out similar value for power; I think a few years ago, a GT500 was offering 750Hp for $80,000, granted it lacked the track performance of a 'Vette. So, much of the Corvette's charm at delivering bang for the buck performance isn't there anymore now that all 3 American manufacturers can deliver it.

It also kind of stinks that although the ZR1 is still undercutting the top European sports cars with more power for less money, at $175,000, it feels like it's growing to have more in common with the exotic market and less with the idea of a Corvette. At $130,000, they were able to deliver just under 3,000 C7 ZR1s in 1 MY (which is not bad compared to the C6's), so I'm very curious to see how many ZR1/Xs get built at that price point given GM already seems to acknowledge it will be a limited production in some capacity.
 

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