C7, Evolution or Revolution?

[-Camaro-]

We haven't had a major change since the C4. The C5 was basically a much nicer C4 and the C6 is a bulgier C5. Do you think the C7 will be a C6 evolution or will it be likely to have a radical change like the C2 to C3?

Edited April 13, 2008 by -Camaro-

[red]

I'm hoping for revolution...like you said, we haven't seen much change in the design since the C4.

But there might be a few things going against a "revolutionary" bodystyle. Aerodynamics, engineering capability/budget, as well as design "ballsiness" may come into play.

Either way, I'm pretty confident that with the organization in place, Corvette fans will finally get the car they deserve.

[91z4me]

We haven't had a major change since the C4. The C5 was basically a much nicer C4 and the C6 is a bulgier C5. Do you think the C7 will be a C6 evolution or will it be likely to have a radical change like the C2 to C3?

I am sorry but do you want us to post seriously when you make such an incorrect statement.

The C5 is LIGHTYEARS ahead of the C4. C4 was a birdcage structure, front engine and transmission essentially the same drivetrain the same as Camaros. C5 is a spaceframe, rear mounted transmission, torque tube much stiffer structure. It was a HUGE leap forward as evidence by reviews and handling changes.

[RBB]

-Camaro- can correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume he's speaking about styling, not necessarily the chassis.

C4:

C5:

C6:

Clearly evolutionary, underpinnings aside.

This, by comparison , is a revolutionary styling change:

C1:

C2:

-RBB

[91z4me]

-Camaro- can correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume he's speaking about styling, not necessarily the chassis.

If that is true then I apologize. But shouldn't we be more concerned w/ the content of our vehicles than the style?

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

If that is true then I apologize. But shouldn't we be more concerned w/ the content of our vehicles than the style?

Not really...

If content sold cars, GM would still have 50% of the market.

Just my opinion...

[Cory Wolfe]

If that is true then I apologize. But shouldn't we be more concerned w/ the content of our vehicles than the style?

Would the Camaro in your signature be as appealing if it were styled like a Camry?

[91z4me]

Would the Camaro in your signature be as appealing if it were styled like a Camry?

No because it wouldn't be a Camaro. Camaro has an essence to it that cars like a Camry don't. Manufacturers maintain certain consistancies thru model changes. The Camry doesn't have anything in common w/ the Camaro but the GTO could have been a Camaro (2+2, RWD, V8) and it was styled quite conservatively. Keep it in the same realm and content is what matters.

[cletus8269]

i remember watching a special on the unvieling of the c6. the team in charge said they were sweating bullets because they werent sure how the corvette clubs and fans would react or backlash because of the exposed headlights. if thats not a cause for concern aobut styling i dont know what is.

[Cory Wolfe]

No because it wouldn't be a Camaro. Camaro has an essence to it that cars like a Camry don't. Manufacturers maintain certain consistancies thru model changes. The Camry doesn't have anything in common w/ the Camaro but the GTO could have been a Camaro (2+2, RWD, V8) and it was styled quite conservatively. Keep it in the same realm and content is what matters.

You apparently missed my point. Plus, you basically just contradicted yourself.

Edited April 16, 2008 by blackviper8891

[91z4me]

You apparently missed my point. Plus, you basically just contradicted yourself.

No I didn't. I said a Camry could never be a Camaro because it doesn't possess the same spirit or proportions, like a GTO could.

[Cory Wolfe]

No I didn't. I said a Camry could never be a Camaro because it doesn't possess the same spirit or proportions, like a GTO could.

I said nothing about drivetrain, however, which you did. What's the difference between a GTO and a Camry besides the drivetrain? They're both very conservatively styled vehicles, so how would one make a better Camaro? The proportions aren't much different.

Edited April 16, 2008 by blackviper8891

[Camino LS6]

We haven't had a major change since the C4. The C5 was basically a much nicer C4 and the C6 is a bulgier C5. Do you think the C7 will be a C6 evolution or will it be likely to have a radical change like the C2 to C3?

C2 to C3 was actually the opposite sort of change vs. C4 to C5. The C3 was a sleek new body on a C2 Chassis for the most part while the C4 to C5 changes were evolutionary on the outside, but radical underneath the skin.

C7: most likely will be evolutionary (at least in styling).

[Croc]

The Corvette has such an iconic shape that any revolutionary styling changes at this point would likely cause a massive sales drop. Like people have preconceived notions of what a Camaro or GTO should look like, the Corvette has the same following.

[Northstar]

The Corvette has such an iconic shape that any revolutionary styling changes at this point would likely cause a massive sales drop. Like people have preconceived notions of what a Camaro or GTO should look like, the Corvette has the same following.

Agreed. While not as iconic as the 911's shape, the Corvette shape is instantly recognizable as a Corvette. Do you see anyone suggesting the 911's body style gets radically change? No.

[Croc]

Agreed. While not as iconic as the 911's shape, the Corvette shape is instantly recognizable as a Corvette. Do you see anyone suggesting the 911's body style gets radically change? No.

Going by current styling trends, I think the most radical one could see is the elimination of the frontmost swoop on the profile. It was added for the C5, and modified for the C6. Given that styling is going towards more minimalist, purposeful lines, the swoopyness of the profile might seem slightly dated. Having a flatter beltline for the front half of the car could lead to an interesting evolution and allow the designers some creativity in blinging out the side vents, since that seems to be another trend. I'd also expect the C7 to feature a hardtop option.

[z28luvr01]

No blingy side vents please. Though I think they could pull off everything else you say, Croc.

I think that the Corvette's basic design has reached the point where designers just don't need to mess with it in a major way. It'll just need some tweaks here and there to keep it fresh, a la the 911.

[Croc]

No blingy side vents please. Though I think they could pull off everything else you say, Croc.

I think that the Corvette's basic design has reached the point where designers just don't need to mess with it in a major way. It'll just need some tweaks here and there to keep it fresh, a la the 911.

Oh, I know...but if any car could pull off side vents, it would be the Vette. The biggest problem with them (in general) is they look tacked-on. With the Vette, the side vents already have been made into an element of profile styling...blinging them out with some brushed aluminum or satin nickel or whatever, making them more rectangular, etc, would fit in just fine.

[Camino LS6]

Going by current styling trends, I think the most radical one could see is the elimination of the frontmost swoop on the profile. It was added for the C5, and modified for the C6. Given that styling is going towards more minimalist, purposeful lines, the swoopyness of the profile might seem slightly dated. Having a flatter beltline for the front half of the car could lead to an interesting evolution and allow the designers some creativity in blinging out the side vents, since that seems to be another trend. I'd also expect the C7 to feature a hardtop option.

I hope that doesn't happen.

Too little swoopy out there as it is, and if any car should be swoopy, it would be the Vette.

[SuperSport623]

i hope the body gets MORE swoopy, ala C3

[-Camaro-]

No blingy side vents please. Though I think they could pull off everything else you say, Croc.

I think that the Corvette's basic design has reached the point where designers just don't need to mess with it in a major way. It'll just need some tweaks here and there to keep it fresh, a la the 911.

Sheesh... What's with this "lets stay the same" attitude... I was talking about design, not underpinnings, btw, and I hope it is different. Oh and btw the 911 isn't fresh.. There's only so much you can keep doing the same design and I'm not talking about the shape, you can have the same shape and a different design.

I just think the Corvette's shape and design can improve and saying it just needs updates to keep it fresh is the statement of someone with no vision and is too afraid to take risks(ala how GM operated in the 90s). Staying the same only deprives the Corvette of a much better looking design, rather than the same thing with just some fender flares and different headlights.

It would be sad to think that in 30 years the Corvette could be almost the same as it is today, design wise.

[The O.C.]

The Corvette has such an iconic shape that any revolutionary styling changes at this point would likely cause a massive sales drop. Like people have preconceived notions of what a Camaro or GTO should look like, the Corvette has the same following.

True......I forecast a barely evolutionary change....at best......

Corvette is like the 911.....which has remained true to it's styling and engineering heritage for decades.

RWD, V8-powered, front-engined, 2-seater, long-hood, hatchback rear deck.....I don't see the Vette moving from this formula in the slightest. However, I would like to see some significant refinements take place in order to reduce the "crude" nature the current car has compared to it's competition......the still somewhat "junky" feel of the chassis/suspension/transmission.......and the interior styling/quality.

Edited April 17, 2008 by The O.C.

[-Camaro-]

The difference between the 911 and Corvette is Porsche has many models so they can have on model that looks the same till the end of time. The Corvette is a different story. It's a single model with trim levels.

You can keep the RWD, V8-powered, front-engined, 2-seater, long-hood, and hatchback rear deck and STILL make a revolutionary design. It doesn't have to change shape to do that.

[91z4me]

The difference between the 911 and Corvette is Porsche has many models so they can have on model that looks the same till the end of time. The Corvette is a different story. It's a single model with trim levels.

You can keep the RWD, V8-powered, front-engined, 2-seater, long-hood, and hatchback rear deck and STILL make a revolutionary design. It doesn't have to change shape to do that.

Porche is the brand, 911 is a single model. Chevy is the brand, Corvette is a single model.

I don't see the problem.

[-Camaro-]

The problem is that the C6 is already boring. The C4 was a lot different from the C3 and it had a nice freshness to it. Then we had the C5. It looked good, but was only a nice version of a bland wedge design in which a same year Firebird looked better(referring to the C4). The C6 was a C5 with exposed headlights and C3 design cues. It's stale already. If the C7 is just a C6 with minor details changed(like on the C5 from the C4) it'll just be even more stale.

[Croc]

That's because the C6 was designed before the more recent design trends became the standards: stronger, flatter, more angular lines, more upright front ends, thicker pillars, smaller greenhouses, etc. The C6 does look a little 90s...but it still looks damn good.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Croc

[ZL-1]

Perhaps GM could get inspiration for the C7 from the 1963-1967 cars?

[zhawk]

The problem is that the C6 is already boring. The C4 was a lot different from the C3 and it had a nice freshness to it. Then we had the C5. It looked good, but was only a nice version of a bland wedge design in which a same year Firebird looked better(referring to the C4). The C6 was a C5 with exposed headlights and C3 design cues. It's stale already. If the C7 is just a C6 with minor details changed(like on the C5 from the C4) it'll just be even more stale.

No offense but speak for yourself. I personally think the C6 is beautiful and no major changes are needed to keep the sales going. Just the improvements in the interior have people that I have talked to loving the C6.

[Croc]

Perhaps GM could get inspiration for the C7 from the 1963-1967 cars?

I don't think the Corvette will ever go retro. Just a gut feeling.

[ZL-1]

I don't think the Corvette will ever go retro. Just a gut feeling.

My idea was not to do what Ford did with the current Mustang. It was just to look back for inspiration.

Edited April 25, 2008 by ZL-1

[-Camaro-]

No offense but speak for yourself. I personally think the C6 is beautiful and no major changes are needed to keep the sales going. Just the improvements in the interior have people that I have talked to loving the C6.

I never said it didn't look good, it's just a tired design, imo. I want to see something that looks different not a C6.5. This does not mean it has to radically change the shape to look like an S7. And I definitely think retro would be a bad mistake for the 'Vette.

[Croc]

My idea was not to do what Ford did with the current Mustang. It was just to look back for inspiration.

How far back do you want to go? Pretty much every Vette since the 1st gen has the same shape with very few modifications made to the overall styling. The only "retro-inspired" cues I can think of would be retractable headlamps (not gonna happen) and...well, outside of the first gen that's about it.

[ZL-1]

How far back do you want to go? Pretty much every Vette since the 1st gen has the same shape with very few modifications made to the overall styling. The only "retro-inspired" cues I can think of would be retractable headlamps (not gonna happen) and...well, outside of the first gen that's about it.

1963-1967 had some sexy curves. perhaps taking a look at the c1 could be interesting... i want something forward looking but that is corvette, something that connects it to the past visually even if it's just overall proportions. i'm no desinger, so it's hard for me to say pick 'element a' or 'element b'.