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C7 Equipped with LightningRod?
C7 Equipped with LightningRod?
March 13 2010 10:12:18 AM EST
Ed Welburn recently spoke about the next Corvette. From our view, he said good things -

* Make the new car more attractive to younger buyers.
* Make the car lighter and more lithe.
* Make the interior quality better.
* Make the car more appealing on the global stage
* Make the car sell better vs global competition.

Jake and Corvette Racing initiatives work hard to make those things happen [except for the interior help, although both P+M and BadBoyVettes have ideas!] Now, the talents of GM Design studios from all over the world have been called to action on a car this important to GM.

All good. Right?
But, here’s where the trouble COULD strike.
We fear SOME traditional Corvetters will be shocked by the idea of a ‘global C7’ because, “Corvette is American!”. We worry that mindsets still struggling with the loss of hidden headlights will not understand what’s happening here / what’s needed here -

* If Corvette is not careful the average buyer age will be not 54yrs, it will be DOA. If the racing is vs Porsche / BMW / Ferrari, logic says Corvette needs to ‘Take No Prisoners’ in sales, too. If young buyers only see Corvette as a 'mid-America / old-guy DreamCar', Vette will go the way of Coke [while ‘the kids’ en mass pound down their RedBulls and Monsters].

Bottom-line - Evolution and a heritage-cling may no longer be enough in today’s world.

We trust Corvette fans like Messrs. Welburn. Tom Stephens, Mark Reuss, and team to take Corvette forward while staying true to the essence of Corvette. Ed even said, "[C7] can't mutate into something that gets so far away from Corvette that it is no longer a Corvette." He’s even promised the return of the iconic split-window.

So, put the lightning rod back up on the barn, grandpa.
And get ready for the best Corvette yet.