[WERA689]

Just which cars will become the competition for the Stingray? It's a unique market niche for GM and Chevy; always has been. And it's always been compared to some of Europe's best, fairly or otherwise. So which cars will end up with red laser dots on their haunches, aimed from Bowling Green?

 

[cereal killer]

Dodge Viper

 

[WERA689]

I really think the Stingray will be adding a level of finesse that the Viper has never enjoyed. Which will, IMHO, raise the bar for both the Viper and elevate the level of the competitors that the 'Ray will challenge.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Dodge Viper

That was the first one that came to mind for me too...

 

[El Chorizo]

The Viper was the first name to come to mind but its in a totally different price league as well. At 50k to 55k I don't see anything that directly competes with the Corvette as far as looks and performance.

 

[Bayarearacing]

porsche 911

 

[dcbingaman]

The regular 911 is no competition, but the 911S (400 HP) may be a target - they are fast and handle well. The thing is, new 911's are outrageously expensive, (over $100K, typical), due to the cost of all the options. They are also very cramped - I sat in one last week and then sat in a new 2013 Grand Sport coupe and the difference was significant. For a regular dude, the 911 is just too small.

The Cayman S is a nicer car, but Porsche won't let it grow up. They are roomier inside and handle better than the 911. They should put the 400 HP motor in the Cayman S and sell it for $ 80K. That would probably not hurt the Corvette, but Porsche would kill everything else out there under $ 100K.

 

[torijona]

I think their main targets are high performance German cars:

1) Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster.
2) BMW M3 (it will off the market for 2014 and should introduce a new 2015 model, but unlikely to perform as well as the Corvette does).
3) Any other sports car under $100K really.

I don't think they meant to target the Viper. They will likely will in a couple of years if they decide to introduce a Z06 and/or a ZR1. Me particularly, wouldn't buy a Viper when I can get comparable performance when getting a Stingray. I think only loyal Dodge customers or people sold on their styling would.

And if Porsche put a 400 hp engine in a Boxter they would cannibalize the 911, and would eventually need to discontinue one of the two models; the 911 more than likely since it is more expensive. That's just my opinion though

 

[YllwStgr]

For me, I've been between the Cayman and the Stingray since February. In May, I drove the Cayman (for a third time) just a few days before seeing a Stingray up close and personal. At that very moment, it was the Stingray... hands down (actually both hands up). I immediately went and drove the C6, just to get an idea... although I know the C7 is a complete rebuild. Even with the C6, there's no completion in my book!!!! C7 is going to be ONE OF A KIND!!

 

[dcbingaman]

Those Aston-Martins that won at LeMans are gorgeous and fast. That is technically the Stingray's main competition, BUT, again, very, very expensive.

$ for $ it is very hard to beat a Vette. If the new one is as advanced as it appears, it will capture a whole new generation of buyers, and might be pretty hard to purchase for a couple years. I'm glad I got my order in early.....I hope I get a couple months of good weather to drive it this fall. I drove my 2006 GTO (LS2) in the snow, and with Dunlop Wintersports, and traction control, it was pretty agile, but I'm not even gonna try it with the Stingray....too many ways to screw it up.

 

[bonzelite]

Like many of the ideas aforementioned, the Stingray's competition will be in the realm of sports cars in general that are at or below $100,000. The price point of the Stingray need to not exactly match another cars'. In my opinion, it is the general sports/performance offerings of other manufacturers that will be the competition for sales. These include: Cayman S, used Ferrari F360, Nissan 370Z, Dodge Viper, Mustang GT, Dodge Challenger SRT, Lotus Elise/Exige, Nissan GT-R, BMW M3/M5. There are others but those come to mind first.

 

[ddelfino]

911s will probably compete well but with options you are looking at 110k for that car
Viper is all raw power which is great when you are going straight but I bet the corvette can use all of its power more effectively.
Cayman like all other porsches have looked the same since they day they debuted but you are at least in the mid $70k range for a car that is inferior to the corvette.

In its price range there is simply no competition. I would bet the Corvette will at minimum hold its own if not beat the Maserati Gran Turismo in almost all performance testing which has right about the same HP but costs $130k+...

Honestly the vette is borderline super car level performance and handling at the price (mine was 67k out the door with all the options and taxes, dest fee etc) which is the price of a nice BMW 5 series or MB # class,

If you consider the fact that you can purchase 2 brand new Stingrays for the price of 1 Maserati Gran Turismo I'm really not sure who the competition is for this car!
My 2 cents

 

[bonzelite]

911s will probably compete well but with options you are looking at 110k for that car
Viper is all raw power which is great when you are going straight but I bet the corvette can use all of its power more effectively.
Cayman like all other porsches have looked the same since they day they debuted but you are at least in the mid $70k range for a car that is inferior to the corvette.

In its price range there is simply no competition. I would bet the Corvette will at minimum hold its own if not beat the Maserati Gran Turismo in almost all performance testing which has right about the same HP but costs $130k+...

Honestly the vette is borderline super car level performance and handling at the price (mine was 67k out the door with all the options and taxes, dest fee etc) which is the price of a nice BMW 5 series or MB # class,

If you consider the fact that you can purchase 2 brand new Stingrays for the price of 1 Maserati Gran Turismo I'm really not sure who the competition is for this car!
My 2 cents

I agree.

Despite that some buyers of foreign/import sports cars will remain loyal to their habits (for example some people will never buy outside of a certain type of make and will hate on the Corvette no matter how good it is), the C7 has little competition.

What's more, I never seriously considered buying a Corvette either until the C6 Z06 came along. It was at that gen that Corvette began getting serious (in both the road going car and the C6-R that began winning its class at LeMans). But now that the C7 Stingray has come along I am suddenly fixated on it like "that is my car, that is my car." I have no doubt. It's a real contender now along the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. But it's better as it is more practical and, sort of hate to say it (not really lol)--it looks better!

 

[bonzelite]

By the way the Maser GT, however nice, is not in the same league of appeal as the Stingray. Not only will the Maser drop 50% in value in four years, it isn't a sports car.

 

[ddelfino]

By the way the Maser GT, however nice, is not in the same league of appeal as the Stingray. Not only will the Maser drop 50% in value in four years, it isn't a sports car.

Bonzelite,
I agree that the Maserati GT is not in the same league but what is in the same league. I made the comparison as I was interested in the Maserati GT however even used something with low miles is still around $100k... I compare the 2 as they roughly have the same HP. My guess is the Stingray kicks its butt in all categories except exhaust note (matter of preference and the Italians have mastered it) and maybe interior finish. I think the stingray sort of has that Ferrari F12 look except its not a $400k car and doesnt have a back seat. I had a boxster and it was a pile of crap. I am not a fan of porsche solely because a brand new 911 doesnt look much different from one that was built in 2000. Everything is an option in a porsche and you tend to rack up the $$$ really quick. So I just couldn't see paying that kind of $$ to get something close to the Stingray. Also along the lines of Exhaust note... while the Italians have that refined exhaust note, the americans have that throaty gurgly note and the germans well they need to drink more beer cause there exhaust note simply is not as good as either one. Viper is eh... simply not refined enough for the price point. Chevy figured it out.

What else would you compare??????????
D

 

[bonzelite]

Bonzelite,
I agree that the Maserati GT is not in the same league but what is in the same league. I made the comparison as I was interested in the Maserati GT however even used something with low miles is still around $100k... I compare the 2 as they roughly have the same HP. My guess is the Stingray kicks its butt in all categories except exhaust note (matter of preference and the Italians have mastered it) and maybe interior finish.

You probably already know all of this from the way you have described your prior experiences with cars, but that you mentioned the exhaust note issue:

The eight cylinder V90° Maserati engine is born in the same Ferrari engine assembly plant but has different internals than the Ferrari V8. Whereas all Ferrari V8 engines have flat-plane cranks (which creates the shrill wailing sound characteristic of a Ferrari) the Maser's do not and are tuned for more low-end torque at the expense of top end power. This is why Maseratis sound different than Ferraris. Yet the American V8 has an intoxicating sound all its own.

Were I to choose between Maserati and Corvette C7, I would pick the C7 as the overall car, including the exhaust note, works better for me as an attractive and usable GT/Sports car. The Corvette is athletic.

Whereas the Maser is solely a GT (and is more skewed to "luxury sport" than sport), it is indeed a gorgeous car. That cannot be denied. Yet the lack of a stick shift is a deal killer for me.

I think the stingray sort of has that Ferrari F12 look except its not a $400k car and doesnt have a back seat. I had a boxster and it was a pile of crap. I am not a fan of porsche solely because a brand new 911 doesnt look much different from one that was built in 2000. Everything is an option in a porsche and you tend to rack up the $$$ really quick.

I was very disappointed to see the latest GT3 lack a manual transmission. That seems anathema to the 911 image and purpose. Not even an option is available for it. So although not what you discussed I agree with you about the disappointing show at Porsche lately. I've never driven a Boxster by the way but never considered buying one.

So I just couldn't see paying that kind of $$ to get something close to the Stingray. Also along the lines of Exhaust note... while the Italians have that refined exhaust note, the americans have that throaty gurgly note and the germans well they need to drink more beer cause there exhaust note simply is not as good as either one. Viper is eh... simply not refined enough for the price point. Chevy figured it out.

What else would you compare??????????
D

You raise interesting ideas to ponder, particularly about the German's failure to steal the American V8 thunder. I agree that the BMW V8 does not really quite threaten to trump the American V8 note. You are right in that Chevy figured it out. I would even dare say the American V8 sounds exotic. You can tell it is American and a V8--what ingenuity and branding identity.

On that note, too, I am not at all interested in the latest M3 by BMW. That series has lost its original plot unfortunately (despite that it is a good car). What Corvette has done is create a somewhat niche/game-changer sports car that is both a usable GT/sports/muscle car all in the same package. And it looks stunningly cool. It is still a Corvette in general look but now is competitive in looks with exotic sports cars. I don't know what actually compares to it as it seems to be in its own corner. And it needs to get into my garage as soon as possible

 

[Sinner]

Only one person mentioned the mustang gt and that's pretty pompous to be excluded by most of you. Do you guys feel the Vette can only be compared to super cars? Most of the cars on the lists are over priced exotics that aren't worth it. Sure Lamborghini and such cars are nice but they are not in the same class as a Vette. I could pick away at each car and I despise the super cars but let me get back on topic a bit....

The cars I would think of that compare to the Vette would be: Jaguar XKR (which i own) or Xkr-S, Jaguar X-type, Nissan GTR, Cadallic CTSV, Porsche Carrera, Mustang Boss, Camaro 1LE to name a few.

The car I'm most curious to see will be on sale in April of '14 and it's the '15 mustang. The '15 is completely redesigned and will be smaller, lighter, IRS and be 450hp. The new gt will be roughly 400lbs lighter then the current model and that's puts it very very close to the new Vette in power and weight.

The C7 is an amazing step up from the C6 but it's not the end all car and many others equal this model. I love cars and I love them for many reasons but I've learned that there is no best but only different. I say this because I feel that many of the guys in this thread are a bit over zealous comparing the C7 to some super cars and not to normal cars.

 

[bonzelite]

I mentioned the Mustang GT as well as the GT-R

I think the C7 is more exotic-like than domestic-like in appearance and performance, hence the recent comparisons. It isn't wrong to compare the C7 to a Ferrari if it can outperform some newer Ferraris such as the F360 (and easily outperform many older ones). Of course if you're not a Corvette person it doesn't matter how good the C7 is. It isn't going to provide you the status of uniqueness of Ferrari ownership. In that way it is comparing dissimilar things. This goes for many cars.

For example, I don't like the way a newer 911 looks. The 911 is highly regarded and prestigious and evokes jealousy among peers, but I think they're sort of ugly looking. So that alone will steer me away from really seriously owning one. Maybe if I drove it I'd change my mind. Cars tend to become prettier the more you like driving them. I prefer the older 911 body styles from the 1970s through early 1990s--the air-cooled models. But I'm digressing somewhat.

I think the same is true for "regular sports cars" such as the Mustang GT or Dodge Viper. Some of them are cool are some are not. I think the Viper has improved dramatically, by the way. But the older gen Vipers are just hideous. Their performance doesn't matter to me. But some people love the Viper and collect them. Or the GT-R: It outperforms all Ferraris and most cars on earth. But you have to like how it looks and that it has no manual transmission option. I think what you're saying is that you have to like a certain make and model of car to begin with. And that's true.

 

[ddelfino]

Only one person mentioned the mustang gt and that's pretty pompous to be excluded by most of you. Do you guys feel the Vette can only be compared to super cars? Most of the cars on the lists are over priced exotics that aren't worth it. Sure Lamborghini and such cars are nice but they are not in the same class as a Vette. I could pick away at each car and I despise the super cars but let me get back on topic a bit....

The cars I would think of that compare to the Vette would be: Jaguar XKR (which i own) or Xkr-S, Jaguar X-type, Nissan GTR, Cadallic CTSV, Porsche Carrera, Mustang Boss, Camaro 1LE to name a few.

The car I'm most curious to see will be on sale in April of '14 and it's the '15 mustang. The '15 is completely redesigned and will be smaller, lighter, IRS and be 450hp. The new gt will be roughly 400lbs lighter then the current model and that's puts it very very close to the new Vette in power and weight.

The C7 is an amazing step up from the C6 but it's not the end all car and many others equal this model. I love cars and I love them for many reasons but I've learned that there is no best but only different. I say this because I feel that many of the guys in this thread are a bit over zealous comparing the C7 to some super cars and not to normal cars.

Sinner,
I did fail to mention the mustang and let me tell you why. When the latest 5.0 came out my friend who runs a Ford dealership let me take one home for the weekend..giddyup! While the Mustang certainly has the american V8 exhaust note and has plenty of power and is plenty fast... The plastic crap interior does the performance of the car no justice whatsoever, I like speed, I like performance, but I also like to drive my car around. I found the mustang to have zero creature comfort factor. Its a great car just not for me and in terms of styling and distinction is simply doesnt stack up. I hope the new mustang is fabulous but as of now its kind of a dated plastic clad container for a great drive train!

 

[Sinner]

The Competition?

Sinner,
I did fail to mention the mustang and let me tell you why. When the latest 5.0 came out my friend who runs a Ford dealership let me take one home for the weekend..giddyup! While the Mustang certainly has the american V8 exhaust note and has plenty of power and is plenty fast... The plastic crap interior does the performance of the car no justice whatsoever, I like speed, I like performance, but I also like to drive my car around. I found the mustang to have zero creature comfort factor. Its a great car just not for me and in terms of styling and distinction is simply doesnt stack up. I hope the new mustang is fabulous but as of now its kind of a dated plastic clad container for a great drive train!

That's a bold statement on interior with the C5 and C6 being some of the worse cars ive ever seen and been in of late model cars. If the C6 didn't fall apart, rattle and look so plain I would have bought a Z06. With that being said the mustang is still a competitor with all the above mentioned cars. No car is perfect and all have issues but I'm really looking forward to the C7 as the most complete Vette ever made.

I'm not looking to start a "Bash" thread but only stating that the "pompous" mentality that is often associated with Vette owners isn't attractive and is for a reason. It's the same thing I hate about driving my XKR... I'm a middle class working average joe that loves cars and I'm not looking to buy a car to be a certain person or look down upon others.