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Old 01-22-2013, 11:42 AM   #1
Tran
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Drives: 2010 Camaro of course....
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NE baby
Posts: 5,616
USA Today: 2014 Corvette not for average Joe

Not that I take much stock in what USA Today ever has to say

And I certainly hope to see much more diverse ownership demographic than the one discussed in the article.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/driveo...scale/1852227/

Quote:
No question about it, the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray was the hit of the North American International Auto Show. But aside from the emotional reaction, we're only starting to realize why.

Chevy is taking it upscale.

"It was our intent to make the car more premium," says Kirk Bennion, experior design manager for General Motors. We're weren't achieving what we (needed) on the luxury-sport side of Corvette."

Translation: The present-day Corvette is viewed too much as the sports car of the average guy. Nothing wrong with that, unless you want your iconic car to be considered a worthy competitor to the Porsche 911s of the world. The target customer for Corvette is a man in his 40s with a household income in excess of $150,000. Collectors, those with three to five 'Vettes of various vintages, are key buyers for them as well.

The need to go more upscale, which almost certainly means commanding a higher price, is underscored by the detailed work that GM designers and engineers pouring into the new 2014 Corvette. The process of the creation of the new Corvette, a top priority within GM with a lot of hands involved, was explained last week in Detroit at the Autoweek Design Forum, a symposium on car design presented by the automotive weekly magazine.

For instance, the Corvette has always looked great on the outside. Now it looks even more so, with lots of little touches -- some of them controversial, like moving away from round taillights -- to improve it. But the big story on the new Corvette is its lush new interior.

A design competition within GM for the new 'Vette drew 300 sketches. No wonder. A lot is at stake.

"It's really important for Corvette to be the global icon of Chevrolet," Bennion says.
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