The Estimated Cost Differential between the C7 FE and C8 ME

[Skank Special Content Contributor & Forum Founding Member Find all posts View Profile Close Skank]

I went over my Zerv Leak List Thread to make a estimation of the price/content difference of the current C7 FE to the new C8 ME. Pricing comments are welcome to discuss in a collegial manner.


All of these have been shown on the Zerv Leaks or indicated by new GM Patent's. I've applied a value next to each that I feel is comparable to prior option pricing from Corvette and Porsche "Build and Price" functions on their websites. A extreme example of my estimated pricing is the ZF DCT transaxle that has been shown on the Zerv Leaks. It is the same unit that is on the Porsche 918 that sells from Porsche Parts for $69,239.00. I've put a very conservative estimate of only $10,000.00 on that critical line item cost of the car. It could be much higher !!

1. Enhanced and Stiffened 3 part modular Chassis with High pressure castings as seen on Zerv leaks $1,000.00
2. 4 Magnetorheological Coilover Shocks on ME vs 2 transverse leaf springs and 4 Shocks on FE C7 $2,000.00
3. 4 ZF Magnetorheological engine mounts on ME vs standard rubber composition engine mounts on FE C7 $2,000.00
4. ZF DCT Transaxle on ME vs 7sp manual or 8sp automatic with independent differential on FE C7 $10,000.00
5. 4.2L DOHC Two Stage Twin Turbo Charged V8, Gen6 LT7 5.5L DOHC Two Stage Twin Turbo Charged V8, New Gen6 LT2 6.2L OHV V8 as base engine on ME vs LT1, LT4, and LT5 on FE C7 $4,000.00
6. Integrated Intercoolers on ME vs separate intercoolers on C7 FE $500.00
7. Advanced high-pressure die-cast aluminum or magnesium structural ribbed chassis stiffeners, struts, and brackets on ME vs older generation tech on FE C7 chassis $1,000.00
8. Adaptive Aerodynamics or Active Aero as indicated in Patent Application and Zerv leaked CAD views on ME vs fixed aero components on FE C7 $3,000.00
9. Folding hardtop convertible on ME vs soft top convertible on FE C7 $6,000.00
10. Inconel tubular factory short headers on ME vs cast exhaust manifolds on FE C7 $1,000.00
11. Higher Carbon Fiber Body Panel Content on ME vs FE C7 $2,000.00
12. Precision Smooth Cast Alloy Intake Runners from Air Box to Two Stage Twin Turbochargers on ME vs none on LT1, LT4, and LT5 on FE C7 $1,000.00
13. Adjustable suspension(Front axle lift system) gaging by the pneumatic or hydraulic line apparently emanating from the bottom of the LF shock/spring assembly on ME vs none on FE C7 $2,000.00
14. Rear spoiler actuator to be piston style electronic actuator on ME vs Fixed aero on FE C7 $2,000.00
15. Dual Port and Direct injection system on ME engines vs Direct injection only on LT1 and LT4 of FE C7 $1,500.00
16. Digital Rear View Streaming Mirror/Camera will require a flat screen in dash on ME vs regular rear view mirror on FE C7 $1,000.00
17. Optional AKC ZF rear wheel steering unit on ME vs none on FE C7 $1,500.00
18. Optional State of the Art Bose Panaray Sound System on ME vs Standard Bose Sound System on FE C7 $2,000.00
19. AEB (automatic emergency braking) on ME vs none on FE C7 $500.00
20. BSP (blind spot protection) on ME vs none on FE C7 $500.00
21. Advanced mixed-material approach for the lightweight body structure on ME vs older tech on FE C7 $1,500.00
22. New Advanced Headlight and Taillight LED technologies on ME vs older generation lighting tech on FE C7 $500.00
23. FCA/FCW e.g. frontal collision avoidance/warning on ME vs none on FE C7 $500.00
24. Electro-Hydraulic Braking Assist on ME vs standard hydraulic on FE C7 $500.00
25. New ZF Steering Damper on ME vs standard on FE C7 $500.00
26. Swan Style(Aston Martin) upswing doors on ME vs standard door hinge arrangement on FE C7 $300.00
27. Possible electronically actuated manual transmission on ME vs standard manual on FE C7 $1,000.00
28. Potential Hybrid Drivetrain technology as indicated in GM Patent for ME vs none on FE C7 $3,000.00
29. Left and right hand drive for all markets worldwide on ME vs Left hand drive only on FE C7 $2,000.00
30. Potential of all wheel drive since GM has trademarked Sport Control AWD on ME vs rear wheel drive only on FE C7 $2,000.00
31. ZF electronic "Brake By Wire" system on ME vs standard Brake system on FE C7 $1,000.00
32. Higher Quality Interior standards on ME vs Interior Standards on FE C7 $5,000.00

Total $62,300.00
I'm estimating that $30,000.00 of the $62,300.00 will be directly attributable to the Base ME base price with the other $32,300.00 being optional add ons.
That puts the C8 ME Base price at approximately $85,000.00 to $90,000.00 where I've had it all along.

[Racer86 Founding & Sr. Contributing Member & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close Racer86]

Very interesting, hope you are correct on the purchase price..... with options

[ltomn Founder, Sr. Contributor & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close ltomn]

Thank you Skank! If anything your numbers may be a bit low! As well, I applaud your interpretation of the mixture of option's versus standard ingredients. No one has done this to date and it does put things in better perspective. Hopefully the Corvette faithful will get the message that this is not your C7 FE Stingray! This is a far sight more sophisticated and will carry the sticker that will, undoubtedly, accompany it.

[John forum co-founder & admin Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Skank, thank you very much for your incredibly detailed and precise analysis. Very well done (as always). Extremely intersting information you have presented!!!

[JB Senior Contributing Member & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close JB]

Yeah we will see..loaded the price of vehicles can get out of control.

that said most marketing and priduct managers dont usually leave their customer base in the wind with elevated pricing as far as a base vehicle..

todays corvettes, the c7 msrp at around 56 grand all the way up to 140 grand...depending on model and options ...

common sense says the base c8 will climb 5 grand in base msrp over the c7...taking 8nto account items that used to be optional might become. Standard and if thats the case...add in the cost of such item as an option on the c7 and add that amount over and above the 5 grand build up of base msrp..

of course if we continue to spread the much higher price of the c8 rumor...it probably helps move more discounted c7s on the dealer lots..

most guys got 22 percent off their 2016 s and 2017 s before the paint shops were redone...

now i think 14 percent seems to be the discount.

i fully expect c7 s to be offered up with a 22 to 25 percent discount after the announcement of the c8 come January...

[ltomn Founder, Sr. Contributor & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close ltomn]

common sense says the base c8 will climb 5 grand in base msrp over the c7...taking 8nto account items that used to be optional might become. Standard and if thats the case...add in the cost of such item as an option on the c7 and add that amount over and above the 5 grand build up of base msrp..

Just whose common sense are you referring to? My own common sense agrees with the list.

[meyerweb Forum Founder, Sr. Content Contributor & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close meyerweb]

Problem is that just because those things showed up on the leaked CAD images doesn't mean they'll be on the final product. And especially on the base model product. None of us know the provenance of those CAD drawings. They may have been a pie-in-the-sky ultimate Corvette that GM has no intention of building, or won't show up until 3 or 4 years later in a super high performance version.

I stick by my argument that GM is NOT going to write-off the bulk of its current customers in hopes it can make more money by selling a much lower volume of much more expensive cars. And no, the Camaro is not going to be a substitute for lower end Corvette buyers as some have suggested.

A GM exec (Reuss? I can't remember who) has previously stated that they could build an ME Corvette for 5K more than the FE car. GM insiders who worked on various Corvette models estimate a $10K price difference. I put more stock in those estimates than one based on a drawings that we don't really know anything about.

[John forum co-founder & admin Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Clearly, different opinions that we have. GM could make this forum have a lot less divergence if they shared some facts LOL.

I still like the idea of them releasing every Wednesday at 10:00 AM, one tiny fact they would wish, and they would build a weekly following of us all, as we first learn each fact, then discuss it further.

How about if this Wednesday at 10:00 AM, they just share that the C8 ME is 7.2% more fuel efficient than the LT1.

And the following Wednesday at that same time, that the water pump is 11.1% more efficient than the C7’s.

And keep this going every week. They sure could do that, yet still have a 100 new facts to share at its reveal.

They could call this program the “pre-next-generation, by minutiae, pre-reveal teaser program.”

[Ateupjoe Forum Founding & Sr. Contributing Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ateupjoe]

First what an incredible list....and thought process to lay it out. Hope you drop it into excel so you can in a comparison once the facts are revealed.

lastly and most importantly, it's out of my price range. Still loving my GS.

[Skank Special Content Contributor & Forum Founding Member Find all posts View Profile Close Skank]

First what an incredible list....and thought process to lay it out. Hope you drop it into excel so you can in a comparison once the facts are revealed.

lastly and most importantly, it's out of my price range. Still loving my GS.

Thanks Ateupjoe. The main List thread is on this Forum.
https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...ts-on-the-zora

[Shadow Forum Founding Member & Sr. Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Shadow]

Thank you Skank for your really thorough work. Excellently done.

[Stingray50th Forum 1,500th Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stingray50th]

Too much money. If this is a replacement, and the C7 is done next year, that is almost a $30,000 increase over a base Stingray. That's crazy. For a car that isn't as good looking, on a chassis and drivetrain never used before. I don't get it. But many of you out there probably have more disposable income than do I.

[John forum co-founder & admin Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Do not give up yet Stingray50th, for while there is good and sound reasoning, and very good info in Skank’s post, quite a few still disagree.

And as to how good it will look at the reveal, be prepared to be absolutely, positively shockeed, i.e., keep the Corvette as an option in your mind until reveal day.

[ltomn Founder, Sr. Contributor & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close ltomn]

I sure don't disagree! The Skansker has done a great job! I'm afraid that there will be many Corvette faithful that are not ready to spend the money on this rig. I also know that there will be many that will stretch to make it happen. However, we still don't know much other then what we can fathom from many concepts and ideas. The CAD releases from ZERV, many months ago, still give us the best guess of what's coming. Let's not hold our breath, but lets keep our anticipations elevated.

[JB Senior Contributing Member & Patron Find all posts View Profile Close JB]

Just whose common sense are you referring to? My own common sense agrees with the list.

common sense to meet the existing customer base expectations in pricing.

usually a failure to adhere to existing customer base results in market segment failure.


the price range of the c7 has an msrp that runs from 56 grand to 140 grand...

add five grand and the msrp of the c8 will follow the c7 pricing structure,

why people want the c8 to cost tens of thousands more than the c7 sounds pretty ridiculous...

what consumer wants to pay more than they have to?

common sense would suggest most normal consumers would prefer the often mentioned five grand more than the current c7..

add whatever is considered an option on the c7 that has become a standard on the c8 expect that option pricing to become as part of the c8 pricing.

only a bullxxxxxx would say they want to pay 30 grand more for a mid engine variant over the front engine version feature for feature.

no way the starting msrp of the c8 is starting at 86 grand...

that would be a sales failure from the get go.

maybe this themed story will shorten the waiting lists?

and thats the reason these stories perpetuate..?