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Forum Maintenance 10/4 from 5pm to 6pm Pacific Time

Scheduled maintenance period from 05:00 PM to 06:00 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday October 4th, 2023.
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Corvette Today: Corvette News & Headlines, Early October 2023

The automotive industry is going through a tumultuous time right now with the United Auto Workers striking the Big 3 automakers. Your CORVETTE TODAY host, Steve Garrett, teams up again with Keith Cornett from CorvetteBlogger to bring you the most up-to-date information in the world of Corvette. https://youtu.be/N-JFEwaK2PQ?si=u3tepRnTgFEcCKAM; https://podcasts.adorilabs.com/corve...AyWJ7BnoEURVpA

Besides the UAW strike, here are some of the other Corvette topics that Steve and Keith will discuss:

1. 2024 Corvette production started on Monday, September 18th

2. Two ZR1 prototypes are spotted in Colorado with no wheel coverings and no exhaust sounds

3. A C3 Corvette gets a "Mako-over" into a Mako Shark II

4. A C8 Z06 falls off a lift at a dealership

5. A 2023 70th Anniversary Z06 sells at Mecum for $247,500

6. A Chevy Silverado rolls over a C8 Corvette....ON PURPOSE!

Every other week, CORVETTE TODAY brings you the latest news in the world of Corvette to keep you informed on what's happening with America's Sports Car!
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2024 & 2023 Corvette Info Including E-Ray, SR & Z06 Pricing, SR & Z06 Visualizers, 70th Anniversary Info, Press Releases for SR & Z06 & Their Build & Price, Order Guides & Visualizers

2024 Order Guide Here: https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NA...=22639&type=0#
2023 Corvette Brochure: https://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...D7Q0fp8nIEE57Y
E-Ray Visualizer: https://visualizer.chevrolet.com/ui?...US&channel=b2c
Official E-Ray Press Release: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...-press-release
Official GM E-Ray Pictures: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...and-visualizer
+ 25 KEY E-Ray Components/Factors: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...rs-information
E-Ray Leaked Info/Visualizer: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...tte-e-ray-leak
Z51 & Z06 GM Track Specs: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...ecommendations
Z06 BUILD & PRICE: https://www.chevrolet.com/performanc...d-price/config
Z06 Order Guide: https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NA...D=22412&type=0
Z06 MSRP and Options Pricing: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...freight-charge
2023 SR Build & Price: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...up-and-running
*2023 SR & Z06 Official Owners Manual: https://www.corvetteblogger.com/docs...ersManual.pdf; and,
https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...owner-s-manual
* 2023 GM Bash Major Seminar with HQ video: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...ore-bash-video
*2023 Stingray Visualizer: https://visualizer.chevrolet.com/ui?...US&channel=b2c
* COPMPLETE 2023 STINGRAY PRICING: https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...ion-Center.pdf
*2023 Stingray (ONLY Order Guide: https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NA...D=22412&type=0
*70th Anniversary Combined Press Release For SR & Z06: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...iversary-model
*Z06 Press Release: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...-press-release
*Z06 Reveal Pictures: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...eveal-pictures
*Z06 Visualizer: https://visualizer.chevrolet.com/ui?...US&channel=b2c
Order Guide (unofficial): https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...-action-center
*Z06 vs Z07 Aero Components: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...s-similarities
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C8 HT ‘Vert Realities and Probables

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  • C8 HT ‘Vert Realities and Probables

    We are going to have an exciting choice when the 2020 mid engine Corvette is upon us, choosing a removable roof coupe or a hard top convertible version. I just love the fact that we are getting a 2020 ME with a hard top convertible option. Just the perfect ticket for many!

    First question, will it be called a HT convertible, or will it be called a “Spyder”? (Almost all Euro-exotic convertibles are called a Spyder.)


    Click image for larger version  Name:	348DA5D8-0AE3-4931-BC07-D376C153B6F2.jpeg Views:	1 Size:	219.2 KB ID:	19453
    Thank you fvs for that wonderful rendering!

    A hard top convertible C8 will however have three definite negative realities, and two highly-probable ones.

    Perhaps none of them might mean anything to most HT buyers. Even I who have not owned a convertible since 1968, will probably have my second C8 be a HT convertible in spite of all listed below.

    What are the known downsides?

    1) Cost: It will cost at least $5,000 more. Maybe even $6,000, $7,500 or even $9,000 more. (A Ferrari HT cost $27K more than is coupe version — though to be fair it includes, standard, about $8K of items that are options on the coupe.)

    2) Storage Space: Not a single HT convertible has the storage capacity of its coupe stablemate — just like the C5/C6/C7’s soft top convertibles all had/have less cargo space than their coupe counterparts.

    3) Weight: It was just shared by Automobile Magazine (thank you, in the link below), that the McLaren 720 S will weight 108 pounds more than its comparable coupe.

    What are the Spyder’s “probable” downsides?

    1) Motor Not Visible: Unlike the 2020 ME removable top coupe, where IMO you will be able to see the motor by looking downward through its rear class, the motor is not going to be seen from the outside in the HT version — again in my opinion.

    2) Timing: Just like most new generation rollouts, the convertible version will most likely follow the coupe down the assembly line. Will the HT thus start one month, three months or even six months later than the 2020 ME coupe? No one outside of GM is talking, at least not yet.

    I would not be surprised that even at the reveal of the ME coupe (which I personally expect will be some time this spring), that there a 50% possibility that there GM will not even mention the HT convertible, and if asked at that event, utter a line we have all become used to hearing, “we do not comment on potential future product.”

    Having said all the above, if you want a mid engine Corvette in a hard top convertible, will any of these five things make a difference to you?

    Oh yes, and one more potential consideration for some, and that is aesthetics. Some have as much of a crush on the Spyder look as they did on their first date, while others are, at the other extreme, are so far not convinced its looks will be okay. Others are going to have to see both versions before they make their coupe vs Spyder mid engine 2020 Corvette choice


    https://www.automobilemag.com/news/2...5BA854457F0C26
    Last edited by John; 12-16-2018, 10:26 PM.
    2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

  • #2
    Depemds on whichone i prefer the looks of better. That said i know Im a relatively sharp shpper when it comes to spending money on myself amd I actually enjoy manually taking the roof off. Just makes me laugh as open up the roof in a mantter of a minute or two.

    im sixty this coming year and I enjoy doing things like lifting off the roof. I dont know why but i do. I tend to get a lot of attention as i go through the process so that might be why as well.

    add in the fact the vehicle is probably a hundred pounds lighter, less complicated over time to maintain and 7500 to ten grand leass expensive...ill probably pass..

    of course if the vehicle in spyder form asctually looks better then ill give it some time to decide..

    cant go wrong with either choice...

    i think its an interesting topic.

    thanks John.

    JB

    Comment


    • #3
      Probably no HTC for us. Like to travel longer distances, would like to be able to see the engine and honestly don’t take the targa off much as we both have allergies.
      There is a madness to my method!
      2023 Torch/Adrenaline Z51, MSRC, front lift
      2015 Z06 Torch/adrenaline
      2001 coupe Torch/oak R8C
      79 coupe Silver/oyster
      All one owner
      Museum lifetime members

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      • #4
        To win the lottery and to get one of each would be the best option. They both appear great and have their own advantages.

        Comment


        • #5
          Personal opinion only: An HT convertible is a must for us living in Florida. Our last 3 vettes had ragtops and we love the ease of operation. My '73 had T-tops which were a pain to remove and store; therefore we never had interest in getting a coupe. We like the speed the ragtop opens and closes in case of quick showers etc. The cost was always higher than a coupe but well worth it to us. Also, personally prefer not to have the motor visible; our vettes are DDs and we prefer not to attract too many lookers to lean over the car to check out motor, LOL; but realizing car itself will create some attention.
          IMHO both versions will be beauiful but practicality will prevail.
          John, thanks for your post; it's refreshing to learn new details each day. Looking forward to the GREAT reveal.
          Heidi
          Save the Wave
          2021 TR HTC 2LT (HTM DTH D86 E60 FE2 Q8T J6F NPP VQK AH2 SQU AH2)

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          • #6
            The HT convertible is going to be a very special model!
            2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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            • #7
              I want a convertible!! I want a convertible!! I have owned two Corvettes in my lifetime, a 1964 C2 and a 2015 C7, Both roadster convertibles. No reason to stop now. I can wait.
              2022 HTC 2LT Z51
              Front lift, mag ride
              black exterior, adrenaline red interior, bright red calipers, MRR F10 wheels

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              • #8
                I'll wait to see both the coupe and convertible, but I've never owned a Corvette coupe, so I guess you know which way I'm leaning.
                My C8:
                '20 Elkhart Lake Blue 2LT Coupe, Natural Interior, GT2 Two-Tone Seats, Performance Exhaust, Front Lift, Carbon Flash Wheels, Engine Appearance Package 2000 Status December 27, 2019; 3000 Status January 2, 2020; 3400 Status March 10, 2020;TPW March 16, 2020; Built June 4th, 2020 (COVID-19); Delivery July 1, 2020

                Current Vettes:
                '68 Lemans Blue 327/350 Convertible
                '91 Turquoise Convertible with Hardtop
                '14 Lime Rock Green 2LT Convertible, Black Top, Kalahari, 7-Speed, Performance Exhaust

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                • #9
                  Unless Price is Too Far Off -- Hard Top Convertible for ME. Even though initial cost is higher, Resale Value is Higher also over the Coupe. As long as it is not a soft top. I extremely loved all of my HT Convertibles.
                  As far as what they call it? I always love checking out Topless Exotics. Lol
                  Last edited by Frenzy36; 12-17-2018, 12:04 PM.
                  Rocket City Florida - 2013 427 Vert - 2015 ZO6 - 2020 Stingray

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                  • #10
                    Having never owned a Corette in any style, manner or model, this will be the first and baring irresistible temptation, potentially, the last. I will most certainly order a retractable hard top/spyder. I can't wait a lot longer however, my hankie is getting damp.
                    ZORA patron, Forum Founding Member, Senior Contributor, proud owner of a late 2023 Z06! I go to races to watch Corvettes!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Number 1 (price) is the only one that might affect me. I willingly paid an extra $5K for my C7 vert, but don't know if I could justify close to double that amount.

                      Storage space? Not likely to be any worse than my C7. In fact, I'm not sure there will be much of a penalty at all compared to the C8 coupe. The frunk won't be impacted at all, and the area behind the passenger compartment isn't storage in the C8 coupe, either. (Unless you want to say "it's storing the engine.") If there's a rear trunk behind the engine that shouldn't be impacted, either. Might lose storage behind the seats, but that's about all.

                      Weight? 100 pounds or so in a car that's likely to weigh well over 3,000 pounds? You're not going to notice that on the street, and barely notice it on the track.

                      Engine visibility? While I suppose that's sort of cool, let's face it: Few modern engines, and none coming out of the American automakers, look like anything but a mass of plastic. I don't expect GM to spend a bunch of money making the engine look pretty when it's so much cheaper to just cover it in plastic.

                      Timing? I won't be buying a first year C8 anyway, so no issues for me there.

                      I really enjoy driving a convertible with the top down, and it's so much easier to lower and raise the top than it is to remove and replace the targa, I do it much more frequently. I'd never bother to remove the targa to drive 10 minutes to the gym, but I'll push a button to lower the top and then raise it again when I get there. So unless cost becomes a major factor, I'll be buying another 'vert.
                      Last edited by meyerweb; 12-17-2018, 03:18 PM.
                      Delivered 5/29/2021!: Scarlet Fever 2021 2LT HTC, Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat, two-tone Natural w/ suede inserts, Mag Ride, Performance Exhaust, MRR 755 Gunmetal wheels, Carbon Flash splitter and side skirts, magnetic engine cover mod & custom painted engine cover, Soler throttle controller, SmartTop HTC controller
                      >20,000 miles
                      Proud member of the Old Dominion Corvette Club: https://www.olddominioncorvetteclub.org/

                      Never grow up - It's a trap.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I can't think of a single reason to have one if the top doesn't go down. We've had a couple with the lift off tops but the vast majority have been 'verts'. The C6 and C7 with the power top guarantee that it's down most of the time.

                        The additional wait to get one and the token price premium are not issues.

                        From a design standpoint, Corvettes seem to be designed as hardtops, then they come along and cut off the roof and make a 'vert'..... In other words, the hardtops typically have a more integrated design. With that said, there is nothing more enjoyable than driving with the top down. By the way, Ferrari managed to show off the engine in their spyders until they went to the solid folding top. If Corvette stacks the top vertically behind the seats (like the SSr) then there is no reason not to have a transparent cover over the engine.

                        Who said life wasn't a series of trade-offs.....
                        2020 HTC Torch Red with lots of goodies. Built in September. Museum Delivered in October......

                        Other toys in the garage: Ferrari California, BMW i8 Roadster, Bentley Flying Spur, Chevy SSr

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thank you tooold2race, for educating a bunch of us that a HT convertible can have itsmotor be seen, though as you noted with a two piece top trade off. Maybe GM will have even figured it out without a trade off — though from the close up pictures of the car at the Nurburgring, I am not thinking that it is possible. But now that my teenage years are over, I make more than a few mistake daily.

                          Hopefully GM has figured all of this out for us...
                          2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The whole point for me having a sports car is for top down driving pleasure, so it's an easy answer for me. I'm really excited about a retractable hardtop because i think the coupe and spyder version will look much more similar, unlike with the previous generations. I have a 2015 convertible, which was coincidentally my first Corvette and my first convertible. While i do admit that with the top up, the couple does look much better, I absolutely love the convenience of the powered roof and the openness of the convertible. I had a targa top on a sports car many years ago and I really prefer the powered top. Now if I only lived in a warmer climate where i could enjoy that open air feeling more often.......
                            Initial deposit for 2021 Red Mist HTC 11/25/2019 @Criswell
                            2000 status 2/13/2021, R8C delivery 6/18/21

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Last convertible we had was a 1968 Austin Healey. Maybe the next one will be a 2020 HT convertible C8? That idea has many appealing thoughts to us.
                              2023 Z06: Elkhart Lake Blue, 2-tone blue interior, HTC, Standard Z06 with Z07 aero pkg, CCB’s, 3LZ, E60, every visible carbon fiber option including wheels, Jake Design Pkg. Lifetime, annual contributors, and 25 year NCM members. Home is the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

                              Comment

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