WHAT's REALLY GOING ON AT THE 'RING'

[tooold2race]

GREAT pictures coming from Germany! It made my whole holiday weekend. After spending the better part of an hour going over all the stuff that hit the web earlier today, it caused me to reflect a bit, and now I have more questions than answers. What do you think two base model ME C8's (a targa and a 'vert') were doing at the 'ring' this past weekend? GM and the Corvette team just didn't decide to ship a couple tired base spec mules in pajamas (no underwear to disguise their body lines) over to Germany to do a couple of 'hot laps' on an open track day, just for kicks!

Is this a part of a much greater reveal plan coming up in Europe? Was this to just establish/benchmark some base level performance metrics? Was this a part of the planned sneak photo opportunities?

I don't think this was a major assault on some real performance numbers that they intend to throw down for the competition. These were not the factory 'hot shoes' gassing the cars up to go out and click off some stunning lap times.... particularly in base models (even a 'vert') with little wheels, tires and brakes.

What do you think the Corvette group is up to???

[RoketRdr]

Baseline testing for both cars to see if performance stacks up to what Engineering expected. The vert has front splitter but the coupe doesn't so they seem to be baseline testing coupe/vert as well as two different suspension/aero packages. AND they're letting the world know what the ME is going to look like and its come sooner than we think.

[Ateupjoe]

Yep tooold2race, that is exactly what I posted on the other thread a few minutes ago. Didn't make sense to me that these mules were exposed so randomly and arbitrarily like this. Just seems odd that NOW we have spy shots taken from all angles and at just feet away from the car!! When all the other photos were so far away and had so much security surrounding them. Just odd to me.

[Bikerjulio]

All part of the reveal. And it's working. Look how excited we are. Stealth advertising.

As a non-American I was struck by the USA stickers. Subtle stuff. Perhaps Porsche and McLaren will pick up

[Ateupjoe]

Yes I thought it was hilarious that they're "revealing" the car in Germany with USA stickers. Classic American bravado.

[John]

Here is my best guesses (nothing more than that) as to what GM is up to.

GM knew running the C8.R a couple of weeks ago would result in tons of internet pictures. And they also knew that running two cars at the “Ring would do likewis.

I believe both of these activities were formally part of GM’s pre-C8 formal reveal tease process. As to what is next, maybe the following...

1) Next Saturday, just before the C7.R race, they bring out the C8.R to fun some 8/10’s max laps.

Then, as I wrote in this earlier thread: https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...l-if-i-were-gm

2) Next Saturday night, at the Corvette Racing Dinner, where we know that Tadge, Doug Fehan, Kai Spande and Mike Bailey and the C7.R drivers are going to be present, at the end of the formally announced program of “Corvette Racing,” they, on the massive screen on stage, show us the “next Corvette generation’s emblem,” and they announce the date and location of the formal reveal of the C8.

3) As people leave the dinner/presentation, each one would be handed a miniature version of that emblem;

4) Within the next few weeks to a month after the reveal date and location is announced, GM starts its teaser videos.

Of critical note, all the above is supposition, and GM might not do anything until the October 13th Petit LeMans race.

My best belief, echoed by MECF members in our poll, is that while a majority feel that January 13th in Detroit at NAIAS is the date/location actual reveal, a strong minority feel that it could be earlier at the LA Auto Show. If the reveal is NAIAS, I would not expect next Saturday for the ME’s emblem nor the date/location of its reveal to be announced until the Petit LeMans race. However, if the ME’s reveal were to be the LA Show, I think there is a good chance that we learn both the new ME’s emblem and the reveal location/date is announced in just six more days.

I wish I were going to the Corvette Race Dinner next Saturday (for a whole bunch of reasons).

[RoketRdr]

Yep tooold2race, that is exactly what I posted on the other thread a few minutes ago. Didn't make sense to me that these mules were exposed so randomly and arbitrarily like this. Just seems odd that NOW we have spy shots taken from all angles and at just feet away from the car!! When all the other photos were so far away and had so much security surrounding them. Just odd to me.

Its called marketing and that's what makes or breaks a product launch in this world. GM and the big 3 are really good at it. I'm just glad their marketing team decided it was time to move forward and release up close and personal pics at this point instead of sometime late this year to early next year like expected. It definitely seems that the reveal may come sooner than we think. This car was in development back during the C6 and was actually supposed to be the C7 before the financial crash. So maybe...just maybe they've already gotten most of the engineering and testing worked out and the car will be released sooner than anticipated. Its definitely a shock that it suddenly shows up at The Ring and is unhindered from close up camera shots so GM definitely has something up their sleeve that's outside the normal for marketing and launch.