Interesting Article - Decision NOT to go mid engine (Toyota)

[PaulChristian]

I thought this was interesting and puts into perspective the courage and confidence (and risk) corvette engineers are showing with their decision to go mid engine with the C8...something Toyota was unwilling to do with the long awaited Supra. My hats off to GM and the corvette team. This is a massive change. I think it says a hell of a lot about team Chevy engineering.

https://carbuzz.com/news/guess-who-p...he-718-fighter

[LICorvette]

Toyota is probably the most conservative big auto manufacturer on the planet, so them not going mid-engine in what is to be a high volume (over 20,000 per year) platform is not a surprise. After all, the Lexus LFA was a flop.

[Busa Dave]

Oh yes with the flop that the LFA was they have to be thinking about the huge loss they took not to mention being snickered at by the competition. I expected a lot more from that vehicle given the development that went into it.

[Racer86]

It’s hard for a company that builds cars for the mass market to find a foothold in the luxury or performance market.

[meyerweb]

It’s hard for a company that builds cars for the mass market to find a foothold in the luxury or performance market.

They seem to do just fine in the luxury market. e.g., Lexus.

[PaulChristian]

It’s hard for a company that builds cars for the mass market to find a foothold in the luxury or performance market.

They tried to build ultra high-end exotic car with the LFA but should have built a corvette competitor instead. I think a $50k - $70k 500hp+ Supra would have sold great. Less luxury, more performance. They should have built a contemporary Supra competitively priced against a corvette and less than a Nissan GTR.

[JB]

I think the nissan gtr performance capabilities pushed lexus up market to a ridiculous pricing catagory and i believe the gtr also forced acura ti scrape and then revamp the acura NSX which with its pricepoint proved to still be a marekting flop.

viper took a dump in the marketplace too as it released its last generation.

the pricing was wrong..the marketing and FCA s tutorial to dealers burned what amounted to an amazing vehicle.

even after all that was corrected...it was too late. The viper after much fan fare was cancelled.

the corvette team wont make the same mistakes as the forementioned powerhouses in the marketplace ..

the design will be radically different as the corvette moves to a rear mid engine but GM is smart enough to jot make the same mistakes as toyota/lexus, nissan, honda/ acura or FCA and the viper...

even the Audi R8 is struggling for sales at this point...once the darling of the audi empire....its no longer scheduled for a following generation.

the corvette team have 65 years of history and knowledge about its loyal customer base.

the corvette team will reach up in pricing but will maintain its existing base as well.

all the rumors of massive proce increases on the standard model is bull.

there will be some increases but not as dramatic as many have predicted ..

i still believe old GM before the bankruptcy took a big portion of the development costs with it and i also believe cadillac funded a great portion of both the bowling green expansion and wjatever portions chevrolet corvette team asked for to get the c8 to be world class.

[SheepDog]

I thought this was interesting and puts into perspective the courage and confidence (and risk) corvette engineers are showing with their decision to go mid engine with the C8...something Toyota was unwilling to do with the long awaited Supra. My hats off to GM and the corvette team. This is a massive change. I think it says a hell of a lot about team Chevy engineering.

https://carbuzz.com/news/guess-who-p...he-718-fighter

1. NSX #1 edition cost too much and failed to evolve. Nobody wanted it at the price, not enough anyway. Cost more than 911?
2. NXS #2 edition Cost too much and has the electric junk from a future nobody wants. price should be between the Vette and 911 without all the nonsense. Or they should have offered a base car and reserve the one they produced for those few who want it. Wasted opportunity. *$85K 650 HP 3000lbs "hot-cakes.
3. Viper cost too much and failed to evolve as a livable ME car at a reasonable price. Fault Mercedes and Fiat. Maybe
4. Audi R8 wants to cost too much, the price has gone from bad to worse.
5. Mclaren and Aston had no experience in ME production but they purchased it on the market. Corvette does not need to know what they can buy/hire experts that already know. Need the courage to admit what you don't know and go out and hire it. Mclaren Cost too much but there is always room at the top if you dare to be the very very best.
6. Manufacturers make a phony big money deal out of the ME cars. They are easier and less expensive to do that FE once it is started. Same parts in different locations. They have engineers. What's the problem? People fresh out of Car School could readily solve the technical engineering problems people are projecting. They are only problems because people say they are problems. Problems are fun to solve and bring the cost down if really solved. If a problem increases price then the problem is one of how to overcharge and get away with it by manipulating expectation.
7. The sports car has put itself out of style by offering too little for the dollar and that is a marketing, not engineering dynamic
8. Keep it light, simple, rocket, repair friendly. But they keep trying to milk the buyer by producing only what they can sell at the highest price.
9. The Corvette team was courageous to continue its best with the inferior FE platform. They are chasing their destiny with delight with the ME project, finally liberated to charge. Corvette Team knows how to build cars, how to test products, they can handle it in-house and are desirous of the opportunity to do the Euro beating ME straight out of the box at a Corvette price.

[Fireeagle]

Too many car companies right now just about the SUV and truck market. Starting a new sports car would have been very risky.