A 2023 Corvette costs almost twice as much – in real terms – as a 1969 Corvette cost. The latter listed for $4,781 when it was new – a sum equivalent to just over $37,000 in today’s hyperinflated (that is, devalued) currency. The former stickers for $64,200 – not counting the also-hyperinflated costs of insurance, taxes and tags.
This is why the 2023 Corvette is an exotic car while the ’69 was America’s sports car. By which was meant Americans could afford the car. Today, only rich Americans can afford a Corvette, of which there are fewer.
Back in ’69, 38,762 Americans bought a new Corvette. In 2022, 34,510 did. It sounds almost the same but it’s actually quite different, because in 1969 there were only about 200 million Americans whereas today there are at least 330 million – not counting the uncounted millions of “immigrants” who’ve entered the country since the Biden Thing opened the border.
Proportionately, then, something on the order of 60,000 Americans should have bought have bought a new Corvette last year.
They didn’t – because they couldn’t.
This is a trend that will continue as Americans become less able to spend $60,000-plus on a car – or anything, for that matter. It’s a shame to see what had been a car Americans could aspire to transition into a car that’s more Ferrari than Corvette. Indeed it’s hard to tell the two apart – whereas back in ’69, it wasn’t.
The Corvette used to look like nothing else – and most Americans thought it looked pretty sensational. Even if you didn’t, there was no mistaking the silhouette – or the iconic four round tail-lights. It was a car like the original Beetle in that everyone knew one when they saw one, even if all they saw was a glimpse of one.
The new Corvette looks so much like a Ferrari – or a McLaren or a Lamborghini – that most people have to look closely before they establish what it is they’re looking at. It is a situation not unlike the one that exists in the current superbike class, where the chief clue that what you’re looking at is a Honda rather than a Suzuki is that the former has blue plastic fairings while the latter has red plastic fairings. They are also very similar under the plastic – as is just as true of the current crop of exotics, almost all of which are mid-engined and automatic-equipped.
The latter and the former make a great deal of sense if the object is to replicate the nth degree performance of other exotics in the same class. The mid-engined layout is without question superior in terms of weight distribution and power application, which translates into faster lap times, in the hands of an nth degree expert driver. An automatic transmission, finely programmed to change gears at precisely the right moment and do so faster and more consistently perfectly on-the-money than even an nth degree expert driver can do will result in quicker – and more consistently quick – zero to 60 and quarter mile runs.
It also results in an exotic price – which most people pay by not being able to afford such a car. And even those who can pay largely for what is becoming hypothetical capability in that nine out of ten of them (more like 9.5 of them, probably) are not nth degree expert drivers and so not capable of fully accessing the potential of their car. Even the .5 who are cannot realistically explore such capability to the full extent. So what have they got, really?
Something automotively analogous to a codpiece. A big one, to be sure. But wouldn’t it be preferable to have something you could use, as it were?
Also something more fun? 
The ’69 Corvette was not nearly as quick nor as fast as the ’23. But it was, arguably, a more fun car – precisely because its capabilities weren’t as extreme as an nth degree exotic’s. It came standard with a 300 horsepower 350 cubic inch V8 and a four speed manual transmission that you shifted through the gears, however imperfectly.
You could wind out the small-block V8 to the nth degree of its capabilities without greatly exceeding your own.
It was a simple car, even though it had an exotic look relative to other cars. The same basic V8 engine could be found in Impalas, Camaros and Novas – which is why a new 1969 Corvette, while not inexpensive, wasn’t so expensive that an American capable of buying a new Camaro or Nova could not realistically aspire to owning a new Corvette. 
Today, it ought to be possible for more Americans to be able to afford a Corvette – if it weren’t built to be an nth degree exotic. A simpler layout – more like the ’69’s layout – would be less expensive to design and build today, thanks to less expensive CAD and manufacturing processes. Build it with a six speed manual and a front-mounted V8 and price it for the 2023 equivalent of $4,781 and Chevy would probably have to double its manufacturing capacity to meet the demand.
Especially if it looked like a ’69 Corvette – as opposed to looking like every other exotic.
. . .
If you like what you’ve found here please consider supporting EPautos.
We depend on you to keep the wheels turning!
Our donate button is here.
If you prefer not to use PayPal, our mailing address is:
EPautos
721 Hummingbird Lane SE
Copper Hill, VA 24079
PS: Get an EPautos magnet or sticker or coaster in return for a $20 or more one-time donation or a $10 or more monthly recurring donation. (Please be sure to tell us you want a magnet or sticker or coaster – and also, provide an address, so we know where to mail the thing!)
My eBook about car buying (new and used) is also available for your favorite price – free! Click here. If that fails, email me at [email protected] and I will send you a copy directly!
Not able to afford a corvette when I needed one at age 16. But did have a 1962 Buick Le sabre with a 454. Drove that thing like a maniac, surprising that I survived. Had it up over 120 several times. It was the family car, back then most families had only one car. Wish I still had it but it was wrecked when my mom was hit by a drunk when she was turning into our driveway ( rear ended).
My favorite was the ’68-’69 (?) The were short and wide for a stingray, side pipes, 554 but also had some small run of a bigger engine, which also had a taller crest on the hood, T-top. Uncomfortable car to just putter around in. Got like 12 mph combined. Roared like a lion. Anyway, my buddy had this car and got it up to 170ish no problem. He said it could do a little over 200mph. It had modifications.
Just now reading this article. I always tell people that they killed the Corvette with this new rear-engine model. Like most things that are pure American that are slowly being killed off….the bastards finally got to the Vette too. You’re right, now it looks like any other foreign supercar. I call it the New World Order Vette.
Love you on David Knights show!
Hi Ralph,
You make an insightful point when you write: ” Like most things that are pure American that are slowly being killed off.” I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. It’s just another supercar. It is no longer a Corvette. It isn’t America’s sports car.
Thanks for the kind words!
I highly recommend it….the Super 7
I wanted to get an air cooled car, but 911’s are over priced now…..I had a deal for a Porsche 959 speedster tribute..tube frame, 911 brakes, steering and suspension, fiberglass body, VW 2.2 liter air cooled engine, hotter cam, with twin Weber 40 dfi carburetors, 4 speed VW transaxle…the deal fell through…. the seller didn’t want to sell it, changed his mind…
So I went hunting and found a Super 7 clone…after doing research on the Super 7 I got more and more interested…I knew nothing about these cars….now I do….
I also considered a Cobra clone, but they are more expensive….I now prefer the Super 7…it is 1/2 the weight of a Cobra or a Miata…lightness matters
I found this….a 1978 super 7 clone, tube frame, 540 kg, 1230 lb. fibreglass and aluminum body. 2.0 lt. twin cam hemi Lampredi engine and 5 spd. trans., 4:44 diff., Weber 40 DFI 5 from a 365 Ferrari V12, custom side exhaust, fantastic sound…
it is totally analog….cable throttle and clutch, no brake booster, manual steering and 5 speed manual transmission, no vacuum lines, Weber carburetor, points and condensor, centrifugal advance, simple and easy to work on and diagnose, very light so it is easy on brakes, tires and fuel.
the Lampredi engine has as much history as the Super 7…
It is the most fun car to drive to drive….
GM should have built a Super 7 tribute of their own….
Modern formula 1 race cars are a bit better then the modern sports car, hypercar, F1 cars only have power steering and semi automatic transaxles, they are analog otherwise……..
The street cars now have power steering, most are automatics or dual clutch plus they have many driver’s aids controlled by AI and computers, you don’t even drive the car, you are just along for the ride, you can’t connect with the car, it is a compromized experience.
The old analog cars were a real, connected driving experience…the new cars are like a video game instead of a real driving experience…everything is fake now…
To go back to the past get an analog car with no driver’s aids, to get close to an old F1 car spec get a Super 7, a car you can connect with totally. A super 7 and an F1 car are both open top that is important, a closed top impairs the driving experience.
A super 7 is a more pure connected driving experience then an new F1 car.
The modern cars are getting too big and heavy that is why I like the Super 7. Super 7 owners say they like the throttle response and the feeling of lightness.
The driving experience in new cars is getting more and more isolated, disconnected.
If you want the ultimate top down driving experience get a super 7, it is also the exact opposite of a nanny state car. A super 7 is the ultimate driving experience, it is a completely different experience. A car you can connect with completely. The closest thing to an old F2 car for the street, very fast, more fun then any other car.
The most direct, analog, raw, visceral, unfiltered driving experience, pure, uncompromised, perfect for the hard core driver enthusiasts, this is how a car should be, small, light, agile, fast, no frills, no driver’s aids, mechanical art made to go fast only, no luxury, no doors or roof, some have no windshield, nothing extra, with a 4 cylinder engine about 1200 lb.
The closest thing to an old F2 car for the street, very fast,
The Super 7 is built with a steel tube frame like the older race cars, it is very strong, stronger then unibody design and very light (frame under 100 lb.), that is why the Super 7 handles so well, it is low, light and very stiff.
A Donkervoort a Super 7 clone, with an Audi 1.8 lt. 4 cyl. 20 valve turbo engine in 2003, 2004 had the world record lap time for any street legal car on the Nurburgring, 7 min 13 sec. (quite a bit faster then the tesla plaid lap time).
A Super 7 is the 2nd most copied car in history, 160 companies made copies, (Cobra was the most copied car), the Super 7 is a close copy of a 1913 Bugatti Type 22, the specs are close, one of the first small light cars (did Lotus copy it?).
Chris Harris reviews the Caterham Super 7…….he says it is the best sports car….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAwNfgvF_Ww
GM could have made a Super 7 clone/tribute of their own…
Donkervoort did, it sells very well and is quicker then the new Corvette…. GM went the wrong direction…as in big and heavy….you can still build a light analog sports car that is street legal and fast……..
Super 7 the best driver’s car, the ultimate driving experience….
Donkervoort a Super 7 clone:
The Best Seven-Based Track Car?
Audi Powered Donkervoort GTO RS …….. Dutch sports car that can pull over 2G’s in corners, no other street legal car can do that, the quickest car sold in europe…..
No driver assists only Traction control…. manual transmission, no power steering….fully analog you have to drive the car….
695 kg. 1532 lb…..lightness matters….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl3lmCcBSqY
Donkervoort D8 GTO a Super 7 evolved….
At 3:30 watch the Super 7 clone the Donkervoort GTO eat/walk away from the Porsche 911 GT3, the Donkervoort is a very fast seven. It is the quickest car sold in Europe now…..very light, the most fun car to drive…
Lotus should have kept making/developing the seven and made this car…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_J0v69_r_4
Lotus should have kept making/developing the seven and made this car…..
now Lotus is Chinese owned and will soon only be making 4000 lb EV’s….horrible things…..
The C8 Corvette went the direction of all the hypercars…too heavy…heavily computerized with AI doing the driving…no stick shift….horrible electric power steering….
Going the direction of the Gordan Murray T 50 would have been cooler…light 2174 lb…great sound 4.0 litre NA 654 hp V12 12,100 rpm…the best sound…6 speed manual transmission….fully analog…
The steering system is just as pure, with a simple rack-and-pinion setup that is unassisted at speed. Both are supposed to ensure an engaging driver feel. However, the T.50 is equipped with a low-speed power assist system for easier parking maneuvers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL76k2IuvJ8
This Gordon Murray T 50 is supposed to be an improved McLaren F1 which was also Gordon Murray’s car…the F1 is considered the best sports car ever built….it was so good it is worth $26 million now….the T 50 is a bargain at $3 million…..
The old analog Corvettes were a real, connected driving experience…the new cars are like a video game instead of a real driving experience…everything is fake now…
Hi Anon,
I almost once bought a ’77 Corvette, 350 (base L48) and a four speed. I often regret that I didn’t…
Like Leno says….these new hypercars aren’t even fun till you are doing 100 mph then you are in jail…..You pay $100,000 to $1 million dollars for a hypercar and can only drive it at 3 tenths….what is the point?….it will only be fun on the one day a year, at a track….they aren’t useable or enjoyable the rest of the time….
You are better off with something that is fun at low speeds too…like a Super 7…at 60 mph it feels like 100 mph….just driving around at 30 mph is a lot of fun because it feels like an old F2 car you can drive on the street..even at 2 tenths it is fun…..the feed back from the car is sensory overload…you can feel everything the car is doing…the specs are close to an old F2 car….more fun then any other car….plus it can beat lots of super cars at the track….
or driving an old muscle car with all the sound and the vibration coming from the car going through your body…it is fun at any speed…..the new cars are too smooth, sterile….. lack the feed back to your senses…that the old analog cars gave….
For people who like driver’s cars they say there was one close to perfect car
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7
The RS is the ultimate 911 and is special because of the way it drives. Sure it is rare and expensive, but it is the driving experience that elevates the 2.7 RS to icon status. The sound, the acceleration, the free-revving engine, the feel through the steering and chassis, the cornering poise, the wieldy dimensions, the look and smell of the thing. It is engaging, fun and it just sucks you in. Sure, 210 bhp and 188 lb/ft of torque doesn’t sound like much today but remember the RS Sport weighs only 900kg (2000 lb.) so that power is more than enough.
It is genuinely fast, in both outright acceleration and point-to-point pace. It hits 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and tops out at 155 mph. It is small and narrow with deep windows and slim pillars, so there’s road to spare and you can see it all, it feels faster and the speed is more encompassing than in today’s models.
You can do 100 mph in a McLaren 720S and not even blink an eye. Doing 60 mph in the 2.7 RS it feels like 100 mph and you are enthralled by the experience. Too many modern cars of great pace slip up here; the 911 RS 2.7 is more usable and enjoyable than any of them.
It’s such an easy car to drive fast too. The rear engine and the plentiful high-revs torque simply make this a car steerable on the throttle. The sound is unmistakable – a deep bass driven yowl overlapped with fast-paced tapping and the rush of accelerated air. The higher the RPM, the better it sounds.
Chris Harris reviews the Caterham Supersport R
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAwNfgvF_Ww
Hi Anon,
I can attest to the truth of this – as a guy who has driven practically every car made over the past 30 years. The really fun – and memorable – ones were the ones you could really drive. I have a blast in the Miata every time I get one to drive. The ’95 Mustang Cobra R (just 300 hp) I drove up to NYC that year was another. In between are a lot of blank spots…
The C8 Corvette went the direction of all the hypercars…too heavy…heavily computerized with AI doing the driving…you aren’t even driving the car…what is the point?….tell the car to go drive itself…lol….no stick shift….horrible electric power steering….ruined by government regulations mostly….
How can you sell an overweight pig like that?
Huge HP numbers and great track lap times……a marketing trick…
The reality…..you brag about having 700 or 1000 HP but the reality is different…the AI and computer driving the car makes the decision…if the car is at the limit…the tires are going to lose traction…the computer will only give you 300 HP…not 700 HP…you can’t access it…only the computer can…..at 120 MPH it might give you the 1000 HP…but only then….and you don’t make the decision….
In an old analog car with 300 HP you can drive it at 10 tenths anytime you want…so you have the same 300 HP available….or if you have 700 HP you can drive it at 10 tenths anytime you want….use all the HP and go sideways down the road if you want to…
Great lap times….good at the track….but the car is still less fun to drive then a small light car…..what is the point…great lap time…no fun…
Another problem with these new cars…soft rev limiters…you can’t even sit and rev your engine to hear the great sound…you pay $300,000.00 for a supercar and it sounds like crap….lol…..this may have been done to condition people to the new EV’s that are dead…no sound….
note….. more restrictive sound regulations are coming…another way to ban ice cars….
From an article I wrote about why the Fiero was cancelled. Mr. Peters’ article sounds like why GM should bring the Fiero back! All monetary amounts are in 2022 dollars.
GM raised the base price on Corvettes from 1968 through 1982 by almost $16,000 over the rate of inflation – with the increases gearing up in 1977. To put it another way, an ‘82 Corvette should have cost in the vicinity of $38,350, not $54,248. Granted, there were some modifications during the C3’s lifecycle: Pollution controls, 5 mph bumpers, continually less powerful engines, interior/exterior tweaks, and finally a hatchback in ‘82. Nothing worth an extra $16K. Note that not all manufacturers raise prices on popular models. Miatas still sell within a thousand dollars of their inflation adjusted 1989 MSRP.
Note that these prices are for base Corvettes – not more profitable Special Editions, Anniversary Specials, convertibles, or other upgraded models. This excess profit carried over to the C4. From ‘84 to ‘88 MSRP rose an additional $11,000. Convincing customers to spend more for the same car isn’t easy and GM did not want to sacrifice excess profit to a far less profitable vehicle.
To put these funds in perspective, the Fieros development budget was somewhere in the range of $300 to $400 million over the late 1970s/early 1980s, or about $970 million to $1.3 billion in today’s money. In 1982 alone, Corvettes generated an extra $403 million (2022 dollars) when only 25,407 Corvettes were produced in a strike shortened year. That’s about a third of the entire Fiero development budget in one, exceptionally poor, model year. From the start of GM’s price increases in 1977 through 1982, at least $2.5 billion extra dollars went into the General’s vault. In other words, about double the amount spent developing the Fiero.
I suppose GM has surrendered the affordable sports car category to Mazda, Toyota and Subaru (Miata, GR86, and BRZ). They probably don’t want to sell too many Corvettes to upset their CAFE numbers ;).
If I had a choice between a new Corvette and a restored VAZ-2101; I’d go for the latter as it wouldn’t scare the dog. Oh my, do the new cars get uglier every year or what?
Zora Arkus-Duntov, nicknamed The Father of the Corvette, had been pushing for a mid-engine Vette since the late 50s, and had 3 prototypes (CERV I, II and III) built, but couldn’t get a mid-engine production car approved by management. The guys working in woke GM in 2019 managed to get a new platform (and a new flat plane crank engine for the Z06 version) approved, I can’t even imagine how, but it’s quite amazing they did. The Z06 engine revs to 8600 rpm and sounds absolutely glorious in doing so. So as car loving guys, we should enjoy these cars, new or old, for as long as we can. GM also offers a manual transmission Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing with 668 hp. Yes, manual, RWD and crazy HP lol. So go buy one of them!
Hi Kitty,
Yup; and they are probably going to put the kibosh on the Corvette as it is in favor of an EeeeeeeeeeeeVeeeeeee version.
That may well happen. Still, just at my local Chevy dealer there are around 50 people on a wait list to get the Z06 (that was some months ago, so now maybe more), and they took $5000 deposits. If they cancel the model for an EV only, all their dealers are going to be beyond furious. Do you have any contacts inside dealerships, it would be interesting to know what’s on the grapevine.
I really enjoy reading your work.
Thanks for the kind words, Snooty – I’mm glad you’re among us misfits, too!
I’d still like a ’78 L-82 four speed ‘Vette…
The only way GM could offer the Corvette as a RWD, semi-affordable “American Sports Car” is by totally cannibalizing their market for the Camaro. Personally, I think that would be a Good Thing.
The only way you’re going to get a GM performance car that’s not too ugly to be seen in is to buy one of those Caddys.
But it’s all hypothetical to me because I would NEVER…..EVER…. buy any GM product.
I’ve collected sports cars for years, but will not indulge in any computer-controlled, plastic-fendered toys, regardless of their performance. The classic Italian vehicles were crafted; hand-built engines that you could identify the builder through the sound and performance, fenders that were hand-hammered on wooden bucks and finely crafted by artisans, not stamped out a hundred at a time but 300 ton presses. The older cars were valued in part for their performance, but also for their artistry, their hand crafted uniqueness, not because they could flame the Nurburgring. The current performance levels of these super cars can only be fully utilized on a track, not on a weekend drive through the mountains or on a weekend getaway to someplace rural. I can enjoy going a bit slower and prefer driving a hand-built simpler vehicle with even wind-up windows, no cup holders, and no AC, but with a sound and a feel from a bygone era in coach building.
I cannot understand the desire to own a new Corvette. Sure, it goes really fast but where can you safely and legally do that? There is no open car experience and no feeling of just breezin. I own a 1964 Corvette convertible that is fun to drive around in town or the countryside. I don’t need a car that will go 200 mph and has ten speeds. I love shifting my old 4 spd Muncie and downshifting going into curves. I put my ’64 in a local car show beside three brand new 2022 Corvettes and I had a much larger crowd asking me all kinds of questions and reminiscing about their youth and this model Vette.
As much as I like to bask in the memories of yesteryear, I would purchase a 2023 Corvette if I was in the market for another sports car. The article draws conclusions around production numbers that ignore the context of the current sports car market. Today there is much more competition in the sports car market than 54 years ago. Chevrolet is limited in production capacity at the Bowling Green plant where they have been running 2 shifts. Importantly, GM wants to keep production slightly behind demand.
Harley Earl designed and built the original prototype Corvette as a “skunkworks” project without the knowledge of the GM Board of Directors. When they saw it following a meeting at the GM Tech Center it was approved for production on the spot.
I agree there is too much complexity in modern cars. Simple is good.
Hi Jay,
The automatic-only ruins this car for me. However quick/capable it is, an automatic-only sports car is like a “trans” woman – i.e, it isn’t!
Always a cuddly 5th gen Viper for a sports car
Eric, I’m confused, it’s “not a woman” if it doesn’t have a stick? 😉
In Cars, it’s different apparently 😛
Another way they ruined the C8 is the electric power steering assist….the GR86 and Miata have the same problem and the Porsche 911 and Cayman…..Mercedes AMG GT stuck with a hydraulic assist rack which is superior….better road feel….in that way it is better then a 911….
The Mercedes AMG GT is a front engine rear transaxle car like the C5 to C7….you can buy it as a substitute for the old C7….Corvette should have stuck to that design
it is hard to find anything with a manual steering rack now….which is even better…..for a great driving experience get a manual steering rack with rear wheel drive….like a Porsche 924 turbo and of course the super 7 or Lotus Elise or Elan…
Another problem with these new cars like the C8 is they are too smooth and refined….you want a car that you can tell the rpm of the engine by the vibration through your body…no tachometer required…..Porsche was good at that….
here is a 924 Turbo that was reconditioned and tuned…manual steering rack, rear transaxle, 2700 lb, 429 hp…a great little car and quick…….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6jtKgrvEu4
How can you say “Simple is good” and say you want the most complex Corvette ever produced?
A four door car is what, exactly? Back in the day anyone who’d soup-up a four door would be asked: “What are the extra doors for….to take grandma to the track?”
In short, the Corvette has become a parody of the exotic cars. And, it’s an ugly parody.
Hi Viking,
You probably know this, but the guy who designed the Corvette’s look is the same guy who designed the Aztek’s look!
Eric – how does management – as incompetent as they may be, come to a decision like that !! Is it the case of a mandated diversity hire?!?!
I believe the standard transmission was a 3 speed manual, not a 4 speed.
Wrong.
No, correct. 1969 is the last year for 3 speed manual as the base trans.
Scroll to the bottom after the option list.
https://corvettestory.com/specs/1969-Corvette-specs-options.php
If anything, Corvette could be more than one model. The current mid engine model could be like the Ford GT, limited due to its big price. It could still sell more then the Ford GT since its not as expensive as the GT.
Then have the main model a traditional Corvette setup, more affordable and rear drive. That would be the main sales model. The exotic Corvette could be the test bed for the future normal Corvettes to some extent.
Then develop the Camaro (not branded as Corvette) as the entry level to that. They all should still carry Chevy badges too.
We used to have a ladder for folks to move up. Now a days the lower rungs have been kicked out.. So people don’t even get on the ladder anymore let alone move up…..
The big three should have not only fought off government regulation in the 1960’s but also the insurance mafia. Insurance is a huge weight holding sports cars back.
‘The new Corvette looks so much like a Ferrari – or a McLaren or a Lamborghini – that most people have to look closely before they establish what it is they’re looking at.’ — eric
Demographically, it’s the perfect vehicle for idle-rich thirty-something playboys to pick up a vapid, buxom supermodel at an exclusive L.A. nightclub and ferry her to the marina for a ride in his fast boat.
Well, that ain’t me, Jack.
Don’t need to impress nobody with some exotic car, or breast-enhanced blonde bimbo.
But it goes beyond that. I rigorously shun Woke, Leftist businesses assaulting my values, whether it’s the warmongering Mainstream Media or General Motors, an egregious collaborator of Big Gov in its crackpot mission to fight cliiiiiiiiimate change.
Not one penny will I spend on GM vehicles. EeeVee Mary can kiss my ass.
Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your mouth
Blowing down the back roads headin’ south
Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your teeth
You’re an idiot, babe
It’s a wonder that you still know how to breathe
— Bob Dylan, Idiot Wind
Amen, Jim –
My Trans-Am is more of a car than this new Corvette will ever be.
Ah, but as I understand it, even your Trans Am doesn’t have a stick.
Maybe that’s what makes it “Trans”??
Hi Mark,
Mine doesn’t – but it’s a muscle car, not a sports car – and it could have. A four speed was available. My other ’76 TA had it.
Or for that matter, why not a two door car? Every car has four doors. I guess because the B pillar is at the driver’s shoulder so it is impossible to pass a side impact test with a large door that will make for access to the back seat. And the front adult sized child seats probably can’t have the latch and hinge either.
There is a market for a “classic” corvette style vehicle, but it can’t be made. So instead Chevy goes safe and makes an overpriced exotic they know will sell to collectors instead of something that might be fresh and innovative.
They will never be the ’67s . Should have kept the factory in St. Louis , despite it being a war zone today .
The “transformer” styling these days is way overdone. I don’t think it ages well, either. Smooth and flowing is more natural and will look good far longer. Case in point, Dino 246GT…
https://www.classicargarage.com/archives/ferrari-dino-246-gts-1972
Really not interested in a McFerraGhini. They are however nice to look at.
I am however always on the lookout for a serviceable (read: affordable) ’64 – ’66 Stingray. A timeless design that just gets better with age. But they seem to just get more expensive as time goes on.
Once they became a financial instrument they became unobtainium for people who want to drive them.
Ditto, Tim – though I am very partial to the ’68-81 body; no matter how slow, they always looked great!
I was thinking on the same lines last week (like the old Corvette example)…build a small economical car with no frills. Hand crank windows, mid 90’s corolla motor and minimalistic in little or no high-tech screens and computers. What could it sell for in today’s dollars? Wouldn’t people want to buy a cheap new car that would be guaranteed to roll 300K + miles and last well over 20 years easy?
Rename it the Monza and work on a new corvette
That’d be the simple solution, but like anything else govt, cant be bothered to fix a problem they created
Were it not for regulations like crash safety, emissions, etc. we as consumers should be able to buy a brand-new, exactly 1 for 1 replica of a 1969 Corvette. And like you mentioned with modern manufacturing processes, it wouldn’t be that expensive for Chevrolet to build. Just imagine how much road fun we could have for very little money if government got out of the way.
“The mid-engined layout is without question superior in terms of weight distribution”
Yet somehow, Mazda managed a nearly perfect front to rear weight balance without a mid engine layout in the Miata. In fact, in my very limited experience with mid engine cars, they feel butt heavy.
Lately, I’ve been daydreaming about Cobra kit cars. Factory Five, Superformance, ERA, etc. Turns out, pretty much the price to finish one, while keeping it pretty basic, but with a very nice paint job, is about $65k. (e.g. the sticker price on a new Vette, like you cite). Also daydreaming about brand new Mustang GT convertible too. (I’m having a mid life crisis, you know…) They’re about $55k or so. However, *what you get* with the Cobra, is the basic raw driving experience. Think four-wheeled motorcycle. More specifically *what you avoid* with the Cobra, are all the high-tech stuff, as well as the nanny state stuff. The Cobra looks better and better all the time! (Wish they had a kit Willy’s Jeep, or a kit old-school pickup truck that’s practical.)
Hi Tom,
If I’m ever not broke again… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0qzaMtqM-Y
One can dream.
Although not practical, it looks wonderful.
The only thing I would like added would be a hard top.
If I ever go to Florida or Buffalo I would like to test drive one.