Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

[James W.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Dick, I'll bet that your local dealer will not sell even one '09 Z06 at sticker price! Mine was $10K off MSRP, currently scheduled to begin trim on 20 May, off the line on 26 May, can be picked up at the museum on 8 June.
Best regards.

Charlie,

Glad to hear you are about to take delivery of a new Z06. I bought an '08 last November from a dealer here in rural Nebraska that wanted get it moved. I got a hell of a deal on it and absolutely love the car. It's going to be hard to get back in my '64 convertible to take on the National Road Tours now that I have a new one.


Best Regards,

James West
Omaha, NE.

[John H.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Dealer here has '07 Convertible, bottom dollar is $55k, 2 '09 Z-06 no less than MSRP plus all the normal b.s. that they tack on, usually over $500. I wonder if they were in on the webcast yesterday?

You can buy 09's all over our Detroit area for $41K-$42K right now.

[Jaime G.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Well Dick, come to southern california.
Local dealer has 2 Z06's at a 10K discount
from sticker. Will sell either around 69K
no bull, no issues. If you need them let me
know.If you want my '07 maybe we can make a deal.
Regards
Jaime

[Dale S.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

I understand from a salesman at the local Ford dealership that the Mustang Shelby Cobras are selling at 50K over list, According to him they can not be sold new in some states. He said a lot were going overseas. Seems crazy to me as I bought the wife a cute little 64 1/2 coupe with A/C for 2995.00 in 1964. dale

[Edward C.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

With Chrysler going BK and UAW owning 55% of the company what can we expect to be different with GM. I question how a large corportation can go BK and 55% goes to the workers union, a foreign auto maker gets 20% (with no investment), the secured creditors (Hedge Funds) get their money back, The Government get a share and the Owner and Stockholders get the shaft.
This does not bode well for GM. If a similar thing happens to GM as it probably will that would mean the UAW would own majority stake in both companies and God only knows how they would manage the companies but in similar situations it has meant the eventually demise of the company.
You can be assured Obama will favor the Union. Ed

[Joe L.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

With Chrysler going BK and UAW owning 55% of the company what can we expect to be different with GM. I question how a large corportation can go BK and 55% goes to the workers union, a foreign auto maker gets 20% (with no investment), the secured creditors (Hedge Funds) get their money back, The Government get a share and the Owner and Stockholders get the shaft.
This does not bode well for GM. If a similar thing happens to GM as it probably will that would mean the UAW would own majority stake in both companies and God only knows how they would manage the companies but in similar situations it has meant the eventually demise of the company.
You can be assured Obama will favor the Union. Ed

Ed-----


About 6 months ago I said that over the course of the next 18 months, or so, we are going to see a change in the US automotive industry like none we have ever seen before in our lifetimes. What's unfolding now are just "steps along the way". In about a year I don't think the US automotive industry and the products it offers are going to be "recognizable". The tumult in the industry is MASSIVE. We are not going to see EVOLUTIONARY changes that we're accustomed to, we're going to see REVOLUTIONARY changes.

I see the chances being very good for the "death" of the V-8 gasoline engine. GM has a new V-8 diesel that I think will replace the V-8 gasoline engine for trucks. Without truck applications, there just won't be enough V-8 gasoline engine utilization to continue to manufacture them in any sort of cost-effective way. Of course, GM or the other manufacturers could still sell a small number of V-8 engines in relatively small volume cars (e.g. Corvette) and not hurt their CAFE limits too badly. However, as I say, without the truck requirements, they won't be able to keep the engines in production. Cadillac has already cancelled the follow-on to the Northstar and Cadillacs will likely all be V-6 powered after the Northstar goes out of production in a few years (if not sooner).

A GM Powertrain engineer said it very succinctly some time ago. He said we're going to see 4 cylinder engines in vehicles that no one EVER thought they'd see a 4 cylinder engine in.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Ed-----


About 6 months ago I said that over the course of the next 18 months, or so, we are going to see a change in the US automotive industry like none we have ever seen before in our lifetimes. What's unfolding now are just "steps along the way". In about a year I don't think the US automotive industry and the products it offers are going to be "recognizable". The tumult in the industry is MASSIVE. We are not going to see EVOLUTIONARY changes that we're accustomed to, we're going to see REVOLUTIONARY changes.

I see the chances being very good for the "death" of the V-8 gasoline engine. GM has a new V-8 diesel that I think will replace the V-8 gasoline engine for trucks. Without truck applications, there just won't be enough V-8 gasoline engine utilization to continue to manufacture them in any sort of cost-effective way. Of course, GM or the other manufacturers could still sell a small number of V-8 engines in relatively small volume cars (e.g. Corvette) and not hurt their CAFE limits too badly. However, as I say, without the truck requirements, they won't be able to keep the engines in production. Cadillac has already cancelled the follow-on to the Northstar and Cadillacs will likely all be V-6 powered after the Northstar goes out of production in a few years (if not sooner).

A GM Powertrain engineer said it very succinctly some time ago. He said we're going to see 4 cylinder engines in vehicles that no one EVER thought they'd see a 4 cylinder engine in.

and to make money so they can stay in business there are going to be no cars costing less than $25K even with 4 cylinder engines. cars are about to get a lot more expensive

[George C.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Heard some news yesterday. GM wants Bowling Green to have early (2009 model year) shutdown also. Plant is in disagreement with GM, doesn't want to close early. Anybody hear anything else ?

[Joe L.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Heard some news yesterday. GM wants Bowling Green to have early (2009 model year) shutdown also. Plant is in disagreement with GM, doesn't want to close early. Anybody hear anything else ?

George-----


It sounds like an unlikely story to me. The notion that the plant is in "disagreement" with GM and "wants to stay open" is absurd. Assembly plants are not autonomous or semi-autonomous entities that have any real say-so, at all, in production scheduling decisions.

[Jean C.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Geroge,
Where did you get your info?

I understand that in a press release last week when GM announced plant shutdowns for all lines, they included a a statement that the BG Corvette line would shut down for only one (1) additional week in regard to their already scheduled two (2) weeks shutdown.

The BG Corvette line is currently shut down the first two (2) weeks of each month for Corvette inventory control purposes. Cars that are being built in the last two (2) weeks of the month are sold cars, not dealer inventory cars.

Best regards,

[Peter G.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

If enough of us get together, we can vote these clowns out of office at the next election. I don't want to learn another foreign language and drive some pedal-car.

[Tom H.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Geroge,
Where did you get your info?

I understand that in a press release last week when GM announced plant shutdowns for all lines, they included a a statement that the BG Corvette line would shut down for only one (1) additional week in regard to their already scheduled two (2) weeks shutdown.

The BG Corvette line is currently shut down the first two (2) weeks of each month for Corvette inventory control purposes. Cars that are being built in the last two (2) weeks of the month are sold cars, not dealer inventory cars.

Best regards,

I have several stock 09 units on order and in the system.

[Phil D.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

....Exactly....people will always buy performance cars, even if none are made in the USA. Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi will eat this up and make plenty of $$$.

Well, not Toyota anyways. A few years ago, a Toyota USA official made the announcement that they were leaving the "fickle" sports car market and soon after canned the Celica and MR2. Being a big fan of the Supra and having owned well, more than a few of them (please don't ban me), I was disappointed in Toyota's decision, but then the Supra had already been canned years before. I doubt we'll see a sports car from Toyota again regardless what happens to the Corvette. Its just not in their business model anymore. Toyota's business model can be summed up as "bulletproof but boring".

[Jean C.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

Thanks Tom. I should have realized that dealer stock cars are being produced; however, I was unaware of how long ago the orders were actually entered in the system.
Best regards,

[Tom H.]

Re: Pontiac Dead, Corvette Next?

I have 3 Z06's and several GT1 cars for stock that were placed not long ago. Our ZR1 that came off line 4-21 has not yet arrived at the dealership.