Even though it started as a young American’s dream car, somewhere along the way in its 60-year old history, the Corvette lost its edge and fell behind rivals.
GM execs agree with analysts such as Edmunds’ Jessica Caldwell who say that the ‘Vette is thought today as “an old man’s car”: the data show that last year, through October, around 46 percent of Corvette buyers were 55 years or older compared with just 22 percent of Audi R8 and 30 percent of Porsche 911 clients.
The all-new seventh generation of America’s first supercar, which will be launched tomorrow ahead of its 2013 NAIAS world premiere on Monday, is tasked with turning its image around with a new bodywork, drastically improved interior and a new 6.2-liter V8 engine that, with 450HP and a sub-4.0 second 0-60 mph (96km/h) time, will make it the quickest base ‘Vette ever.
“This new car is like Corvette has gone back to the gym and gotten fit. I want its image on every kid’s wall”, said GM design chief Ed Welburn as he showed a poster of the new Corvette along with 1959 and 1963 Stingrays in his office, Bloomberg reported.