My brother-in-law flips Corvettes, he's owned at least 3 that I've driven.
Not my type of car at all. Heavy and low, feels like you're sitting in a bath tub. Powerful but not really accessible power unless you want to get in trouble.
The Miata is twice as fun at half the speed (and cost).
At the Chevy store I'd be more interested to see a Spark or Sonic SS, if they started making it, or that RWD concept from last year.
I did sample a Pontiac Solistice but it officially has the dumbest folding soft top design of all time. You have get out of the car to put the top up or down, what? And then it eats up the whole trunk too?
I agree. Vettes have never been on my radar unless they are vintage which unfortunately are way out of my price range. I have driven a few of the newer ones over the years and found them to be ridiculously squirrelly and dare I say it, "overpowered"?
There are hundreds of Corvette crash videos on youtube that I would recommend watching by any prospective buyer. Just to give an idea of what they are in for...
That, combined with the gawd aweful ergonomics and seating position ("bathtub" is a perfect analogy) have killed any chances of me buying one. Unfortunately the same issues will keep me from ever buying a Dodge Viper as well...
Those Super 7's are incredible. There is a guy around where I used to live that had 3 or 4 of them that he used to track as well as just drive around. Such a great sounding car when he tracked it.
Last time I went to Summit Point raceway I sat and watched those race around, pretty much doing circles around cars twice their size (weight, more accurately).
That rear won't make it, nor the front end detailing that's a mix of 61 Plymouth and Alien gaping maw. It's unique anyway, different for the sake of it.
How much longer can the current IS live? I think it dates back to the middle of the Grover Cleveland administration.
It has too many sharp edges everywhere, but most of those won't make production.
Interesting that they made it a coupe. Wonder if they'll do an IS coupe?
Also, the gauges remind me of the original's chronographic display.
They say it's a 2.5l DI 4 cylinder + electric hybrid, so not the current 2.5l V6 DI engine, which is their most trouble-prone engine (carbon build-up in the intake).
I don't know if a hybrid of everything is a good idea. LS hybrid was an epic fail. The platforms certainly don't seem to work well with driver engagement.
I bet we will see an IS coupe. Join in with the competition.
But again, LS hybrid failed. I don't see hybrids existing of the big SUVs either - GM tried that one and they failed too. Some sizes seem to be immune.
Not sure how many LS sold here, but I bet they sold more in Japan. With all the publicity they got from Oprah, the PR value alone prevent it from being a failure overall.
Any how, did you see the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive in Paris?
They'll sell about 3 of those, to premiere leaguers.
Doomed to never make a profit, but that's not the point. Individual electric motors for each wheel is a neat trick. Imagine the potential for torque vectoring.
Weight and complexity kill performance but even Mercedes understands you have to innovate and polish your green car image once in a while.
Oprah cared about white elephant 100K LS hybrids that very few people actually bought? I can't imagine the Japanese care either. S and 7er hybrids also met a very cold reception. The target market doesn't care, at least not yet.
That SLS might sell to should-be-hanged crooked "entrepreneurs" and other related folks in Russia/China/Arabian peninsula and other second world locations too, based on gaudy trim alone. As you say, it is not for profit, it is to explore tech.
Individual electric motors for each wheel is a neat trick. Imagine the potential for torque vectoring.
Porsche had a setup like that at the Detroit show a couple of years ago but they hauled it away after the press days so I didn't get to see it.
There's a tagline for Toyota though - seems like the torque in initial electric mode for the Prius is around 300 ft.lbs. That's getting up into diesel territory.
Just have to ignore the numbers it pulls at 4,000 rpm. :shades:
Those RX orders would have been placed anyway - even if the nonworking free spending set cared for the tech. That model is Lexus' real home run, in my eyes. Probably doesn't cost much to update and maintain, pure profit with a devoted and addicted customer base. The designer purse of cars.
If the tech doesn't trickle down and sales don't increase...one can call it a bust.
Funny thing is that the LS hybrid was the high model, S hybrid was the low model, both didn't exactly have people lining up to buy. I've seen a handful of S hybrid on the road, and exactly one LS.
Trickle up, just like our economic policy :shades:
The demographic who wants a luxoboat doesn't care. They are traditional, and can afford the fuel. The S Bluetec is the one to have today, and I suspect it is wildly outsold by the plain S550 too.
Yeah, a CT maybe. No LS until he is given a cushy job via nepotism...I mean, "we built this".
Is it the same system on those Fords though? Could have been developed concurrently, for all we know. I'd wager maybe 1% at most actually opt for the feature, too. Not much trickle down. As a mass market feature, it virtually doesn't exist.
Comments
Not my type of car at all. Heavy and low, feels like you're sitting in a bath tub. Powerful but not really accessible power unless you want to get in trouble.
The Miata is twice as fun at half the speed (and cost).
At the Chevy store I'd be more interested to see a Spark or Sonic SS, if they started making it, or that RWD concept from last year.
I did sample a Pontiac Solistice but it officially has the dumbest folding soft top design of all time. You have get out of the car to put the top up or down, what? And then it eats up the whole trunk too?
http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/auto-shows/detroit/2012/chevrolet-unwraps-cod- e-130r-and-tru-140s-concepts-2012-detroit-auto-show.html
Given the smashing success of the FT86 hopefully Chevy feels inspired enough to build it.
There are hundreds of Corvette crash videos on youtube that I would recommend watching by any prospective buyer. Just to give an idea of what they are in for...
That, combined with the gawd aweful ergonomics and seating position ("bathtub" is a perfect analogy) have killed any chances of me buying one. Unfortunately the same issues will keep me from ever buying a Dodge Viper as well...
I'd even go so far as to say if I had a choice between a low mileage GTO and a brand new Mustang GT (no special editions), I'd pick the Goat. :shades:
Mustangs sound so good, worth owning for the sound alone. A GT convertible would be fun, too bad the back seat is so tiny.
Generally, though, I prefer lighter/smaller cars. Especially if I'm sacrificing the back seat.
With college tuition coming in 5 years or so I don't imagine I'll be buying anything until they graduate.
+1, same here.
And to bring this back on topic
A Miata means the leash is still firmly tied
Her sister-in-law got in a major car crash (Semi hit her T-Bird) and kept scaring her about how small the Miata is if it got hit, bla bla bla.
The newer one is more substantial and has side air bags, but let's face it, if a Semi hits you it's luck of the draw.
I do miss the NA. More open, lower cowl, lower window sill, lighter, more comfortable seats, more raw.
The NC is a LOT quicker and grips better, but it's less ... I dunno. It's too "refined", if that makes any sense.
No doubt, if I was to be t-boned by a semi, a Miata of any year would not be on my list.
Caterham 7
So awesome.
Not as if the target buyer cares much, but it won't hurt.
http://imgur.com/a/Y7oIp
More upright than the current one. The heavy looking area under the C-pillar is also gone, big improvement.
Just a concept so a lot of that flash will go away for the production IS. Wish they had more technical detail on it. What chassis?
How much longer can the current IS live? I think it dates back to the middle of the Grover Cleveland administration.
Interesting that they made it a coupe. Wonder if they'll do an IS coupe?
Also, the gauges remind me of the original's chronographic display.
They say it's a 2.5l DI 4 cylinder + electric hybrid, so not the current 2.5l V6 DI engine, which is their most trouble-prone engine (carbon build-up in the intake).
I can't imagine all will be hybrid.
You get conflicting requirements, though, when you engineer a platform for a hybrid. I think the CT and ES are more than enough to fill that role.
Do an IS and IS coupe. Cabrio maybe later, or not at all.
I bet we will see an IS coupe. Join in with the competition.
Doesn't mean we'll like it, though.
This is the best implementation of the new front fascia to date.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/27/2013-toyota-auris-hybrid-is-sharper-and-sleek- er-in-new-form-w-v/
Anyone else think this should be our Corolla?
Gotta think of a name for that front end - anteater snout?
Any how, did you see the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive in Paris?
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/28/mercedes-benz-sls-amg-electric-drive-paris-20- 12/
€416,500, yikes.
They'll sell about 3 of those, to premiere leaguers.
Doomed to never make a profit, but that's not the point. Individual electric motors for each wheel is a neat trick. Imagine the potential for torque vectoring.
Weight and complexity kill performance but even Mercedes understands you have to innovate and polish your green car image once in a while.
That SLS might sell to should-be-hanged crooked "entrepreneurs" and other related folks in Russia/China/Arabian peninsula and other second world locations too, based on gaudy trim alone. As you say, it is not for profit, it is to explore tech.
The next day trophy wives ordered (approximately) 8.7 million RXs.
It's a halo effect.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/28/ferrari-f70-enzo-carbon-fiber-chassis-paris-2- 012/
Porsche had a setup like that at the Detroit show a couple of years ago but they hauled it away after the press days so I didn't get to see it.
There's a tagline for Toyota though - seems like the torque in initial electric mode for the Prius is around 300 ft.lbs. That's getting up into diesel territory.
Just have to ignore the numbers it pulls at 4,000 rpm. :shades:
May not matter.
The point wasn't fuel efficiency.
Like fin mentions above, no brand has successfully marketed a luxury hybrid. Volt outsells all of them, for instance.
Funny thing is that the LS hybrid was the high model, S hybrid was the low model, both didn't exactly have people lining up to buy. I've seen a handful of S hybrid on the road, and exactly one LS.
I really thought Benz had a better shot, maybe the demographic just isn't in to hybrids. They'd rather have BlueTec.
The demographic who wants a luxoboat doesn't care. They are traditional, and can afford the fuel. The S Bluetec is the one to have today, and I suspect it is wildly outsold by the plain S550 too.
LS did parallel park itself, but that feature quickly trickled down. I think the Escape and even the Focus offer that now.
Quick adoption tells you how good driver training is here. :lemon:
Is it the same system on those Fords though? Could have been developed concurrently, for all we know. I'd wager maybe 1% at most actually opt for the feature, too. Not much trickle down. As a mass market feature, it virtually doesn't exist.
If they did cooperate it wouldn't be the first time.
No idea on the take rate.