Grand Sport C6

[Vet Guru]

Everybody seems to be talking about the Grand Sport and I know it's been out for a while in the States, Has anyone bought one here yet? Or thinking of buying one?

I did hear A euro spec model was going to be for sale but have not seen anything else about that.

[anonymous-user]

I've just returned from the land of the big burger and investigated a Grand Sport on a Rick Hendick forecourt while I was out there. Looks good.

Also picked up the latest edition of Corvette Magazine which has a cover article on the Grand Sport Convertible. They say the ride's not so good and also question the looks - the widened rear is a bit out of proportion without the rear hatch/window glass to balance things up.

Also: I hear the gearbox in automatic transmission C6s is front-mounted which changes the weight distribution a little in the wrong direction. Manual tranny remains at the rear.

Waiting for details of the C7.....

[GW65]

5 USA said:

Also: I hear the gearbox in automatic transmission C6s is front-mounted which changes the weight distribution a little in the wrong direction. Manual tranny remains at the rear.

Waiting for details of the C7.....

Steve, you shouldn't believe everything car salesmen tell you The gearbox in a GS is in exactly the same place as a regular C6, so the auto box is rear-mounted as well. The big mechanical difference between a manual GS and an auto GS is that the manual has a dry-sump LS3 whereas the auto is wet-sump.

[G4HKS]

5 USA said:

Manual tranny remains at the rear.

I bet they do....

[Z06George]

G4HKS said:

5 USA said:

Manual tranny remains at the rear.

I bet they do....

[z06tim]

All C5 and C6 Vette's were engineered with the transmission at the back. It would be seriously expensive and would compromise space in the cockpit to have re-engineered for a conventional front mounted transmission. I would also think it highly unlikely that a next generation Vette would have a front mount tranny.

[anonymous-user]

GW65 said:

5 USA said:

Also: I hear the gearbox in automatic transmission C6s is front-mounted which changes the weight distribution a little in the wrong direction.

Steve, you shouldn't believe everything car salesmen tell you The gearbox in a GS is in exactly the same place as a regular C6, so the auto box is rear-mounted as well. The big mechanical difference between a manual GS and an auto GS is that the manual has a dry-sump LS3 whereas the auto is wet-sump.

This "information" comes from Corvette Magazine (Oct 2010)

"We put to Chief Corvette Engineer Tadge Juechter [the question why the Grand Sport Convertible rides more harshly than the coupe. He talked about body shell stiffness and then]

"Juechter said that our car's automatic transmission likely played an even bigger role in our perceptions. The coupe we drove had a manual gearbox. Not only does the slushbox add mass, but it alters the car's weight distribution. With the gearbox mounted directly behind the engine instead of at the rear axle,as it is on a manual transmission-equipped car, the automatic is more nose heavy. This contributes to a to a small increase in ride harshness and also makes the steering feel somewhat heavier."

There ya go....

Surprised me when I read it.

[mitch_]

We are just in the throws of finishing the pricing file for 2011 Corvette for the UK. There will indeed be a Euro specification Grand Sport Coupe as well as Convertible. The standard C6 is currently not going to be available in Europe so the line-up will start at Grand Sport Coupe. Z06 and ZR-1 will also still be available, most importantly in Arctic White!

As for the gearbox being in the front, I've never heard such a lot of cobblers in all my days.

[JimexPL]

Are you not busy preparing for britcar mitch?

[Vet Guru]

mitch_ said:

We are just in the throws of finishing the pricing file for 2011 Corvette for the UK. There will indeed be a Euro specification Grand Sport Coupe as well as Convertible. The standard C6 is currently not going to be available in Europe so the line-up will start at Grand Sport Coupe. Z06 and ZR-1 will also still be available, most importantly in Arctic White!

As for the gearbox being in the front, I've never heard such a lot of cobblers in all my days.

I take it then we are looking at a big price Increase if the standard C6 is no longer going to be in the line?

Seems odd as that the standard C6 sells the most, And not everyone liked the wider Z06 look. Maybe we will start seeing so more late cars come up for sale, As some of us are looking to change..

[anonymous-user]

z06tim said:

All C5 and C6 Vette's were engineered with the transmission at the back. It would be seriously expensive and would compromise space in the cockpit to have re-engineered for a conventional front mounted transmission.

That was exactly my reaction when I read it. I guess next month's edition of Corvette Magazine either will or won't come with a substantial correction! And no doubt one or two readers' letters.

I find the whole Grand Sport in Europe thing weird. Everyone got so excited about the C6 being smaller than the C5 yet with Grand Sport GM has put the size right back where it was! Maybe the corporation just can't see enough profit in the base C6.

[z06tim]

5 USA said:

z06tim said:

All C5 and C6 Vette's were engineered with the transmission at the back. It would be seriously expensive and would compromise space in the cockpit to have re-engineered for a conventional front mounted transmission.

That was exactly my reaction when I read it. I guess next month's edition of Corvette Magazine either will or won't come with a substantial correction! And no doubt one or two readers' letters.

Yes. That is shocking.

My old boss used to live next door to Tadge. If i were still working in Detroit, I think I would be round there demanding to know the truth!!

[mitch_]

5 USA said:

z06tim said:

All C5 and C6 Vette's were engineered with the transmission at the back. It would be seriously expensive and would compromise space in the cockpit to have re-engineered for a conventional front mounted transmission.

That was exactly my reaction when I read it. I guess next month's edition of Corvette Magazine either will or won't come with a substantial correction! And no doubt one or two readers' letters.

I find the whole Grand Sport in Europe thing weird. Everyone got so excited about the C6 being smaller than the C5 yet with Grand Sport GM has put the size right back where it was! Maybe the corporation just can't see enough profit in the base C6.

The problem is that all the last C6's sold in this country were sold by Stratstone at a depressed value, losing money having been bought at a better £:$ rate than we have today. The decision is based on the Grand Sport having not been available before therefore allowing for a fresh start, but there is no way of avoiding how weak our currency is compared to two years ago.

For those who are wondering the starting price of Grand Sport Coupe will be c. £61,000 OTR and £66,500 for Grand Sport Convertible.

I should point out that before everyone comes and bashes me over the head we have subsidised these prices as they were going to be even more.........

[mitch_]

JimexPL said:

Are you not busy preparing for britcar mitch?

I've withdrawn as I have too much on at the moment to contemplate the 24 Hour unfortunately. All work and no play makes Mitch a very dull boy.......

[G4HKS]

Dare I ask what a Z06 would be now Mitch?

[v8yea]

No I wouldn't dare if I were you.......

[JimexPL]

mitch_ said:

For those who are wondering the starting price of Grand Sport Coupe will be c. £61,000 OTR and £66,500 for Grand Sport Convertible.
I should point out that before everyone comes and bashes me over the head we have subsidised these prices as they were going to be even more.........

£5k more than a similar spec Cayman S and £10k less than a similar 997 Carrera is reasonable positioning.

Other than trying to convert the die hard enthusiasts who didn't mind importing their own vehicle, selling the C6 in the £52-70k price range was never a problem for us, and seeing that the earliest UK models still change hands for £25k, the depreciation on a C6 even when sold for list price has been pretty good.

[Vet Guru]

JimexPL said:

mitch_ said:

For those who are wondering the starting price of Grand Sport Coupe will be c. £61,000 OTR and £66,500 for Grand Sport Convertible.
I should point out that before everyone comes and bashes me over the head we have subsidised these prices as they were going to be even more.........

£5k more than a similar spec Cayman S and £10k less than a similar 997 Carrera is reasonable positioning.

Other than trying to convert the die hard enthusiasts who didn't mind importing their own vehicle, selling the C6 in the £52-70k price range was never a problem for us, and seeing that the earliest UK models still change hands for £25k, the depreciation on a C6 even when sold for list price has been pretty good.

James remember only Z06's were selling in the £60K price list I recall my first C6 I bought fully loaded that had around 9k off the list price back in 05 and they had not been out for long then. The grand sport will make a nice used car in a few years.. But in the meantime if anyone knows of a nice Euro spec Z06 for sale? The only cars around at the moment are US cars, I guess all the euro cars are now In France and Germany!

[GW65]

It's disappointing (but predictable) that the regular C6 won't be coming to Europe any more thus pushing up the base price - more noticeably for coupes that verts. The only upside is that it should help to maintain values of our current cars.

The following comments aren't aimed at Mitch, but at GM. The pricing is once again stupidly optimistic, and I'd disagree with those who've said it's reasonable positioning versus Porsche. In the US. a GS conv starts at $58.600 and a 911 ragtop is $88,800. In other words, the Vette costs 66% of the price of a 911. In the UK, a GS conv will start at £66,500 and a 911 ragtop is £73,417. In other words, the Vette costs over 90% of the price of a 911. I'm not a betting man, but I wouldn't put money on there being many conquest sales... And I know, Mitch, there haven't been many in the past. It just seems like once again, Vette owners are being sh*fted by GM.

If I were looking to change I'd be pretty hacked off - not just with the price, but due to the fact that I use my car as a daily driver. The GS and Z06 being wider and having a vulnerable splitter are far less practical as daily drivers. Of even more concern to me would be the tales (backed up by several write-offs accidents involving Z06s) of the wider tyres being very prone to aquaplaning, whereas the regular C6 copes just fine with traditional Britsh weather...

[mitch_]

GW65 said:

It's disappointing (but predictable) that the regular C6 won't be coming to Europe any more thus pushing up the base price - more noticeably for coupes that verts. The only upside is that it should help to maintain values of our current cars.

The following comments aren't aimed at Mitch, but at GM. The pricing is once again stupidly optimistic, and I'd disagree with those who've said it's reasonable positioning versus Porsche. In the US. a GS conv starts at $58.600 and a 911 ragtop is $88,800. In other words, the Vette costs 66% of the price of a 911. In the UK, a GS conv will start at £66,500 and a 911 ragtop is £73,417. In other words, the Vette costs over 90% of the price of a 911. I'm not a betting man, but I wouldn't put money on there being many conquest sales... And I know, Mitch, there haven't been many in the past. It just seems like once again, Vette owners are being sh*fted by GM.

If I were looking to change I'd be pretty hacked off - not just with the price, but due to the fact that I use my car as a daily driver. The GS and Z06 being wider and having a vulnerable splitter are far less practical as daily drivers. Of even more concern to me would be the tales (backed up by several write-offs accidents involving Z06s) of the wider tyres being very prone to aquaplaning, whereas the regular C6 copes just fine with traditional Britsh weather...

Whilst I appreciate your point Gary your issue is being vented in the wrong direction. Why would GM sell Corvettes in Europe at a loss? Surely anyone can see the futility in that. The pricing is being derived by the fact that our currency is at its weakest point against the dollar for many years and not by a small margin. The fact that the cars are more expensive is simply a fact of economics. Talking to Land Rover dealers they are being told not to expect any cars with new 4.4 TDV8 engines until the new year, the reason being that the cars can be sold more profitably elsewhere. We now live in an export nation and Corvette pricing is sadly a further demonstration of the state the country is in.

For what it is worth Z06 will now start at £76,500 and ZR-1 at £112,000