Just received my November 2007 Motor Trend and noticed the cover "2012 Corvette". Being a Corvette owner, I quickly flipped to the article. I'll spare the details of the article here and comment on a few items.
Evolution, Not Revolution For C7
I support the Evolution, not Revolution road for the Corvette. The car is already a world class sports car. Tweak what you've got. Chevy needs to gather information from current and potential owners about what needs to be changed or enhanced. Chevy has always been in a unique situation to provide a world class sports car at a great price. However, they only seem to get it 90 – 95% right. Now's the time to fix that by actually listening to the consumer. Don't need a rear engine car either.
Technology Leader
The Corvette has done a pretty good job of including leading edge technology in the past.
Stability control introduced on the 1998 Pace Car was ahead of the trend (I'm amazed that all cars don't have it today!).
Head-up display (HUD), introduced on the 1999 Corvette, is still not widely used in the automotive world.
Keyless start and entry is a great technology enhancement. Just need the FOB in your pocket to open and start the car.
Selective magnetic ride control is a wonder. If you haven't driven a car with it, do it now. The system smoothes out the rough parts of a road while stiffening during more aggressive maneuvers.
Chevy needs to use the C7 to leap frog other sports cars. It's time to substantially differentiate themselves from their competition (and cars they are compared to). Below is my list of the technologies that need to incorporated on the C7.
Bluetooth (should already have it and should be added to C6s).
Sequential type manual with paddle shifting. Ferrari's have had them since the 1990s. They are a blast to drive. I'm a big fan of Formula 1 and their race cars use this transmission type. So I'm a fan of anything that lets me "pretend" I'm a Formula 1 driver!
Wi-Fi and WWAN built-in. This would allow my system to be updated with real time traffic information, internet access (through voice commands), and delivery of important email. My system could also communicate the road conditions I'm currently experiencing to allow other drivers on the same road but behind me to be alerted of problems and re-route as necessary. Build this system with replaceable parts so as the technology shifts from Wi-Fi and WWAN to the next generation, the car can be updated.
Radio capable of communicating with my home network to allow downloading of songs from my collection for playback in the car. I should be able to sync my music with my car's radio without having to burn a MP3 or audio CD. Copy and paste!
Safety cameras. Located throughout the car to help alert me when situations are occurring or about to occur. If I signal to change lanes and there is a car in that lane, alert me. If the cars ahead of me slow down rapidly, alert me.
Options, Options, and More Options
Let the consumer personalize the cars with options similar to Porsche. Consumers will buy them somewhere. Why not make some money (foreign concept to US automakers)?
Custom leather, ceramic brake systems, special paint, etc.
Read an article in the latest AutoWeek magazine regarding the new Ferrari model. I've always been a fan of Ferrari; however, I've always thought they were charging too much for what you got. I understand the "exclusivity" aspect they are trying to maintain. IMHO, the Corvette has always been the most bang for the buck. The sequential manual transmission is what I envy the most on the Ferrari.
Video of the Car In Motion:
