My wife and I test drove the new C6. Here's our conclusion.
The hatchback looks like a baseball cap.
The windshield sits higher, they say for easier access, but the reason they lifted it was for strengthening the structure. which is a issue on the moldings splitting under stress on the C5's, which I feel took away from the aerodynamics. The car sits higher than the C5.
They put more sound deadner, so inside is much quieter, but if I want a quiet car, I might want to buy a Lexus. What do we want with a too quiet Vette.
Too many electronics, only heading you more towards dealer warranty issues down the road. Just looks like a sports car that you'll have to spend more money on after warranty is up.
Even though the On Star is a good feature, you feel as if big brother is watching your every move.
No more keys to get in. I guess I'm getting old, and they're starting to gear things towards the younger generation.
Wasn't impressed with the dash, reminded me of a Pontiac Trans Am.
Looking through the windshield at the view of the front, reminded my of a C3 without the headlamps popping up.
The front nose looks like a shark with no teeth. Almost like my grandfather looked.
The wheels look like wagon wheels.
The flare where the ducts are for the rear brake is now straight like a Buick. No flare like we have on the C5.
And that little nostril cutout on the fender, gives you a little taste of the Viper.
The back looks like an SUV, the way the plastic piece goes underneath by the exhaust.
All they did on the car is give it a face lift, but it really didn't improve it. I think they should have come out with the C6 body style in 1997 and then saved the C5 bodystyle for 2005. That would have been an improvement.
Fit and finish is the same as the C5, even though the magazines said that they improved it. One C6 I looked at had orange peel and one was a little smoother. I guess one of the robots had a little bit too much to drink over the weekend.
They put larger rail covers on it, to give it the appearance of a larger engine. So now you have this little strip of manifold running down the center.
Some things that I did like about the car, is the way the rear exhaust is set up, the steering wheel, and the seats were more comfortable than the Z06.
The strategy that GM uses and has used since 1955 is the same. In '55 they came out with a 265 bored it out to 283, then bored it out to 327, and so on. They're doing the same thing now with the LS.
A friend of mine and myself, put the C6 up on a lift, took some measurements and came up with the same on both the C5 and C6. They just shifted some components in the engine compartment around to make it appear different.
The C6 is great for someone to move up to get their 3 yr warranty and say they have a brand new Vette.
The C5, is the second shortest run in a body style, being only 8 years, next to the C2, which is only five years. And , the C2 is the classic and most wanted out of the Corvette series, and makes you think about the C5 bodystyle, especially the hardtop. It always got a lot of us Corvette enthusiasts wondering about their marketing strategy, when they took the C2 and then went to the new body style which was the same chassis and components of the C2 and called it a C3.
The reaction by everyone when the C5 came out was "they got a hit here", but the reactions that I hear about the C6 are not as enthusiastic.
So much to say about the General.
Last edited by fatherlarry : 09-22-2004 at 07:00 AM.
I'm already getting offers for my c5's to trade up to the c6. Most Canadian dealers now have the c6 couples on their lots UNSOLD. What happen to the rush to get one?
And the dealers want c5, low mileage cars for their customers who are asking for c5's instead of the c6's!!!
I went to a Vette show Saturday at a local dealer near by and they just got in their first C6 the day before. It was my first look at the C6. It was a loaded white six speed with the Z51 package with XM and Navi. Some things I liked and some I didn't. I liked the new headlights, but still trying to get used to the front grill. I also liked rear facia, reminds me of the first C4 models. With the less overhangs at thr front and rear means less worries about scrubbing.
Oh yea, the vette show was great. There was a lot of modded Vettes and alot of older ones restored. I had my digital camara with me but the batteries were dead. There were also a few Z06VETTE.com members at the show. Next time I'll make sure the batteries are charged.
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aldrichc5
02 MY Z06
04 4x4 Duramax
08 335I
All they did on the car is give it a face lift, but it really didn't improve it. I think they should have come out with the C6 body style in 1997 and then saved the C5 bodystyle for 2005. That would have been an improvement.
That is EXACTLY what I've been thinking since seeing the C6 in person several weeks ago. To me, they've 'cheapened' the low flowing lines of the C5 with a compromised trendy, tall, angular look.
I do not like the angular looks of the Cadillacs at all since they all look like the VW Jetta has for years. However, I do like the Cadillac Cien concept car:
..which is angular too, but it's LOW and angular looking. It works because it has a no-compromise angular look which looks low to the ground. To me, the Cien is a MUCH better looking car than the C6. If Cadillac were to produce the Cien, I would definitely buy one in a 'heartbeat'.
For more perspective, I also think Dodge went backwards with their new body style for the Viper. The Viper GTS is one of the most beautiful/baddest looking cars on the planet (..if a bit over the top); so what did they do to continue in that vein? Redesigned it so it looks like a larger Honda S2000!
I won't even start in on what happened at BMW and their once beautiful cars.
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Road America 2:31.61 - Racepak G2X
5th time at RA; no other track experience
351 rwhp, x-pipe, engine oil cooler
Tunnel Plate, 04 Shocks, Kodiaks/trashcan-tires
I know what you guys are saying. I always looked at my C5 and my Viper GTS and thought, how the heck are they going to improve on that. It's just gorgeous. When they redesigned the Viper and made the SRT, I was not impressed. Matter of fact, I could have got one at cost and didn't buy it. Based on that, I think Chevrolet did pretty good. I wish I knew how to design cars and could draw well, I'd draw me up a dream car.
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I go back in a second.especially if I could take all my rolling stock with me. 
There were also a few Z06VETTE.com members at the show. Next time I'll make sure the batteries are charged.
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