Join Harlan Charles for a Live Corvette Chat on Wednesday at 12:30 PM ET [UPDATE] Transcript Added

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Keith Cornett
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Join Harlan Charles for a Live Corvette Chat on Wednesday at 12:30 PM ET

Corvette Product Marketing Manager Harlan Charles will be hosting a live chat about the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray with the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday at 12:30 PM ET. Joining in will be Free Press Auto Critic Mark Phelan and Free Press GM reporter Nathan Bomey.

Update:
If you missed the live chat, you can still see the questions and answers as we posted the transcript.

  • Hi, I’m Nathan Bomey, the General Motors reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Welcome to our live chat! With me today is Harlan Charles of Chevrolet and Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan. We’ll be answering your questions about the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
    by nbomey

  • Hello, I am the Corvette Product Manager from Chevrolet
    by Harlan Charles

  • Hi, I’m Mark Phelan, Free Press Auto Critic. Looking forward to talking ‘Vette.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Let’s start the chat with some of your questions.
    by nbomey

  • How long before I can get my order in????
    by Davidjayy

  • The Stingray goes on sale in the third quarter of this year. Harlan, do you have specifics yet?
    by nbomey

  • Davidjayy: We should be getting order guides to our dealers around May and 2014 Corvette Stingrays should be hitting showrooms late summer this year
    by Harlan Charles

  • Harlan, at what point in the development process did you know it would be called a Stingray?
    by Mark Phelan

  • Stingray is a name we are very passionate about and talked about it early on but reserved the final decision until the design was complete. Only then did we decide the design waqs worthy of being a Stingray
    by Harlan Charles

  • We have several questions related to the convertible version.
    by nbomey

  • Is there a target date to order the C7 convertible?
    by kirk68411

  • Will there be a 2014 convertible
    by Mahlon55

  • When will the convertible be available?
    by Darrell edited by Detroit Free Press

  • Is their going to be a covert in the new vett.
    by chuck s

  • Yes there will be a Corvette Stingray Convertible but I have no announcement as for timing as yet. You can plan to see a special convertible reveal in the future when we will release more details.
    by Harlan Charles

  • The coupe has a removable roof panel, right Harlan? It’s carbon-fibre, yes?
    by Mark Phelan

  • Yes – The Corvette Stingray has a standard body color carbo fiber removable roof panel that is light and easy to remove and store in the trunk. Clear coated visible carbon fiber option is shown in the show cars and we will have a transparent roof panel available too
    by Harlan Charles

  • It’s supposed to be easier for a single person to remove, right?
    by Mark Phelan

  • Yes the new roof panel is only 16 pounds comared to 26 in the previous generation so it is very easy for one person to remove and store using just 3 latches
    by Harlan Charles

  • Harlan – how do you plan on bringing in younger owners.
    by ericg

  • While Harlan answers this question, quick story: Several GM executives have told me their teenage kids want the new Stingray but they won’t let them get one.
    by nbomey

  • Now that we have an all new Corvette Stingray, this is our chance to attract sports car enthusiast of all ages who may not have considered a Corvette before. The level of technology and attention to detail in materials show this new Corvette is more than just a great performance car.
    by Harlan Charles

  • GM North America President Mark Reuss said last week: “We will sell a Corvette to anybody who has money and wants a Corvette. I don’t want to get too hung up on who we’re selling it to. I’ll sell it to my son if he has money for it. If he gets a ticket, it’s gone.” Then he laughed.
    by nbomey

  • We have several questions about the back end of the new Corvette.
    by nbomey

  • I love the new contemporary design of the rear end. A lot of nay-sayers felt you should have used round tail lights. How hard of a decision was that?
    by 36couper

  • My question is this….what happened when GM got to the back end of the Stingray?? Did they just give up? Looking forward to the car but that back end is awful.
    by Car guy

  • I really want to upgrade my C5 to a C7, but I dislike the fact that the taillights are not round. Is there a possibility that this will be changed by production?
    by Geoff

  • Great question about the square taillights.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Mark, were you surprised to see that design element?
    by nbomey

  • It was a surprise, but it’s so consistent with the Camaro and Malibu that I thought it made sense. Plus, I think it looks good on the ‘Vette.
    by Mark Phelan

  • My 2 cents – the back end looks great! Nice to see the design evolve.
    by ericg

  • One of the missions of the new Corvette Stingray was to show it is a new Corvette statement so we stayed with the 4 element lights but did them an an all new way taking advantage of LED technology. We turned the circles inside out to create new Corvette signature as the rear is the part most people see. The new lights also enable the functional cooling vents in the rear.
    by Harlan Charles

  • will it be able to outpreform the viper and its german and italian competitors like the previous gen
    by ryan1122

  • We will put the new Corvette Stingray up against any of the worlds sports cars. We have shown America can compete with the best in the world and win and we are not going to stop now. I cannot discuss our future plans other than to say the Corvette team is always looking to increase performance.
    by Harlan Charles

  • I want to start by saying that I REALLY like the direction that you went with the the C7. For a base level unit, it’s pretty advanced or moreover, ground breaking compared to what we have seen in previous generation Corvettes.
    by Donald Morrison

  • That’s a good quesiton about the competitors. Harlan, which cars were your benchmarks for performance?
    by Mark Phelan

  • We have many questions, but feel free to share your opinions, as well. Our next question is, shall we say, tongue in cheek.
    by nbomey

  • Does the vehicle come with mustache, gold chain, and bald head or does the driver have to bring his own?
    by Joe Tocco

  • There are no more “base” Corvettes – Corvette Stingray from now on!
    by Harlan Charles

  • Mark, are you having a mid-life crisis?
    by nbomey

  • Joe Tocco: She has to bring her own
    by Harlan Charles

  • Not today.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Excellent.
    by nbomey

  • What will be the sticker price for the 2014 Corvette?
    by Tom Turner

  • Mark, will you be buying a stingray
    by ryan1122

  • We have not announced pricing yet but if you can afford a 2013 Corvette than you should be able to afford a 2014 Corvette Stingray. Corvette is in what we call the luxury high performance sports car segment so Porsche, Ferrari, Audi R8 etc…
    by Harlan Charles

  • Not on a newspaper salary, I’m afraid. But I’m dying to test it. I’ve already picked the roads I’ll use.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Let’s ask about ZR-1.
    by nbomey

  • i own ’10 ZR-1, will there be the one for ’14 or will there be options for more hp offered by gm like the old days when i was 21 in’67,
    by tom f.

  • I love the car , when will the z-06 come out and what about the motor. The zl-1 and the mustang have lots more power. Hopefully the z-06 comes out a year later thanks kenken
    by Kenken

  • What different models of C7 can we expect over the next 18 months, i.e. a Z06, a ZR1 a Grand Sport, and a 427 ????
    by John Charpentier

  • Are a C7 Z06 and ZR1 anticipated, and if yes, when?
    by Z06Ronald

  • Any word on Z06 specs?
    by Phil Callihan

  • We will have the Corvette Stingray for 2014. I cannot discuss our future plans for other models other than to say the Corvette team is always looking to increase performance
    by Harlan Charles

  • Harlan: Does GM feel the C7 will affect the sales of the 2013?
    by Harlen: Does GM feel the C7

  • One of the things chevy does well with the Corvette is roll models out over time to maintain interest. I expect a ZO6, Gran Sport, probably ZR1, but not in the next 18 months. Maybe 2-3 years for ZO6.
    That’s my expectation, not anything I know from GM.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Good insight, Mark.
    by nbomey

  • We already have all our orders in for 2013 model year so it is set. Production of the 2013 Corvette ends early so last chance to get a 2013 Corvette 60th Anniversary or a 427 Convertible.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Is there a weight Savings difference in the back window If so how much difference from the C6 version
    by Lou

  • Let’s flip that into a general question on weight savings. Harlan, how important are new materials to the Stingray? You already discussed the carbon fiber roof panel.
    by nbomey

  • Great question about weight. There are a lot of new lightweight materials in the Stingray, aren’t there, Harlan?
    by Mark Phelan

  • Lou: Yes there is a weight savings from going away from the large rear window to the 3 piece design. About 5 lbs
    by Harlan Charles

  • Will the C7 have similar colors to the C6?
    by Donald Morrison

  • We have done a lot of work on materials to reduce weight. The standard aluminum frame saves 100 lbs vs the previous stell frame yet is 57% stiffer. Carbon fiber and carbon nano hybrid composites save about another 35 lbs
    by Harlan Charles

  • While Harlan answers that question, let’s direct one to Mark.
    by nbomey

  • Why won’t you show the C7 concept with the doors open?
    by Question

  • I loved the car in person, but I do feel a lot of people are upset about the rear end.
    by LRP

  • We have 10 colors available for the 2014 Corvette Stingray you cansee at corvette.com. We have two all new colors: Laguna Blue and Lime Rock Green.
    by Harlan Charles

  • What about crystal red?
    by John Charpentier

  • The 2014 Corvette Stingray can be seen at the Detroit NA Auto show with the doors open.
    by Harlan Charles

  • A lot of times they do that at auto shows to protect the interior. It’s not a production model, so the parts might fall off. And I hate to say it, but sometimes people steal shift knows, cigarette lighters, etc. I’ve seen a couple of interior models. I’m confident the controls will work.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Crystal Red, Torch Red, Black, Arctic White, Velocity Yellow, Cyber Gray, Blade Silver, Night Race Blue, Laguna Blue, Lime Rock Green
    by Harlan Charles

  • Harlan, previous ‘Vettes were often criticized for having great styling and performance but mediocre interior materials. Does the 2014 address that?
    by Mark Phelan

  • We have used the best materials available in the new Corvette Stingry. Real Napa Leather, real carbon fiber and real aluminum. We can even get the interior upper trim (headliner, A pilers, etc) wrapped in suede
    by Harlan Charles

  • Thank you Harlan! Great news!
    by John Charpentier

  • Harlan – how did you get the best job in the world? 🙂
    by ericg

  • We have used the best materials available in the new Corvette Stingray. Real Napa Leather, real carbon fiber and real aluminum. We can even get the interior upper trim (headliner, A pillars, etc) wrapped in suede
    by Harlan Charles

  • Now I know what you think about my job.
    by nbomey

  • Mark, I thought you had the best job in the world?
    by nbomey

  • ericg: Thank you – I believe I have the best job in the world and it wasn’t easy to get but it is a dream come true for me as the Corvette has been my favorite car my whole life
    by Harlan Charles

  • Have you considered a stinger hood for the stingray?
    by Howard

  • I do. At GM, Harlan has to get up earlier and go to more meetings than me.
    by Mark Phelan

  • The Stingray hood has a special vent direct from Corvette racing that vents hot air from the forward tilted radiator that reduces aerdynamic lift at high speeds to make the car more stable. You can see that technology right on the C6R Le Mans race car and we added it to the production car
    by Harlan Charles

  • Little noticed: During the Corvette Stingray reveal Jan. 13, the video flashed a few stingray teasers. Did you you catch it? Watch for the Stingray badge at 10:45. At 10:47, a silhouette swoops across the screen. media.gm.com
    by nbomey

  • Ive heard before that GM wanted the Corvette to shy away from being an old mans car. I remember hearing a stat that some large percentage of Corvette owners at over 60 years old. What can GM do to bring down the price of the Corvette so more 30 year olds buy it. It doesnt help the image of the Corvette that its a mid life crisis car.
    by LRP

  • Harlan, people at a lot of automakers rotate from one job to another every 2-3 years, but folks tend to stay on the Corvette team for a long time. Does that make a difference?
    by Mark Phelan
  • But Mark, I’m sure Harlan gets more Corvette seat time (plus seat time in the competition cars) than you do!
    by ILikeVettes

  • That’s true.
    by nbomey

  • Our Corvette is lucky to have some of the key members stay with the car over time. We are having too much fun, don’t tell anyone!
    by Harlan Charles

  • Harlan – it’s people like you with passion for the products that us enthusiasts appreciate and, in turn, become “brand warriors” to all we meet. Congrats to the entire development team and glad to see the passion remains at GM. I might even consider trading my Shelby for one 🙂
    by ericg

  • Here’s a more technical question.
    by nbomey

  • Will the new Stingray automatic still use a shift nob and paddles such as in the old Chevy Malibu, or will it get a real flappy paddle gear box?
    by WISKY (LS9)

  • ericg: Thanks again and I agree you are ready for an upgrade to the new Corvette Stingray.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Eicg — Why not a Shelby-‘Vette garae. Best dirieway in town.
    by Mark Phelan

  • The only problem I see with the new design is if I owned one I would spend all my time staring at it because it looks so damn cool.
    by Wayne

  • I think its time for a career change!!! I’m ready to become a Chevy sales member.
    by Donald Morrison

  • The Corvette Stingray has a standard 7-speed manual with active rev match and an available 6-speed automatic with steering wheel shift paddles (+ on right / – on left)
    by Harlan Charles

  • Several people still want to talk about the taillights. Let’s dive back into that quickly.
    by nbomey

  • Will the manual still have the skip-shift feature to save fuel?
    by Mark Phelan

  • I’ve owned several Corvettes for more than twentyfive years. I wish the new Corvette Stingray great success. But I won’t own one due to the Camaro rear end!
    by C6Jay

  • The corvette is supposed to be special. So why would you want the tail to look like your other cars?
    by Howard

  • Wayne – I think driving it is even cooler than staring at it. We took the excitement from the exterior and put it in the interior. We have two seat option: GT for all around driving and the Competition Sport Seat for high performacne and track driving.
    by Harlan Charles

  • The 7-speed manual retains the skip shift feature but it is not very intrusive unless you drive very slow
    by Harlan Charles

  • I understand people who miss the round taillights, but I think there’s a danger to becoming captive of a design cue. Like the pop-up headlights. A lot of people hated to see them go, but I prefer the fixed lights on the C6 and C7. The new car is unmistakably a Corvette, which is what matters to me.
    by Mark Phelan

  • The rear taillights look better in person, but having round taillights would have made the package complete.
    by LRP

  • The Corvette has unique 3D LED tail lamps that are not shared with any other car. Photos and bad sketches that are on line do not do it justice
    by Harlan Charles

  • Can the rev match system be turned off in the manual version? Some people still enjoy the art of doing it themselves. I’ll admit to being part of a graying breed there…
    by ILikeVettes

  • The 7-speed manual’s Active Rev Match feature is defaulted to ‘off’ unless the driver turns it on using the paddles
    by Harlan Charles

  • I have spoken to several Corvette fans who were previously skeptical of the redesign who changed their minds after seeing it in person. Clearly it’s about personal preference.
    by nbomey

  • I gotta say I’ll take full advantage of rev-matching. It’s hard to beat good electronic controls for no-lift shifts.
    by Mark Phelan
  • Harlan, how about a quick marketing question. Chevy recently introduced a new global tagline called “Find New Roads.” Commercials coming soon. How will Corvette fit into that campaign?
    by nbomey

  • The nice thing about active rev match even if you are skilled driver is that it reduces yyour mental work load when driving so you can learn the track first and then decide to turn it ff if you want
    by Harlan Charles

  • The “Find New Roads” campaign highlight Chevrolet’s innovation and ingenuity. Corvette has always been Chevrolet’s leader in that regard.
    by Harlan Charles

  • what classic chevys are in Harlan’s garage?
    by 36couper

  • I may trade in my 1967 convert for a c7
    by Enzo

  • I get it Mark, with the electronics, everyone can downshift like Fangio. But still, there are those of us who try to emulate the grand masters without computer controls making it so easy. I have driven GM automatics with the feature, and it performs very well.
    by ILikeVettes

  • I have a 1990 Corvette with Z51 that I bought new. I have driven it to 49 states and most of Canada.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Just make the car affordable so young guys can own it. The Viper is cool but the price is just not realistic. I love hearing stories of my dad and uncle, growing up in Lansing in the 60s and 70s,
    owning all sorts of different sports cars. I wish the days of young men affording those cars would come back.
    by LRP

  • Will chevy think about making a dual clutch paddle shift version for the z06/zr1
    by Jeff

  • We want lots of people to be able to attain a Corvette Stingray but we also want to be the sports car of choice for those that can afford any sports car – no excuses
    by Harlan Charles

  • Chevrolet is always thinking about building the Corvette into the best sports car in the world and using the best technology but only when it makes the car better.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Just to lighten up the q&a: Can one put more than one golf bag in the back of the C7 convertible? My C6 convertible only holds 1 bag. I have to carry the clubs up front.
    by nucker1

  • Find New Roads” eh? Maybe finding old ones as well… I’m all for bringing back “Route 66”, and running a C-7 along great highways in the US
    by ILikeVettes

  • The 6th generation Corvette Convertible can hold two golf bags in the trunk if the trunk partition is unsnapped with the top up.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Let’s go with one more question before we wrap up.
    by nbomey

  • Back to something we discussed earlier.
    by nbomey

  • Will there be more power engine opitions in the future
    by paul

  • We will have the Corvette Stingray for 2014 with the LT1 V8 estimated at 450 hp and 450 t-lb of torque. I cannot discuss our future plans other than to say the Corvette team is always looking to increase performance
    by Harlan Charles

  • Great.
    by nbomey

  • Thanks to Harlan, Mark and the Free Press’ Jewel Gopwani for helping with the chat.
    by nbomey

  • And thanks to all of you for participating in the chat today! For more, you can always follow Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan on Twitter @Mark_Phelan, follow Chevrolet @Chevrolet, follow the Free Press autos team @Freepautos or follow me for GM news @NathanBomey.
    by nbomey

  • My expectation is that GM has lots of rabbits up its sleeve. Powerful, torquey rabbits with V8 engines.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Thank you, Nathan, Harlan, and everybody who participated.
    by Mark Phelan

  • Thank to everyone who asked a question and thanks for having me at the Free Press live chat. The new Corvette Stingray makes a statement not just for Chevrolet and GM but shows we here in the Motor City can take on the best in the world and win.
    by Harlan Charles

  • Thanks, Harlan!
    by nbomey


Source:
Detroit Free Press

Related:
[VIDEO] The Retractable Hi-Def Screen Inside the 2014 Corvette Stingray
[VIDEO] The 2014 Corvette Stingray Featured on CBS Sunday Morning
[VIDEO] Black and Blue 2014 Corvette Stingrays Testing in Arizona

 



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