TheUnscented

My convertible 6sp was one of the first C5s in Tampa a few years back. The design was so fresh and new, my arrival anywhere was an event. Valets would scramble to move Porsches and AMGs to get my car out front. I think that the C7 represents such a sea change for Corvette and for GM. I think that the early adopters will have their purchase decision validated at every drive.

That said, I now have a four year old and desire the back seat of the 997. For what I'd likely pay for three or four year old 997, I could get a C7. Do I need my head examined or will the 997 rear seat live up to my expectations?

SanibelSpeed

I can't say from personal experience yet, but a friend of mine in LA who has two little ones swears by his 991 C4 and takes his kids in the back.

Bill Coleman

Saw a couple C7s in the wild over the weekend. One up close and personal - about 5 ft off my back bumper at 70mph.

Traffic was moderately heavy - if I'd had to brake he would have wrecked us both. Another example of someone with more money than brains.

Carrera GT

GM hasn't built customer car number one in the C7 yet, so that was an R&D employee. Probably lacking both money and sense.

Bill Coleman

Could be, although this car did not have manufacturer plates - although that doesn't mean it wasn't a factory car/driver. Maybe a press car?

Whatever it was, at that distance you can't see much of the car through the back window of a 2012 Accord sedan.

I may have seen the same car a couple days earlier. Both were black with civilian plates in the Lansing, MI area, but the first time it was being driven rather more sedately. Also saw a red one in the same vicinity.

Detroit Shooter

Cars are being built now, not at production volume. There are retail cars out there. My friends wife is in Bowling Green right now monitoring vendor quality.

In MI I have seen 4 on the road. I would believe these to be test cars but they could be retail. Definitely catches your eye.

BigMikeATL

People that buy Corvettes, or any 2 seater car (not a faux 2 seater) don't care about hauling their kids around. Personally I think putting a 4 year old in the back of any 911 is a death sentence. YMMV.

FullThrottle64

Why would you think so? Why would a Porsche backseat be any more dangerous than the backseat of any other small car?

BigMikeATL

Car sits a lot lower than other smaller cars. People don't drive other smaller cars like they do a 911. Like I said, YMMV.

Hell, I used to own MGB's and it only had a shelf in the back. But it would haul chicks in bikinis at the beach back in the day so who am I to talk

jlanka

Yeah Baby!

Carrera GT

That would be true if you mean they're exposed to government approved poisonous, toxic chemicals, but in terms of primary safety and secondary "survivability" safety, the 911 is as good as it gets. The only way to be safer is to get something heavier to be on the less lethal side of the collision equation; or pay scrupulous attention to statistics of avoidable car accidents.

Carrera GT

Cars are being built, but every one of them is on quality hold because, somewhat ironically, the controversially ill-designed rear bumper cover is also ill-designed in the sense that it's not fitting and aligning with the quarter panels.

At least as of last Friday, official word from GM to dealers is that somewhere in Bowling Green, there's a couple of guys with hand tools and hammers, whacking away at hooks and hinges, trying to "get 'er done!"

BigMikeATL

LOL

Detroit Shooter

I can say with certainty that the new Vett is fast. As fast as an S for sure. I think it looks pretty good also. There are lots of vents but they are all functional.
Great value proposition.

GSIRM3

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c...ive-2013-08-19