[DeTomaso] the great debate

[michael at michaelshortt.com]

Proof positive that GM can screw up one of the few guaranteed working parts
of their company.  Those guys in their open shirts, gold chains and Silver
metalized Corvette jackets will buy anything put in front of them, just
cause its got a logo and a bowtie.  But let the existing model sit around
and become dated and they'll lose the next generation of, probably the MOST
important generation in years, those who are influenced by C-6's but can't
afford them now,  but will later when they are older and make more money and
when later comes, there will be something else better out there.

The only reason Corvette lasted through the for the most part awful late C-3
and C-4 years ( ZR1 excluded ) was the history and glorified memory of the
StingRay years, when young men wanted one and couldn't buy one until they
were older and ended up with the "glorious" cars mentioned above.

Very few people are motor heads in Generation X and Y , fewer want a
Corvette, they grew up on BMW, Porsche and other cars.  Because unless you
were old enough to remember the cool Corvettes, they were just what the old
man down the street bought when he got divorced.

It took the C-5 and C-6 to make it a serious car again and they're going to
drop the ball...something about history repeating itself and not learning.
from it.

I recently was called by their marketing company to supply locations and
models for the Corvette Quarterly magazine, they wanted 20 somethings for
the cover story in a convertible Corvette, I literally laughed at the guy.

I said, who exactly do you think Corvette owners are? I said they are 50
year old guys who's last kid just finished college and this guy and a very
cool wife #1 or most likely a younger wife #2 buy the cars to go on weekend
trips, He agreed, I told him I go to lots of car events and you almost never
see anybody under 50 in a Corvette, he agreed, The I said, why in God's name
would you want to alienate your core audience/market
by putting hot Young bods in the cars ( because knowing that people would
react in the most predictable way - make'em feel bad because they worked
their whole lives to be able to afford a car like this and here are some
young punks in one like mine.
Then I asked him, aside from celebrities and trust fund babies ( a limited
marketing segment ) how many twenty somethings can afford an 80,000 car?  He
agreed that not very many could buy the car.

Needless to say I passed on the project, it was stupid and the magazine
subscribers won't react well to it.  If they eventually did it, maybe
they'll spring a boner for the girl, but when the dust settles, it won't
leave a lasting good impression to see some 20 year old kid in a car like
yours.
It's like seeing a Rolex/Omega on a High School kid, it takes the shine
right off yours or it's fake, either way, yours isn't so special anymore.

Michael in Savannah


KNOW YOUR MARKET, cater to it and prosper.


Michael in Savannah

On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 9:52 AM, Adin, David <DavidAdin at mercydurango.org>wrote:

> Seems like the great debate is over.  Or will be soon?
>
>
>
> http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=18832
>
>
>
> Headline: corvette to die?
>
>
>
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-- 
Michael L. Shortt
Savannah, Georgia
www.michaelshortt.com
michael at michaelshortt.com
912-232-9390


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