Video: 2013 Viper VS 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray
- Thread starter v10enomous
- Start date
ViperSmith
Enthusiast
I know a lot of people don't like it, but I do like the "Driver focused" cockpit design of the C7.
PatentLaw
Enthusiast
While I have seen all those pictures....the video is interesting. I came away with the sense that the Viper is much more refined. More hand built. A work of art. The Vette just looks wrong from several angles. I also think that you have to get a black interior on the Vette. It just looks funny with all those colors. Disjointed. Can't put my finger on it, but it looks slapped together.
Seeing them back to back was very interesting. Thanks for the post.
Seeing them back to back was very interesting. Thanks for the post.
05Commemorative
Enthusiast
Thanks for the video. Couple things come to mind for me:
1) How lucky we are for two companies that were on the verge of disaster to have updated versions of their best cars
2) For two cars so similar (american built, front motor, rear drive, big HP, etc), it is amazing how different they are in design. In many ways, the vette is creating more sharper lines (too many in my opinion) while the viper is getting rounder. Love that they are different, but yet obvious to all what they are.
3) Technology in both will push the other. Love the vette went w/aluminum frame, shift blipping feature.
4) Both made big attempts to improve their weakness around interior. From the pics, the Viper did a much better job of it, but progress for both and those vette seats look like a dramatic improvement.
5) Interesting the Viper was able to lose 100lbs while keeping the steel frame yet the vette gained 100lbs despite the weight savings in frame. I think the Viper could lose more, but not clear that the Vette can...
At the end of the day, that vette is a great deal for what it provides for the $. The Viper will look more exotic and special. I just wish the vette had went with a few of its earlier designs that were much more appealling from the rear and more rounded. All good though to have the options and keep the excitement alive.
1) How lucky we are for two companies that were on the verge of disaster to have updated versions of their best cars
2) For two cars so similar (american built, front motor, rear drive, big HP, etc), it is amazing how different they are in design. In many ways, the vette is creating more sharper lines (too many in my opinion) while the viper is getting rounder. Love that they are different, but yet obvious to all what they are.
3) Technology in both will push the other. Love the vette went w/aluminum frame, shift blipping feature.
4) Both made big attempts to improve their weakness around interior. From the pics, the Viper did a much better job of it, but progress for both and those vette seats look like a dramatic improvement.
5) Interesting the Viper was able to lose 100lbs while keeping the steel frame yet the vette gained 100lbs despite the weight savings in frame. I think the Viper could lose more, but not clear that the Vette can...
At the end of the day, that vette is a great deal for what it provides for the $. The Viper will look more exotic and special. I just wish the vette had went with a few of its earlier designs that were much more appealling from the rear and more rounded. All good though to have the options and keep the excitement alive.
bushido
Viper Owner
I also like the new electric/electronic e-brake switch on the corvette. It saves alot of space,and makes it look more modern. My wife's BMW has it,and it's a neat idea..
sween
Enthusiast
I like the C7 alot except for the rear. You can't really compare the refinement of the viper with the C7 because it costs twice as much.
v10enomous
Enthusiast
This video makes the vette look sorta gimicky in comparison and I really like the vette.
GRNBGON
Enthusiast
The new Vette looks like a Camaro design gone terribly WONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a joke!!!
That back end looks like a soda dispenser at a McDonalds.
I would not be caught dead in that thing!!!!!!
What a cluster f*** of parts just glued together to make a car.
Only the Viper design cues they copied gives it any class what so ever.
Actually, is a slap in the face that they tried to use these cues, I would not want our Viper to be associated with that car in any way, what a disgrace to the automotive industry. I respect all the sports cars that are made by any auto company, until now. Sure hope it goes better than it looks.
It just look all wrong, something a toy company would have come out with to put in a box of ******* Jacks.
Sorry, just my opinion.
What a joke!!!
That back end looks like a soda dispenser at a McDonalds.
I would not be caught dead in that thing!!!!!!
What a cluster f*** of parts just glued together to make a car.
Only the Viper design cues they copied gives it any class what so ever.
Actually, is a slap in the face that they tried to use these cues, I would not want our Viper to be associated with that car in any way, what a disgrace to the automotive industry. I respect all the sports cars that are made by any auto company, until now. Sure hope it goes better than it looks.
It just look all wrong, something a toy company would have come out with to put in a box of ******* Jacks.
Sorry, just my opinion.
JAY
Enthusiast
Cool Video ! 
VENOM V
Enthusiast
All good points, I could not agree more.
cubican
Enthusiast
Thanx for the video, the viper looks soooo much better an instant clasic. As for the vett that car is not going to age well, just like the Cadillac XLR.
troublemaker
Enthusiast
I think the C7 is a nice looking car, but I also think it has lost what I always liked about Corvettes. I grew up with Vettes, my father still owns own too, but I am having a hard time considering it to be a Vette. To me it's a cool concept, If it had another name, I would probably like it better. I guess cars with heritage should carry that but evolve gradually, I am not disappointed in the car, I am disappointed that, that is now what the Corvette has turned into. I am not in the market for one, but I'm sure it's demographic that's it's intended for will love it.
well said mate.
SilveRT8
Enthusiast
I'm sure you can ! LOL
Alabaster Mamba
Enthusiast
From certain angles, the C7 looks great. It is kind of mimickry in the fact that they seemed to have copied or tried to copy the interior of the Viper. But then again, the interior has always been a sore spot for the Vette. I really like the look of it from the side. Now the back end looks like a homogenization of pure ugly and left over parts from the Camaro parts bin. The hood vent looks too much like the Pontiac emblem. The manual transmission appears to have some nice features to make it shift faster. The brakes appear to be quite a bit better, even being comparable to the ZR1. This car looks like it will be the bang for the buck as usual.
Overall, not too bad. The new LT1 is supposed to give Z06 performance and the MPG should be damn good as always. I just wish they had made the back end pair up better with the front end.
Overall, not too bad. The new LT1 is supposed to give Z06 performance and the MPG should be damn good as always. I just wish they had made the back end pair up better with the front end.
SilveRT8
Enthusiast
IMO they missed a great opprtunity to revive the split window rear end with round tail lamps
I love the C7 design. Not a fan in the least of any previous cars .. after 1970 anyway. But could I see me getting one, yes, which was never an option before. I don't see a comparison between the gen5 & c7 ... this is the vette base car, which I could see me picking up and having a nice removable top daily driver with great perf and looks for the $ with red, white & blue in its veins. I like it! But comparing to the gen5 is waaaay premature. It'll be interesting to see what GM does in the design tweaks for the higher end models, once we see that, then we can start comparing, but I think looks wise, the Viper will never have anything to worry about. Performance wise, obviously it does, if the C7 ZR1 or whatever, will be designed to surpass the C6 ZR1. But as "not a vette guy", GM hit the mark for me & has me interested. Dare I say I could be battling the idea of my GT500 vs a C7 ... never thought I'ds say that in my life.
Kratos
Enthusiast
The tail of the C7 ruins it. Such a tragedy. When you look at the front and side view, it had the potential to be the best car makeover of all time, and also world class level. With a correct rear end, it could have put all the other American icons on notice.
.....
.....
terminator02
Viper Owner
I think people have to remember this is just the base Vette. Look how much better the Z06, Grand Sport and ZR1 look to the base C6. When the C6 hit, it really wasn't a very attractive car IMO and many people prefered the C5. I think this is, overall, a great vehicle and they did a lot of things right to make this car look very aesthetic. The rear is definitely a sore spot but again, overall, it's a winner. The only real downside is that 35k+ will be produced each year which will tame it's appearance. The viper will always capture more attention based on rarity alone. However the more I see of the new viper, the more I appreciate the beauty of the Gen II more and more. I think the new gen V is amazing and obviously a better car than the Gen II/III/IV concerning performance and interior. However the Gen II just still retains the "ultimate" viper look IMO. It's lines are damn near perfect. Too bad I need a new crank in mine lol. Again, the new C7 will sell like hotcakes and GM did much more right with this car then wrong; especially considering how the C6 was received initially by the public from the C5 crowd. I remember clearly the C6 was going to be THE vette to own. I think the C7 is closer to what the C6 should have been.
TacDoc
Enthusiast
It's great to have two companies making cars for each of us. I love my Vipers, and my wife loves her Vettes. I have to admit her ZR1 is fun, and if this C7 is half as good it will be welcome in our garage.
Chrissss
Viper Owner
The Vette would be cool if it wasn't for that rear end. Just ruins it. And for some reason, GM just can't make a good interior. I can't figure out why.
F
FrgMstr
Guest
The C7 rear view is growing on me much more than the Gen V front view. Transformer vs. Whale Shark.....
And I had thought it is a Camaro backend on the Vette, but I have gotten over that.
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Also, the C7 just seems a bit off in the bright red I have seen it in, that steel gray brings it all together quite well IMO.
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VENOM V
Enthusiast
I thought Autoextremist.com summed up the C7 design fairly...
________________________________________________________
"But let’s face it - there was only one debut that really mattered at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The introduction of the seventh-generation Corvette, or should I say, the new Corvette Stingray is a very big deal. A Joe Biden kind of big frickin’ deal, if you know what I mean. And for the most part GM Design and the True Believers in the Corvette Program delivered.
That the new Corvette will be the best driving Corvette in history is indisputable. The advancement of technology alone in the ensuing years since the development of the sixth-generation Corvette ensures that. The new Corvette utilizes the latest in advanced materials and it also uses a stack of technical knowledge gleaned from the world-class – and wildly successful – Corvette Racing program. The lessons learned on the racetrack through that championship-winning program have contributed immeasurably to the development of the new Corvette, especially in terms of aero performance. (And it will make a sensational-looking GT racer for the 2014 season as well.)
In short the new Corvette is flat-out better in every way. So is it the best production Corvette ever built? Absolutely. Will it be the best driving Corvette ever built? Emphatically so, yes. Does it boast the best interior environment ever put in a Corvette? No question. But is it the best-looking Corvette ever built? No.
Now don’t get me wrong, the overall shape and packaging of the new Corvette is excellent. And there are pieces of the design that I really like. And it pains me to say this because the only person I’ve met with the knowledge, understanding and appreciation for the legacy of Corvette that I have is Ed Welburn, the Chief of GM’s Global Design.
I know Ed’s troops worked overtime on the new Corvette, and make no mistake these are some of GM’s truest True Believers, the people who eat, sleep and breathe Corvette every day. And Ed is the most committed of them all. And overall they did a superb job.
But the new car falls down in two major areas in my estimation. 1. The side detailing and surface development of the car, and 2. The overall look, feel and detailing of the tail.
Now to the first point, that the side vent and surface development of the car clearly borrows from the Nissan GT-R was shocking to me. The GT-R, though an impressive performer, is a mishmash of design elements tossed together and shaken in a bag, resulting in one of the most unimaginative super car designs of all time. And to “borrow” from that car? The explanation given for this was that this new Corvette is supposed to skew younger and that it’s more of an “international” design and not as overtly “American” in its look and feel.
I vehemently disagree. First of all, if there’s any car that should exude its American-ness, it’s the Corvette. If you’ve attended the 24 Hours of Le Mans you’d know what I’m talking about. The international audience there isn’t clamoring for an “internationalized” Corvette. They love the Corvette for what it is: Bold. Loud. Fast. And American. So that “international” rationale shouldn’t have been applied anywhere to this new Corvette. Period. It’s flawed and wildly inappropriate. (Thank goodness the True Believers working on the Viper don’t get caught up in that ********-think.)
And secondly, this car isn’t going to skew younger because young people can’t afford the car. But I’ll have much more to say about that in next week’s column when I discuss the marketing of Corvette.
And finally, there are only two cars in the world that should be allowed to have round taillights: Ferrari. And Corvette. It has been pre-ordained by the automotive gods for more than 60 years now. The explanation as to why the new Corvette doesn’t have round taillights is because this is supposedly a Corvette for a new generation and again, the design is more “with it” in its attempt to appeal to younger buyers.
But throwing that “you’re just not hip enough to understand” rationale – something car designer’s do when they’re out of ideas – is just unmitigated ********. The rear end of the new Corvette is busy and uninspired. And the Camaro-esque taillights are wrong on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin. Really? The True Believer designers entrusted with the legacy of Corvette used a Camaro design cue on the taillights? It doesn’t get any more ridiculous than that.
Here’s the deal. As someone who has been immersed in this business since I was a kid and someone who has been privileged to know some of the true legends of this business firsthand, including the legendary GM designer Bill Mitchell, and someone who has been a student and appreciator of design from way back, I feel more than a little qualified to critique the Corvette. And even though I love the new car, it could have been so much more by being so much less, if you can understand what I’m getting at.
And as I talked to top designers roaming the show, they all said the same exact things: “They needed to dial it back about 25 percent.” Or, “They nailed the overall shape but it’s just too busy.”
Listen, the new Corvette is a great car. The best Corvette ever built by a long shot, with enough advanced technology and cool stuff baked-in to savor for years to come. It will be a sensational performer and it will move the enthusiasts who love them to tears. And the True Believers on the Corvette program who toiled long hours on the C7 should be justifiably proud.
But it’s not a great design because it’s overwrought and overthought and overdone.
Or as Bill Mitchell would say, “You gotta know when to lift the brush.” In other words, there’s a point when you have to stop the tweaking and the fussing and the hand-wringing and just stop. And walk away.
I just wish they had.
We’ll have more Detroit Auto Show coverage and updates throughout the day in this week’s “On The Table.”
And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week."
________________________________________________________
"But let’s face it - there was only one debut that really mattered at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The introduction of the seventh-generation Corvette, or should I say, the new Corvette Stingray is a very big deal. A Joe Biden kind of big frickin’ deal, if you know what I mean. And for the most part GM Design and the True Believers in the Corvette Program delivered.
That the new Corvette will be the best driving Corvette in history is indisputable. The advancement of technology alone in the ensuing years since the development of the sixth-generation Corvette ensures that. The new Corvette utilizes the latest in advanced materials and it also uses a stack of technical knowledge gleaned from the world-class – and wildly successful – Corvette Racing program. The lessons learned on the racetrack through that championship-winning program have contributed immeasurably to the development of the new Corvette, especially in terms of aero performance. (And it will make a sensational-looking GT racer for the 2014 season as well.)
In short the new Corvette is flat-out better in every way. So is it the best production Corvette ever built? Absolutely. Will it be the best driving Corvette ever built? Emphatically so, yes. Does it boast the best interior environment ever put in a Corvette? No question. But is it the best-looking Corvette ever built? No.
Now don’t get me wrong, the overall shape and packaging of the new Corvette is excellent. And there are pieces of the design that I really like. And it pains me to say this because the only person I’ve met with the knowledge, understanding and appreciation for the legacy of Corvette that I have is Ed Welburn, the Chief of GM’s Global Design.
I know Ed’s troops worked overtime on the new Corvette, and make no mistake these are some of GM’s truest True Believers, the people who eat, sleep and breathe Corvette every day. And Ed is the most committed of them all. And overall they did a superb job.
But the new car falls down in two major areas in my estimation. 1. The side detailing and surface development of the car, and 2. The overall look, feel and detailing of the tail.
Now to the first point, that the side vent and surface development of the car clearly borrows from the Nissan GT-R was shocking to me. The GT-R, though an impressive performer, is a mishmash of design elements tossed together and shaken in a bag, resulting in one of the most unimaginative super car designs of all time. And to “borrow” from that car? The explanation given for this was that this new Corvette is supposed to skew younger and that it’s more of an “international” design and not as overtly “American” in its look and feel.
I vehemently disagree. First of all, if there’s any car that should exude its American-ness, it’s the Corvette. If you’ve attended the 24 Hours of Le Mans you’d know what I’m talking about. The international audience there isn’t clamoring for an “internationalized” Corvette. They love the Corvette for what it is: Bold. Loud. Fast. And American. So that “international” rationale shouldn’t have been applied anywhere to this new Corvette. Period. It’s flawed and wildly inappropriate. (Thank goodness the True Believers working on the Viper don’t get caught up in that ********-think.)
And secondly, this car isn’t going to skew younger because young people can’t afford the car. But I’ll have much more to say about that in next week’s column when I discuss the marketing of Corvette.
And finally, there are only two cars in the world that should be allowed to have round taillights: Ferrari. And Corvette. It has been pre-ordained by the automotive gods for more than 60 years now. The explanation as to why the new Corvette doesn’t have round taillights is because this is supposedly a Corvette for a new generation and again, the design is more “with it” in its attempt to appeal to younger buyers.
But throwing that “you’re just not hip enough to understand” rationale – something car designer’s do when they’re out of ideas – is just unmitigated ********. The rear end of the new Corvette is busy and uninspired. And the Camaro-esque taillights are wrong on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin. Really? The True Believer designers entrusted with the legacy of Corvette used a Camaro design cue on the taillights? It doesn’t get any more ridiculous than that.
Here’s the deal. As someone who has been immersed in this business since I was a kid and someone who has been privileged to know some of the true legends of this business firsthand, including the legendary GM designer Bill Mitchell, and someone who has been a student and appreciator of design from way back, I feel more than a little qualified to critique the Corvette. And even though I love the new car, it could have been so much more by being so much less, if you can understand what I’m getting at.
And as I talked to top designers roaming the show, they all said the same exact things: “They needed to dial it back about 25 percent.” Or, “They nailed the overall shape but it’s just too busy.”
Listen, the new Corvette is a great car. The best Corvette ever built by a long shot, with enough advanced technology and cool stuff baked-in to savor for years to come. It will be a sensational performer and it will move the enthusiasts who love them to tears. And the True Believers on the Corvette program who toiled long hours on the C7 should be justifiably proud.
But it’s not a great design because it’s overwrought and overthought and overdone.
Or as Bill Mitchell would say, “You gotta know when to lift the brush.” In other words, there’s a point when you have to stop the tweaking and the fussing and the hand-wringing and just stop. And walk away.
I just wish they had.
We’ll have more Detroit Auto Show coverage and updates throughout the day in this week’s “On The Table.”
And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week."
ViperSmith
Enthusiast
I think the "It's too busy" hits the nail on the head. It has too many hard lines, IMO. The rear is just, well - way too busy. Corvette went from a (great) simple design for the tail to, just a cluster-f.
But, I don't see the corvette as HAVING to have round lights, at all. I think designers should feel free to revolutionize - but at least make it look good.
But, I don't see the corvette as HAVING to have round lights, at all. I think designers should feel free to revolutionize - but at least make it look good.
F
FrgMstr
Guest
Just for fun....a little something I whipped up.
You must be registered for see images
VENOM V
Enthusiast
Yes, I like! But please show us the rear too before I decide to buy, LOL
SilveRT8
Enthusiast
deadman
Viper Owner
Of the two as far as design goes I think C7 is a more complete package. I still can't get to understand Gen5 rear vs. front. C7 no matter what opinion about its design is I think has front middle and rear more in sync.
