I realize there was some very early information on new stripe colors possible for next year, but what about any new exterior paint choices and something else for the interior besides black/black-red? Has anyone heard any scuttlebut on this?
Between the ADMs and lack of interior color choices, did not see any particular rush to buy a 2007 (have always liked my 98 Cobra Red/saddle combination). I am hopeful by 2008 some of the ADM mess will have died down and purchasing it will make more sense.

 

i would talk to kevin casey over at clevenger ford , i think he is located in california. He always has great info on the latest items and news. If anyone knows best it would be him.

 

What exactly does ADM stand for? Ahole Dealer Markup or something? I keep seeing the term used but I can never quite figure out what it stands for based on context alone.

 

I assume Additional Dealer Markup, in any event that is what it means. FoMoCo is unfortunatly doing nothing visible to police their dealers (legallly I gather they cannot order them, but they could sure cut future GT500 allocations). Probably this will have an impact on customer relations to some point, since this ADM seems to be spreading to the Shelby GT as well, if one is to believe the word on the net.
With prices dropping fast on new Corvettes due to GM's overproduction of them ($13K off new 06's, 9K off new 07's) it certainly makes the Vette an alternative purchase option for anybody getting mad enough at Ford to walk.

 

Just wait. If the vapour that is the 1000 unit Boss car comes to pass, the crap around the Shelby business is going to look like a pleasant memory.

And in the alternatives catagory, be sure to include the Cayman.... I did.

 

Yes, you are probably right about the Boss if they limit the run to as few cars as they are talking about. The ADMs will be $30K or more!
Actually, I think one of the up and coming alternatives to the GT 500 will be used Ford GTs. A few of them are beginning to show up on EBay with 3000 to 5000 miles and they do not seem to be selling. If the pricing trend that has been established on Ford "specialty" high performance vehicles continues, I would expect in late 2007 a Ford GT with that milage will be going for under $100K and a year later for $75K! Only way to keep any value for the owner will be never to drive it, what fun is that?

 

Wow, no kidding. Just looked at ebay and saw a new 2007 Vette for $42K. MSRP was $46K. So if you can get one for $9k less than MSRP (i.e. $37K), that the same as the MSRP on a base Shelby GT.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevr...65384329QQrdZ1

I'm not a corvette or Chevy guy, but that's a lot of car for the money (400hp).

 

I have not seen the base 2007 Corvette coupe quite down to $37K yet (no accessories = less margin) but Kerbeck in Atlantic City had them at $39K. As you say, heck of a performance deal (and 100,000 mile warranty) for $3K less than the sticker of a GT500 Coupe if you could get one for that (no ADM), more like $10-15K less with the ADM being pushed by Ford dealers. That buys a lot of plasma TVs!
I would prefer to order a 2008 GT 500 but given their probably rapid deterioration in value after the initial year production, can't justify overpaying, so negotiations will be interesting. Went through this with my 98 Cobra convertible. All the local dealers wanted over MSRP; travelled 200 miles, bought $2k under, felt with limited production, etc. would be "good investment". Unfortunatly I guess to do this you have to wait 20 years as 98 Cobra not worth much more than 98 GT right now.
Probably same will apply to GT500 in same time frame, so they need to be driven and enjoyed, certainly heck of a nice car and I prefer it over the Corvette.

 

That's like cross shopping a washing machine with a Kalishnakof.

 

Yes and no. I actually ended up doing the same thing. Both cars are fun cars made to be driven hard and fast. While the Cayman cannot keep pace with the GT 500 in a straight line it is great fun on the mountain roads, DE events and auto cross.

So while different cars, I think both are kinda going after the same purchaser...but maybe only 2 of us here think this way...

 

I would argue that very few potential Cayman buyers are cross shopping it against a GT500.

 

I would question that based on the fact that my dealer thinks the newest baby Porsche is a hot seller with buyers coming from Vettes, Vipers and people like me that have decided that 70k+CAN is way to much for a Mustang. He is counting on some of us who are dissapointed and fed up with trying to do a deal for this car in particular. In our little town(not quite a million yet, just 900 000+), the Cayman is selling about 10-15 units a month. I submit that Ford would love to retail that many GT500's at the profit to Ford built in to its pricing structure. I have two different cars ordered for me, and have the choice "as they will sell whether you buy one or not"! Does that sound familiar?

To put in some perspective, the last two SVT COBRA's were focused drivers cars, and the musclecar thing grew up around MODDED terminators. The GT500 is a musclecar. I BELIEVE that some of the balance has been left out this time.

Again, a stellar value at MSRP or under, planning some needed chassis mods(Like most past SVT). At the way things are now, the same money being cast at GT 500's can buy a lot of car more focused on specific goals, with price being the determining factor. I doubt Ford planned it that way, but that is what they got. They can suck back and reload, or not.

 

Yup, I would say those of us here in Canukistan will be lucky to even see a GT500 on the road, let alone have a shot at buying one. I have not seen a SINGLE one on the streets of Vancouver or its environs since the car became available. And believe me, this is a CAR TOWN, where everyone from business tycoons to those working in the film industry, like to show off their exotic vehicles.

All those GT500s are garage queens, I guess.

Porsche make a very precisely tuned, refined automobile, there's no disputing that. They've just never really frosted my glass. Something about the styling doesn't particularly do it for me. Not bad - if I was given a 911 I would probably keep it - but not sure I would pick one if I were in the market for something at that price point. I would probably oft for the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (even though it gives up some engineering sophistication to the 911).

As to the Cayman - quite the car, from everything I read...just not my aesthetic taste. Looks too much like a chick car, IMHO.

 

I strongly suggest you refrain from asking ecmazza for a date, at least until the gender is clarified.

 

It is also my understanding that a certain type of gold digging tramp is moistened over the car, but I don't give a **** whether it comes with a passenger seat or not. Might stain the leather.

And I have seen two in Edchuck and three in Calgary. And one of those in Calgary was seen recently at WMS....

 

I don't think the Cayman is feminine at all. It looks like a modern day 911. The 911s have become GT cars loaded with luxury and gadgets. The Cayman seems more of the lightweight, corner carver that the original 911s were.

While it is not a 500/480 brute that the GT500 is, it still is a car that most car guys can appreciate and enjor owning. Most buyers love cars, not just muscle or sports or whatever.

 

I don't care if it can tapdance on the head of a pin, I still think it looks like a chick car.

 

I would agree. But I think this says a lot about the problems Ford is having. Their flapship car, the GT 500 is not "stealing" general performance car guys away from other somewhat similar cars but b/c of the problems potential GT 500 customers have been having with ADM and crap like that, Ford IS losing customers to these other car makers.

I am honestly not sure if Ford getting to use the Shelby name again is good for business or not. I kinda think that if the GT 500 had just come out as a SVT it still would have received praise from the auto press and then people would not have to deal with this dealer crap that is going on now...at least it would not be as bad...

 

Nowhere near as bad, I'm sure.

It's extraordinary how the addition of a few 90 cent badges can generate an extra $20K in profits for dealers, isn't it?

It amounts to a short term fix for a long term problem.

 

Putting SHELBY on the car has created a frenzy that could not have been matched by calling it a Cobra. Ask general people what a Cobra is or how much horsepower they have and most will not know. Ask them about the Shelby and most will know. IT has brought a lot of attention to the Ford Mustang, which in turn, brings a lot of attention to the company as a whole. Even the astronomical ADMs have spawned several news articles.