RE: Mid-engined Corvette Stingray revealed!

[mikey k]

BIRMA said:

mikey k said:

Who was that with?
Contemplating sticking a deposit down myself

I spoke to Kevin at Ian Allen situated Virginia Water which I think is Surrey.
Seem like really nice people to deal with.

I'll give them a shout

[anonymous-user]

Yes, I was over there today and they're decent people to deal with.

Lots of enquiries being received about the new car and hopefully some will turn into real orders. Sounds as though it may be a couple of years before any actual customer cars turn up (again). Given that C7 sales ended in Europe due to latest emissions regulations which the V8 couldn't meet I wouldn't be particularly surprised if Euro/UK cars are some sort of hybrid by the time they actually get here. Boris will probably announce next week that he'll "save the UK motor industry" by making UK go electric-only by the end of 2019!

[scottydoesntknow]

unsprung said:

That looks flippin’ ace

[anonymous-user]

mikey k said:

BIRMA said:

mikey k said:

Who was that with?
Contemplating sticking a deposit down myself

I spoke to Kevin at Ian Allen situated Virginia Water which I think is Surrey.
Seem like really nice people to deal with.

I'll give them a shout

They appear to be the only Corvette sales outfit in the UK based on the https://www.chevrolet.co.uk dealer locator!

[JONSCZ]

Ian Allen are great to deal with.
I bought my C7 from them last year and dealt with Craig who was excellent.

[unsprung]

The order guide has been published. This shows what comes with the vehicle as standard and what is available optionally (in the US). Pricing remains unpublished.

If the UK car keeps to tradition, it will be spec'd to a high degree.

article here
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/31/2020-chevy-cor...

PDF here
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/docs/2020CorvetteO...

[BIRMA]

unsprung said:

The order guide has been published. This shows what comes with the vehicle as standard and what is available optionally (in the US). Pricing remains unpublished.

If the UK car keeps to tradition, it will be spec'd to a high degree.

article here
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/31/2020-chevy-cor...

PDF here
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/docs/2020CorvetteO...

Lots of info there to take in, thanks.

[unsprung]

interior lead designer explains the cabin

video here:
https://youtu.be/vx0xxeFhYZE

extra points if you already knew what he's talking about when he says "the waterfall"

[erikgj]

Just announced that are not sold out this year. They plan to make more by adding shifts. What is true is that the first round of cars are sold our.

They did say demand is fantastic and record breaking. So still available in the states but don’t wait too long.

[unsprung]

erikgj said:

Just announced that are not sold out this year. They plan to make more by adding shifts. What is true is that the first round of cars are sold our.

They did say demand is fantastic and record breaking. So still available in the states but don’t wait too long.

This is extraordinary.

Can you provide links to what has been "just announced"?

To review, here are the facts that we have to hand:

A) ADDING SHIFTS

Four months ago, General Motors added a second shift at the Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky (article here) in anticipation of significant demand for the C8. This was locked-in with media and with market analysts more than a financial quarter ago.

If, as you claim, Chevrolet now plan to add an additional shift, this will be the third shift -- essentially 24-hour production -- and will rank among the most historic events of the last 50+ years of Corvette. No current article online mentions this. If you have inside information, please share.

B) NOT SOLD OUT

Let's look at the facts published at the link shared earlier in this thread (article here). The following is the key quote from Michael Simcoe, General Motors "Design Chief":

• “I think the orders have already hit the first year of production numbers,”

This impressed the journalists at the above-linked title and they asked for more information:

• "'It’s nearly sold out. It’s so close that it’s bound to be sold out soon,' Simcoe told us."

This means that if you order a C8 today, General Motors may not confirm that you'll get it. Because the pool of available production slots for model-year one (ie: the twelve months of model year 2020) has dwindled to near zero. The C8 is de facto sold out.

If, as you say, C8 production for the first model year has now been expanded to three shifts so as to render redundant the statements from Simcoe, your comments here will be very helpful.

[mrnicko]

This, and the 2nd gen NSX, both botched at birth.

[anonymous-user]

mrnicko said:

This, and the 2nd gen NSX, both botched at birth.

Prey tell!

[unsprung]

In the UK media...

This article, published the day after the C8 launch event, has a good number of insights. It's clear that the author has done more than a bit of homework at a time when details of the new car are scarce.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/mid-en...

[Gary C]

Like it

Not a corvette though.

[nickfrog]

Gary C said:

Not a corvette though.

I am convinced it's a Corvette. Actually, it's a Corvette, at least factually.

[anonymous-user]

nickfrog said:

Gary C said:

Not a corvette though.

I am convinced it's a Corvette. Actually, it's a Corvette, at least factually.

Of course it’s a bloody corvette, it says so on the car.

Some people may not think it’s what a corvette should be, but that’s a completely different issue.

[nickfrog]

garyhun said:

Of course it’s a bloody corvette, it says so on the car.

Agreed , well spotted.

[DonkeyApple]

unsprung said:

It's interesting, in retrospect, to see how Ford were truly insightful in their decision to produce a global RHD Mustang.

GMH were caught with their pants down. As you say, they managed to cobble together a temporary deal to convert LHD imports of the Camaro, but neither the price point nor the volume can be the same (as those of the RHD Mustang). And the RHD C8 Corvette will target a price point and market segment well above those two muscle cars.

I'm only guessing, but I reckon that Mark Reuss, when he departed his position as head of GMH, had a couple of regrets about the GMH portfolio and the manner in which production there was ended. If only GM managers in Detroit had been able to accept, years ago, a business case for a RHD fifth- or sixth-generation Camaro...

I think the economics are wildly different though. Ultimately the Mustang is a more practical, 4 seater car and as it has a cheap 4 pot version it can sell far more units globally which would justify the additional expense of offering RHD. This much less practical car probably sells in much lower numbers which probably makes it much harder to add RHD for just a few hundred extra sales?

[LuS1fer]

The Corvette at least will never go the cheap 4 banger entry model route - the Fiero will make sure of that.

[DonkeyApple]

LuS1fer said:

The Corvette at least will never go the cheap 4 banger entry model route - the Fiero will make sure of that.

They might go straight to a 3 pot for their hybrid?