Corvette’s C8 Demand Has Chevy Asking For More Help

General Motors CEO Mary Bara has made a big announcement about the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette. It will make its debut on July 18, 2019. Well, it’s here, they’ve announced it will be adding a second shift (which is more than 400 jobs) at its Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly plant to support the production of the next generation Corvette.

General Motors has reported that the Chevrolet Corvette will continue manufacture in Bowling Green, KY after it changes into a mid-engined car. The automaker will add a second shift to the 400 new jobs to support the creation of the new model. It will bring the factory’s workforce to more than 1,300 individuals.

With all the cash that’s flowing from the site, it should surprise no one that the C8 production is remaining in the old Kentucky home. Vette aficionados are just hoping that the issues that were reported with the car’s frame (which was the mid-engine getting bent out of shape) and the electrical system (which was the current system that was being used wasn’t robust enough to carry the load that was necessary to support all of the car’s components simultaneously) are nowhere to be found in the production model. After all, this is the mid-engine C8 that has been the most anticipated new sports car in a while.

A post on the GM forum makes it appear that GM is at least thinking about producing the C7 Corvette into the 2020 model year. It’s still to be determined, but the document lists the C7 production for 2020. There’s only speculation from here on out as to what the automaker plan to do with the current-generation Corvette it introduced in 2013.

GM is in the waiting game as they are still deciding what to do with the Corvette manufacturing based on the development of the C8 Corvette. Previous reports have indicated the C8 Corvette production would start in 2019 with the 2020 model. But problems have already plagued the development process which has delayed the rollout of the vehicle.

Carbuzz.com reported that the C8 Corvette was delayed by six months due to an electrical issue. News of the delay came after GM said it would not unveil the mid-engine Corvette at the 2019 North American International Auto Show. New rumors suggest production won’t start until December of this year, three months later than previously believed.

Although there isn’t a lot going on, there are a few differences that separate it from the current symbolic object. For the new car, Chevy decided on a V-shaped badge with fewer embellishments, though only Vette fans will be able to spot the difference. To help clarify the changes the media team decided on a brief video of the logo’s evolution throughout the years.

“The Corvette’s iconic status owes so much to the men and women of Bowling Green, where it has been built exclusively for almost 40 years,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “This is the workforce that can deliver a next-generation Corvette worthy of both its historic past and an equally exciting future, and [this] announcement gets us one step closer to its reveal on July 18th.”

Bowling Green has over one million Corvettes since it opened in 1981 and has received more than $900 million worth of investment for a new body shop, increased engine capacity, new paint shop, and a new Performance Build Center. It has been reported that GM has spent around $349 million getting the plant ready to build the new C8, a task which has likely not made the switch to a mid-engine any cheaper. As for the assembly, GM has commented that their commitment to the Kentucky plant will remain strong, insinuating that “the company is indebted to the factory that has served as the Corvette’s home since 1981,” according to the truthaboutcars.com.

We still don’t know if the new workforce will be made up of previously laid-off employees from the Chevy Cruze plant in Lordstown, Ohio but it’s a possibility. Chevy dealerships have already started taking pre-orders for the new vehicle, so GM needs more employees to keep up with the anticipated demand. After months of sneaky spy shots, we can’t wait to see what the new C8 Corvette is going to look like and it’s only a few months away.

You can search the inventory of Corvette’s at Miami Lakes Automall . Make sure to stop by for a test drive and see if this model and make is the car for you.

Photo Credit: carbuzz.com

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