Chevy Halts 'Vette Production

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

GM has let slip to Automotive News [sub] that Corvette production will cease for the week of Oct. 6. After that, The General will slow the assembly line and lay off an unspecified number of employees (estimated at 75). “It is the first inventory-related closure of the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky., since at least 1995.” While GM spinmeisters were quick to blame the economy, there seems to be something else in play. As AN reports “Through the first eight months of 2008, Corvette sales fell 8.5 percent to 21,066. They rebounded 47.4 percent in August after 2008 models were included in GM’s employee pricing sale. The big-ticket discounts, rare on the Corvette, reduced the car’s inventory glut fast. The Corvette went from a 145-day supply on Aug. 1 — a 2008 high — to a 56-day supply on Sept. 1.” So why not keep on keeping on? “You can’t count on (the incentives) holding inventories down through the balance of the year,” GM spokeswoman Sharon Basel explained. I know Vette sales are seasonal, but how much money will GM “save” by losing one week’s production, and then cutting output from 18.5 vehicles per hour to 15?

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Greg Locock Greg Locock on Sep 15, 2008
    The primary customer of this vehicle is probably feeling a lot of pain right now due to the ongoing crisis in the financial sector." Hairdressers and fat old men?
  • Potemkin Potemkin on Sep 15, 2008

    The primary customer of this vehicle is probably feeling a lot of pain right now due to the ongoing crisis in the financial sector.” Holy Crap Batman, if this is the reason, and I believe it is, then all the halo cars are about to take a beating. I suspect you will be able to by a repo'd Vette or BMW or Mercedes cheap after all the dominos fall, starting with Lehman Bros.

  • Rtz Rtz on Sep 15, 2008

    No wonder I have been seeing so many new Vette's on the road lately. I bet it was a great time to buy one? They might be trying to do what Harley Davidson is attempting to do. Keep production down so there is never an excess, market it as a premium item. Priced a Harley recently? The bikes supposedly don't go out the door for less then MSRP anymore. Usually about $1,000 over that amount after the "shipping" and "crating" and "setup" fees. So Vette's are in tight supply. If sales fell off during the rebate, that seems to indicate everyone who could suddenly afford one bought one. Market saturation? Saving money by not building cars... I save a lot of money since I don't build cars. But I also make no money... A classic line: "laying off 75 people". Yeah right. They might be sitting at home(or in the cafeteria), but they are still getting paid. But I guess the Union pays them? So GM makes a $100k Vette and two sub models. If they made a cheap Vette or a stripper Vette, it would dilute the brand so they don't. Does Vette even have any marketing or advertising? It's jut not innovative or high tech enough. It's very 1995`ish. This is more new(it is new!) and innovative(check out the front susp) then the Vette: http://www.factoryfive.com/hotrodhome.html I'd have more fun building that and tinkering with it then tooling around in a stock Vette. Or get a GTM and put the Vette guts in it. Defenitley be lighter. And no, the Vette wouldn't help me pick up chicks.

  • Thetopdog Thetopdog on Sep 15, 2008

    rtz: The Vette might not help you pick up chicks, but I've picked up at least 15 girls because of the car in the 1.5 years I've had mine Greg Locock: Anything with a 400hp+ V8 that can hold its own with some of the best sports cars in the world should not be called a 'hairdresser's car'.

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