Little Red Corvette For Less Green
With discretionary funds increasingly decreasing, low-cost (or make that “approachable”) cars are all the rage. Before the 2014 Corvette Stingray, the first new Corvette in nine years, is going on sale in summer, there already is talk of a little less expensive model.
GM is planning to build an entry-level Corvette, unnamed sources told Reuters. It’s not a new car, but a de-contented Corvette: It would have al 5.3-liter V8 engine instead of the 6.2 L, and will have to shed a bunch of amenities, such as automatic climate control. It would be offered only as a coupe.
Sales of the Corvette have dwindled from a peak of 42,571 in 1977 to 14,132 last year. The car has become a toy of balding empty nesters.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Comments
Join the conversation
Strip off all of the frivolous and overly automated techy stuff, both interior and mechanical/electronic. Make the "low end" a back-to-basics no frills sports car, it might actually be more appealing in a purist sort of way.
"Sales of the Corvette have dwindled from a peak of 42,571 in 1977 to 14,132 last year. The car has become a toy of balding empty nesters." Oh no, not that! More GM doom & gloom.
If only 14K cars were sold last year- this is not just a good idea but mandatory if this division is going to be profitable. GM should offer a base version but offer many options- just like Porsche/BMW.
You are incorrect. I don't know what "optimized for low production" is supposed to mean. An automaker needs to sell a certain number of cars to be able to amortize the costs of design, engine, transmission and suspension development, etc. If they cannot meet the number, a subsidy will be required, or they will not be able to introduce new products or they will go out of business. Porsche found out that sales of 50,000 cars per was insufficient to justify engineering and design costs. They decided to expand their model line by introducing a SUV and a 4 door sedan. Their plan was successful. Contrast that with Checker. Checker was a low volume producer. Checker produced a 1959 model vehicle until the early 1980's with only minimal changes to meet Federal law or based upon outside suppliers. Checker purchased engines, tranmissions and other major components. Checker never made much money and when its CEO was killed in a plane crash in 1982- the company was liquidated. I guess GM could "optimize" the production of Corvettes by using components used by other GM makes.