Chevrolet's C8 Corvette Reportedly Delayed for Six Months

It was long assumed that the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette would premiere at the North American International Auto Show next month. However, General Motors recently confirmed this was not to be. In fact, it doesn’t appear as though the automaker has any big announcements scheduled for the event. Did something go wrong?

Big time, according to GM Authority. The outlet claims the C8 Corvette’s engineering team found a major electrical issue that stymied development. Anonymous sources hinted that the current system isn’t robust enough to carry the load necessary to support all of the car’s components simultaneously.

From GM Authority:

To address the issue, engineers will need to re-engineer the vehicle’s electrical system. Naturally, changes made to the sports car will also need to be coordinated with suppliers involved in providing GM with the electrical components, as well as any associated equipment. The undertaking will delay the mid-engine Corvette project by six months.

While disappointing, it’s better that GM takes care of this now. Crossing your fingers and hoping that the inevitable recall isn’t too savage is a poor way to launch a new product, especially a high-profile model like the Corvette.

However, it still leaves the manufacturer in a minor predicament. GM now has to contact its suppliers as it makes tweaks and looks for a place to showcase the automobile before 2020. The six-month delay makes the New York Auto Show, which takes place in April, seem unlikely. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is almost a full year away.

Would GM engage in mild sacrilege by unveiling a new Corvette outside the United States? It has certainly happened before. The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible and 2017 Grand Sport were both unveiled in Europe in a bid to help its image in that market. The Vette has always been a giant-slayer in terms of cost-to-performance, but the rest of the world hasn’t appreciated that fact to the same degree as America. Maybe GM thinks the mid-engined C8 will change their minds.

[Image: General Motors]