After spending years in development and even longer in the imaginations of Corvette enthusiasts who longed for something a little wilder, a little more European, the mid-engined C8 Corvette drove straight into a series of roadblocks.
The first was a six-week strike by unionized General Motors workers that pushed C8 production into a new calendar year. Just when it seemed the coast was clear, along came a virus that sent those workers home for an altogether different reason. As such, the C8 is having difficulty leaving the gate. Those looking for al fresco motoring are so far out of luck.
As reported by CarsDirect, the C8 convertible remains a no-show, with no examples appearing in U.S. dealer inventory before or after GM facilities shut down in mid-March on account of the coronavirus pandemic.
The first production C8 left Bowling Green, Kentucky in early February, having already garnered a sky-high big at Barrett-Jackson. Deliveries to reservation holders was expected to commence in early- to mid-March, and we all know what happened at that point. The shutdown of North American auto production came after GM dialed back the expected number of 2020 C8s headed to dealers by roughly 20 percent.
Demand for first-year ‘Vettes was high; the automaker eventually converted many 2020 C8 orders into 2021-model-year vehicles. While many of those orders were likely for convertible hardtop variants, a search by CarsDirect revealed zero drop-tops in the U.S.
When contacted, GM spokesman Kevin Kelly stayed mum on the status or timeline of C8 convertible production, stating only that assembly of the C8 will “resume when it is safe to do so.”
Thus far, GM hasn’t revealed when that date might be. With most automakers targeting an early- or mid-May return to vehicle production, GM remains in talks with the UAW, attempting to finalize a return-to-work plan that puts worker safety at the forefront. It’s looking now like the 2020 model year will be a vanishingly brief one for the long-awaited eight-generation Corvette.
[Image: General Motors]
The mid-engine Corvette is cursed, it will never happen, along with the Bronco and Hyundai Santa Cruz :(
Lie2me: You’ve probably got a point — pissed off Murphy too much.
“along came a virus” and sat down beside her and frightened miss Muffet away:-)
(I couldn’t resist…and, pardon my boomer reference.)
I’m not a fan of mid-engined convertibles – they always look awkward, and forced. It can stay away as far as I’m concerned, especially since the base car has a removable targa top.
I normally dislike the look of convertibles (all of them) but the C8 ‘vert looks pretty much just like the regular C8 minus the window over the engine.
Losing the coolest feature is a bad move IMHO.
Anything that keeps that hideous fake Corvette off the road is a good thing.
Global lockdown pandemics with front-engined Corvette: 0
Global lockdown pandemics with mid-engined Corvette: 100%
QED
cprescott – why “Fake” Corvette?
Yeah, I’m going to get me one of those 1980 305 engined C3 Vettes…that’s a REAL Corvette by golly!
CrossFire Injection FTW
“Must be fake to be so much faster than older Vettes at such a reasonable cost”
ROFL gotta love sour grapes.
Maybe they should just forget 2020s and call them 2021s. Whenever they do start building them. Remember the 1983 Vette? Of course you don’t.
2018 was also a very brief year for Corvette production – well under 10K units were made.
The American Ferrari. The only exceptional product in GM’s entire worldwide portfolio.
You may be dramatically underestimating the 2020 Chevrolet Spark LS.
You may be right. Also, the 1980 Chevrolet Citation is an underappreciated classic.
Only in the rare “X-11” trim
Gonna see how these go and give one a look in a few years. I’d break my rules on a Vette though…so many go to people that don’t drive them much I’d probably grab a used one.
I think this is definitely one you don’t want to be a beta tester on.
My plan was to wait a couple of years for the bugs to be worked out and the hysteria to die down. But now the more I think of it, and at the risk of being ‘that guy’, the lack of manual trans has taken it off the table for me. I really can’t imagine driving it as an auto. I’ll just keep my M6 C6.
Nahh. Some cars are better with a stick (you can guess one of my picks), Vettes are better with an automatic. Yes I’ve owned both.
It’s a trend:
• Move the engine back
• Move the launch date back
• …