The coronavirus pandemic has largely ground the world economy to a halt. The automotive industry has been no exception, as manufacturers struggle with the decision to reopen shuttered factories amid a sales marketplace full of empty dealerships. But there's a silver lining to every dark cloud, as proven by the fate of the new mid-engined Corvette.
Amid reports that production haltings will result in higher-spec C8 variants being delayed—possibly by years—the result is that 2020 could prove to be one of the best years for Corvettes ever. Why? Because, at the time of this writing, only about 2,700 C8 examples have left the factory, which means this year is on pace to potentially represent the lowest build and sales volume in the storied model's 67-year history.
Get In Line
As soon as rumors about the C8's mid-engined layout turned into substantiated fact, eager buyers clamored for more information and to drop money on pre-orders. After all, what's not to love about a 495-horsepower, V8-motivated, mid-engined supercar that can deliver stunning performance stats like a sub-three-second 0-60 mph time and a starting price under $60,000.
The car's launch, however, was complicated by the UAW strike in late-2019. And once C8 production began in February, it would only be a matter of weeks until the coronavirus forced General Motors to pump the brakes. Two days before the factory stopped building cars, Chevy stopped taking orders for the C8.
Numbers And Figures
For context, the lowest-volume production year on record for the Corvette occurred all the way back in 1960, when the first-generation was almost a decade old and the C2 was nearing the horizon. That year, Chevy sold 10,261 units. The final C8 built so far rolled off the line on March 20, though GM wants to slowly ramp up production once the threat of a global pandemic subsides. Depending on how cautiously the company proceeds, there's a good chance 2020 owners might end up quite happy they opted for a lower-spec, early C8 Corvette.
Source: Autoblog