ME C8 Not At NAIAS

[John]

While so many major automedia keep saying watch for the reveal at the Detroit NAIAS show next month, here is one of the first, if not the first, to definitively say it will not be there. Thank you to our member “rvb1331” for initially bringing this to our attention.

Mid-Engine Corvette Will Not Debut At 2019 Detroit Auto Show

BY MANOLI KATAKIS; Dec 10, 2018




Those who were anticipating the official debut of the all-new C8 mid-engine Corvette at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will have to wait a little longer.

When reaching out for official comment, we were told that there’s nothing planned from the Chevrolet car or crossover team. The news is rather deflating, as the premise of a mid-engine Corvette debut at the last North American International Auto Show in January would have seen the event go out with a bang. But now with no mid-engine Corvette, and several withdrawals from multiple automakers – mostly European luxury brands – the 2019 North American International Auto Show will go out with a whimper.

Look for Cadillac to debut the 2020 XT6 crossover, which will likely be the sole GM debut during next month’s auto show. Other debuts will include the all-new Toyota Supra, 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, 2020 Ford Explorer, and perhaps a tease of the new Ford Bronco. The 2020 Ram HD and Ram TRX are also rumored to debut.

At this point, look for the debut of the mid-engine Corvette to happen either at the 2019 New York Auto Show, or during an event all its own sometime between January and springtime. From a historical standpoint, the New York Auto Show would be a nice fit, as the original 1953 Corvette originally made its world debut in The Big Apple that year during GM’s annual Motorama event.



What’s been a pipe dream for decades, the C8 mid-engine Corvette is expected to break new ground, reach new audiences, and achieve new levels of capability for the Corvette nameplate. Aside from the obvious changes in configuration, we expect the mid-engine Corvette to integrate a DOHC V8 engine design over a traditional Small Block pushrod V8, likely related to the new Cadillac Blackwing LTA V8 engine. We’re also expecting the integration of a quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission, as evident by spy videos and patent filings. A clutch-by-wire patent also implies that there may be a manual transmission, though it also implies that human-machine connection would be significantly buffered out. Lastly, names such as Manta Ray, GT, and Zora have all be rumored to variants of the mid-engine Corvette.

Stay tuned to GMAuthority as we continue to break the latest mid-engine Corvette news, and news on all other GM products as they happen.

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/12/...#ixzz5ZItt2Fdq

[C8-wannabe]

So, they want to do the reveal, then be in production and start deliveries ASAP after?

What's wrong with making it public a MY 2020 ASAP, and not having it out until late 2019, or even early 2020?

[John]

So, they want to do the reveal, then be in production and start deliveries ASAP after?

yes, exactly in the order you have listed...

[MidEngine]

Sometimes major media and I do not agree. This time I do. Maybe in the springtime?

[Frenzy36]

That's Great News ! N O T At least I don't have to fly there and Freeze.

[Mack]

I was sure hoping to get some news to warm up this already cold winter. As my father would have said, “all in good time son”. I hate that saying

[Mobius]

Hmm, I wonder how accurate the GM Authority story ultimately is...

Didn't Ford do a surprise reveal of the new GT at the 2015 NAIAS? Couldn't GM follow suit?

[John]

They sure could, but a betting person, even our MECF poll, indicates that is not the odds on favorite. However, I would love for gmauthority, others including me, and to get a call the beginning of January inviting me to their NAIAS timeframe reveal.

[Boomer]

Hmm, I wonder how accurate the GM Authority story ultimately is...

Didn't Ford do a surprise reveal of the new GT at the 2015 NAIAS? Couldn't GM follow suit?

Yea, who knows. Sounds like hearsay anyway:

"When reaching out for official comment, we were told that there’s nothing planned from the Chevrolet car or crossover team."



So whata they supposed to say, "Oh yea. Glad you asked. It will be revealed then. We wouldn't have told you if you hadn't asked."



I believe the C8 ME will be revealed when it is. Willing to take bets on that!

[TtiME]

Yea, who knows. Sounds like hearsay anyway:

"When reaching out for official comment, we were told that there’s nothing planned from the Chevrolet car or crossover team."



So whata they supposed to say, "Oh yea. Glad you asked. It will be revealed then. We wouldn't have told you if you hadn't asked."



I believe the C8 ME will be revealed when it is. Willing to take bets on that!

That’s exactly what I was thinking!! They are going to wait as long as possible to announce this car, to keep getting C7’s off the lot. If they announced it at LA there’s likely just that many for cars to sit or be even more discounted. Maybe it’s not a reveal at Detroit, maybe it’s a live stream the week of. Maybe it’s NYC, who knows

[John]

If there was one ounce of should GM announce it at NAIAS, I think the timing of the 14,000 GM layoffs precludes that. It just would not be popular/prudent to announced a new gala sports car that looks like a European expensive exotic mid engine, at a time when folks are still smarting (understatement) about those upcoming layoffs.

[Boomer]

If there was one ounce of should we announce it at NAIAS, I think the timing of the 14,000 GM layoffs precludes that. It just would not be popular/prudent to announced a new gala sports car that looks like a European expensive exotic mid engine, at a time when folks are still smarting (understatement) about those upcoming layoffs.

Yea, but its gotta be done sometime. No "time" is good in light of layoffs. When layoffs hit might be a bad time to announce "a new gala sports car that looks like a European expensive exotic mid engine".

[JB]

Gm authority knows nothing official. Great site but they do not have official information. The release could be at a hotel just before the show as automanufacturers have realized hotel reveals gives them greater control and greater time wih journalists than at an autoshow...

europeans are doing this as it costs about the same with greater time...

i expect with todays social media that will be the case. Of course it could be anytime or date...still i would hope before the detroit show and then have the vehicle available on display.

having said all that c7 inventory has been suggested at near 20k units so with that any future date is possible to try and sell off existing dealer inventory...

20k units is scarey high...thats not anywhere near the optimal 60 day inventory supply....(at current sales rate) 17400 units through november of 2017...we are looking at with20000 units...over a 365 day supply of inventory...

thats crazy high if true...so who of us actually knows what gm is going to do with regards to releasing the new c8 to the public...

with such a high inventory quoted by a member of this forum of new unsold c7s...

maybe the rumor of selling the c8 and c7 side by side will be coming true until the c7 inventory eventually subsides....

i suggest dramatic discounts for the c7 might be necessary to drain down the high inventory.

i had not any idea the c7 inventory levels had gotten that high until last week off this forum...

with that kind of inventory...i cant logically make even a guess at towhich way to go for the c8...

if i were gm...id shut down c7 production, change over to c8 production as soon as possible...discount the c7 s left over and build inventory for the c8 fir a nation wide launch with inventory on hand at the dealer level to cash in on the early extreme demand for the c8...

i cant see producing any more c7 s if inventory is already this high as stated on this forum...

do a tesla model 3 preorder like tesla did with options and a $1000 deposit nationwide...and start producing toorders placed...

id place my order for a torch red black interior c8 z51 dct, mrc npp 1lt ..

im ready to celebrate my 60th birthday with a nice gift to myself...

of course id like to see the car at least on the web, get an estimate on hp, transmission type (i want a dct) of course estimated pricing amd im good to go...

remember nobody knows anything official not even the nice fellas at gm authority...

[TtiME]

Gm authority knows nothing official. Great site but they do not have official information. The release could be at a hotel just before the show as automanufacturers have realized hotel reveals gives them greater control and greater time wih journalists than at an autoshow...

europeans are doing this as it costs about the same with greater time...

i expect with todays social media that will be the case. Of course it could be anytime or date...still i would hope before the detroit show and then have the vehicle available on display.

having said all that c7 inventory has been suggested at near 20k units so with that any future date is possible to try and sell off existing dealer inventory...

20k units is scarey high...thats not anywhere near the optimal 60 day inventory supply....(at current sales rate) 17400 units through november of 2017...we are looking at with20000 units...over a 365 day supply of inventory...

thats crazy high if true...so who of us actually knows what gm is going to do with regards to releasing the new c8 to the public...

with such a high inventory quoted by a member of this forum of new unsold c7s...

maybe the rumor of selling the c8 and c7 side by side will be coming true until the c7 inventory eventually subsides....

i suggest dramatic discounts for the c7 might be necessary to drain down the high inventory.

i had not any idea the c7 inventory levels had gotten that high until last week off this forum...

with that kind of inventory...i cant logically make even a guess at towhich way to go for the c8...

if i were gm...id shut down c7 production, change over to c8 production as soon as possible...discount the c7 s left over and build inventory for the c8 fir a nation wide launch with inventory on hand at the dealer level to cash in on the early extreme demand for the c8...

i cant see producing any more c7 s if inventory is already this high as stated on this forum...

do a tesla model 3 preorder like tesla did with options and a $1000 deposit nationwide...and start producing toorders placed...

id place my order for a torch red black interior c8 z51 dct, mrc npp 1lt ..

im ready to celebrate my 60th birthday with a nice gift to myself...

of course id like to see the car at least on the web, get an estimate on hp, transmission type (i want a dct) of course estimated pricing amd im good to go...

remember nobody knows anything official not even the nice fellas at gm authority...

Totally agree with you, I’ve been thinking the same thing if there really is this much surplus of c7s, discount them and get them off lots ASAP, and start C8 production so you have some inventory. I would think internally GM knows or is thinking this.

[John]

I think GM would love to do exactly that, i.e., start C8 production right around the corner. However, what if two years and three months ago GM embarked on a three year ME development and testing program — with their original intent to start making customer C8’s either late in the summer of, or early in the fall of 2019, e.g., the car is not yet ready to begin production and will not be ready for many, many more months.

GM knows that they must release an excellently functioning mid engine, and even though C7 sales have dropped far more than they want, they are smart enough not rush its development process.

We just need more patience.