No ME Chrome Wheels

[John]

How could this be true, that the 2020+ Corvettes will not offer any chrome wheels? The 2020+ ME's will, just like not allowing a manual transmission, not offering a soft top convertible, not having the capacity for two golf bags, and, lastly, not provide a chrome wheel option.

Historical Facts/Trends:

When the C6 generation ended in 2013, 52 % of its wheels were chrome.

One of the two.1.13.13 C7 “reveal Stingrays” had chrome wheels.

The percentage of chrome wheels ordered kept falling throughout the C7 generation. The last year that full production Corvette stats were released, 2018, had chrome wheels being ordered only on 19.8% of Corvettes.

No OEM, on their ME, offers chrome as a standard wheel, nor even as a factory listed option.

This “no chrome wheel on the ME news” was provided to “spinkick” by his friend who is a ME test driver. As GM is going to position the Corvette ME as a world class exotic , why would GM uniquely offer chrome wheels -- especially with the further compounding factors of significant warranty replacement costs on C7 chrome wheels (I have three friends who had every one of their chrome wheels replaced under warranty for chrome failure their first year), chrome wheels now being less than 1 in 5 Corvettes ordered, and of course, environmentally no matter how much some like chrome, it is an ecological nightmare.

If later verified at the time of the reveal, that chrome Corvettes wheels are not OEM offered, I wonder how soon aftermarket ME chrome wheels become available?

Certainly interesting times in “Corvette rumor city.” However, less than 175 days to get to “GM official fact” information.

[Bikerjulio]

Interesting you should write this. My 2010 GS has the chrome wheels and it's the only thing I'd change. Not that I'm going to but I prefer less flashy.

My other car is a new Golf R which comes standard with nice natural alloy color wheels, but in 19". But since it's a winter car I've been looking for winter wheels. The Golf R forum is packed with fanatics and information on wheels. The winter wheels thread must have about 100 pages. Many people go for black. My feeling is that black wheels tend to disappear. My current favorite is a Titanium/Gunmetal type finish. Which I would like on my new ME if available.

[John]

At the BASH, Mike Furman and I talked with Kirk Bennion about “black chrome,” for I would love to see that as an option. His response was that GM has yet to accept it for the Corvette, that while he personally likes black chrome wheels a lot, potential suppliers have yet to provide sample sets of wheels to GM that have color consistently identical for all four wheels.

I like your suggested Titanium/Gunmetal type of finish as an option also. Give us those with a flat finish option, one with a satin finish, and one with a high gloss. That could work well for most customers.

I almost bought a Golf R, and spent lots of time on its forum. Those are passionate folks, with lots of smarts. Got a WRX instead due to where we live, and went with a “Ultra Black Chrome” powder coat substitution for changing the factory painted wheels to a color we wanted.

[OnPoint]

GM needs to get with the times and offer a multitude of tinted powder coat wheels. You can adjust the level of tint from nothing (i.e. clear powder coat over brushed aluminum wheels) through various shades (and different color tints) all the way to dark. And the powder coat is more durable than painted finishes, If you look at high end forged wheels you'll mostly see powder coated wheels with a tint chosen by the customer.

Less ecologically impacting, more durable than paint finishes, and with the flexibility of myriad finishes.

As for not offering chrome - that doesn't really surprise me. Chrome wheels depend a bit on the "personality" of the car. I.e. they great on some cars, or even some colors of cars, but not others depending on their style personality. The ME to me wouldn't strike me as being a natural fit for chrome wheels to look right on it. As a high-end Eurofighter type of machine, it just doesn't have the personality that matches up to them.

[meyerweb]

Ii think some 25 - 30% of current Corvette owners will refuse to buy an ME if they can't get chrome wheels.

[John]

I have a different perspective. Since less than 20% ordered their 2018 with chrome wheels, and many who did such as two friends of mine, have said that they would make a change for the right wheels if non-chromed ones were the only ones factory available. Consequently, I think that the actual refusal to buy might be a very small number.

I asked a friend of mine who adores his C7 (in fact is now on his second, both factory ordered with chromes), if when the C7 came out, he would have refused to buy it, and he said, “no, I love the C7,” adding,”I probably would have gone aftermarket for chrome.”

And for those who refuse to buy the ME for that specific reason, they would still be able to get their 2020+ C7 with chromed wheels.

[John]

GM needs to get with the times and offer a multitude of tinted powder coat wheels. You can adjust the level of tint from nothing (i.e. clear powder coat over brushed aluminum wheels) through various shades (and different color tints) all the way to dark. And the powder coat is more durable than painted finishes, If you look at high end forged wheels you'll mostly see powder coated wheels with a tint chosen by the customer.

Less ecologically impacting, more durable than paint finishes, and with the flexibility of myriad finishes.

As for not offering chrome - that doesn't really surprise me. Chrome wheels depend a bit on the "personality" of the car. I.e. they great on some cars, or even some colors of cars, but not others depending on their style personality. The ME to me wouldn't strike me as being a natural fit for chrome wheels to look right on it. As a high-end Eurofighter type of machine, it just doesn't have the personality that matches up to them.

I do not ordinary re-quote a post that I totally agree with, but there are occaisionally exceptions for outstanding posts.

[Strake]

While I agree that chrome wheels might not look right on this type of machine, I'm still a big fan of them depending on the color of the car..... darker colors look great with chrome IMO.

[U.S. Marine]

If I were fortunate to purchase a C8 Masterpiece ME and the General didn't offer chrome wheels, my first mod would be to have them stripped and chromed. It is true that the majority of vehicle owners like the darker shaded wheels, times and wheel appearance have changed. I grew up with chrome wheels and will continue to enjoy them on our vehicles. I learned years ago owning my first vehicle at 14, we all enjoy different things when it comes to our rides. I can picture in my mind a wheel that the General offers for the C8 that would look outstanding chrome, silver, black, etc. Hopefully it will be almost indestructible and the lightest OEM wheel ever offered by a manufacturer.

SF
Rick

[Ssscooter66]

I'm with you Rick, if no factory chrome wheels then that would be the first "mod" !

[John]

Hopefully it (the ME’s wheel) will be almost indestructible and the lightest OEM wheel ever offered by a manufacturer. SF. Rick

Yes; YES! The lightest and strongest OEM wheels fitted to a Corvette were those on the 2013 Z06 and ZR1, which we identically made/used on the 2017+ GS’s.

[Fireeagle]

Ii think some 25 - 30% of current Corvette owners will refuse to buy an ME if they can't get chrome wheels.

I would be one of them. Chrome all the way!!!!

Or I could just go after market.

[Fireeagle]

Maybe bring back the Cragers.

[jbeidl]

I would be one of them. Chrome all the way!!!!

Or I could just go after market.

Plus 1 on that.

When I was looking to order my 2017 3LT Long Beach Red Grand Sport Coupe I considered the "Spice Package". My problem was that this package forced machined wheels, no chrome. I did not go for the "Spice Package" because of the wheels.

[JB]

I’m not a huge fan of chrome rims because of the road conditions around the ny tri state area can really screw up rims...chrome rims are the most fragile in this environment and more difficult to repair..

hit a pothole or a metal plate on the highway at speed and it’s easier to reshape and paint than it is to deal with a chrome wheel that has part of the chrome chipped off.

jmo but if guys dig chrome and they can better avoid potholes and metal plates in their area...then it’s cool if they want chrome.

im a firm believer in giving consumers what they want...

that includes manual gearboxes too..

i personally dont believe gm and the corvette marketing team are going to walk away from 23 percent of the customer base...

at an annual rate of 36000 units...20 percent is 7200 units...

any business woukd be crazy to walk to walk away from 23 percent of their customer bases desires..

i think these rumors are based on one of two things.

trolls causing havoc on the forums to get attention...or

gm spread the rumor to sell as many c7 s as possible..

the discounts are coming and are already quite enticing..

spread a rumor that manuals are dying off in the corvette and diehart manual lovers lovers will take that leap for a c7 of various models Andy i fully expect the pricing to be amazing in the last year...

i remember the last year of the c4 s...they were selling c4 s for 29999..

last year of the c5s...they were an easy deal..

2017 corvettes before the paint shop rework plant closing ...grand sports were going at 56888. I don the remember the list price but my dentist flew to Detroit to get his first corvette for 56888... best ride home ever was his words and his huge smile to this day cracks me up every time I go for a checkup..

chrime rims..if people want them...offer them....who cares

if people want manual transmissions?im sure the suppliers can produce something to keep GM bean counters happy..

ive been driving manuals for 40 years....and I’m definitely going dct ...

the technology is just to cool to not have in at least one of my sports cars..

btw the zf 8 speed torque converter automatic in my alfa Stelvio ti sport I just picked up is pretty slick...

i dont play with it much but its not bad...

for some reason whenever I paddle shift a torque converter automatic and this includes GMs 8 speed...I always feel as if I’m going to blow up the transmission...

must be my memories as a kid in the seventies when we knew better than to manually shift an automatic

the dct just feels more like a manual transmission with each manual engagement chosen.