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Introductory note: This thread was written three weeks ago when it was looking like both FE’s and ME’s would be built next year, side-by-side. Since then, some are questioning whether C7’s will even continue. Whether C7’s will be build next year OR not, still lots of ideas in here as to why the thread’s main thesis, that ME customer deliveries could occur early next summer, might be what actually happens.
We have an earlier thread that estimated that actual production of customer ME’s would start next June — though the first customer cars would still not be delivered until late summer of 2019. Here is that thread.
https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...te-next-summer
But might there be circumstances by which customer ME deliveries could start earlier? And if so, what could they be?
A) Maybe 2019 Production Ceases Earlier And Thus ME’s Start To Be Assembled Sooner?
A December 11, 2017 memo to all Chevy dealers getting a 2019 ZR1, stated that production of ZR1’s would end “‘estimated’. March, 2019.” [The word “estimated” was GM’s.]
However, what if, for either or both of the following reasons, production of 2019’s were to stop earlier than March, 2019?
1) 2019 Corvette sales are starting to drop at an increasing rate. While the big forum dealers are continuing to sell pre-sold, custom-optioned new Corvettes, too many smaller dealers are just plain “not moving stock” — compounded by many dealers still having 2018 Corvettes to sell (and yes, even more regrettably, still some unsold 2017’S at some dealers). Sales of 2019 Corvettes compared to one year earlier are down 25.2% in the U.S., down 52% in Canada.
2) What if the 2020 ME is ready for production earlier than we originally thought, with the consequences that the first customer cars could arrive prior to the end of next summer?
Solution to both:
Start to assemble the 2020’s ME as soon as they are, “customer car, production line ready,” and if C7 ZR12 production were to occur again next year, “re-name” all ZR1’s produced from that time forward as 2020 ZR1’s. I doubt a single customer who would have been told they were originally getting a 2019 ZR1, would be anything but delighted that they would instead be getting a 2020 ZR1. And if there are not even any 2020 ZR1’s (let alone no SR/GS/Z06 models), it would be even easier for GM to start 2020 ME production earlier.
How soon could this move up 2020 ME production? We simply do not know. However, we do know that there is still anamount of ME development testing still needed to occur, and legally critical, one can not sell a 2020 model year vehicle in the U.S., prior to the first day of the proceeding year, e.g., not before January 1, 2019. On the postive side, a little birdie has been recently chirping as how the ME’s are nicely developing.
B) There are two other scenarios which could move up 2020 ME customer deliveries, as follows:
1) The assembly part of the Plant was completely gutted last fall, with all new equipment purchased that was compatible with both 2019+ C7 assembly and 2020+ ME assembly. What if the transition time from the 2019 C7’s end production, until assembly of the 2020 MEs starts, is a lot less than the 6-8 weeks earlier envisioned to move/change equipment and train staff, were reduced to say just 4 weeks?
2) What if, secondarily, as a result of the new job training procedures implemented last fall (during the 13 week Plant shut down), and the new equipment installed then, results in a faster ME ramp up process than the many-months-long C7 time period between the first customer C7 being built, i.e., whereas the first C7 was delivered to a customer on September. 19, 2013 (with that C7 ramp up taking about 4 months), but what if the ramp up for the C8 could be a month or maybe even two months shorter.
With progressively declining C7 sales, GM‘s now-nine-month-old estimate of next March being the end of 2019 production, could well have been since moved up one, two or even three months. Additionally this thread has two scenarios for a shorter “ME building ramp up process,” One or both of these factors could alone or together move first ME deliveries to perhaps even the beginning of next summer.
So while this thread gets us no closer to knowing the actual time when 2020 ME’s could start to be delivered, hopefully it frames some options and presents food for thought as to what might be happening when, and what could move up 2020 ME production from the now-projected end of next summer to maybe as early as the beginning of next month — IF everything listed above were turn out perfectly?
We have an earlier thread that estimated that actual production of customer ME’s would start next June — though the first customer cars would still not be delivered until late summer of 2019. Here is that thread.
https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...te-next-summer
But might there be circumstances by which customer ME deliveries could start earlier? And if so, what could they be?
A) Maybe 2019 Production Ceases Earlier And Thus ME’s Start To Be Assembled Sooner?
A December 11, 2017 memo to all Chevy dealers getting a 2019 ZR1, stated that production of ZR1’s would end “‘estimated’. March, 2019.” [The word “estimated” was GM’s.]
However, what if, for either or both of the following reasons, production of 2019’s were to stop earlier than March, 2019?
1) 2019 Corvette sales are starting to drop at an increasing rate. While the big forum dealers are continuing to sell pre-sold, custom-optioned new Corvettes, too many smaller dealers are just plain “not moving stock” — compounded by many dealers still having 2018 Corvettes to sell (and yes, even more regrettably, still some unsold 2017’S at some dealers). Sales of 2019 Corvettes compared to one year earlier are down 25.2% in the U.S., down 52% in Canada.
2) What if the 2020 ME is ready for production earlier than we originally thought, with the consequences that the first customer cars could arrive prior to the end of next summer?
Solution to both:
Start to assemble the 2020’s ME as soon as they are, “customer car, production line ready,” and if C7 ZR12 production were to occur again next year, “re-name” all ZR1’s produced from that time forward as 2020 ZR1’s. I doubt a single customer who would have been told they were originally getting a 2019 ZR1, would be anything but delighted that they would instead be getting a 2020 ZR1. And if there are not even any 2020 ZR1’s (let alone no SR/GS/Z06 models), it would be even easier for GM to start 2020 ME production earlier.
How soon could this move up 2020 ME production? We simply do not know. However, we do know that there is still anamount of ME development testing still needed to occur, and legally critical, one can not sell a 2020 model year vehicle in the U.S., prior to the first day of the proceeding year, e.g., not before January 1, 2019. On the postive side, a little birdie has been recently chirping as how the ME’s are nicely developing.
B) There are two other scenarios which could move up 2020 ME customer deliveries, as follows:
1) The assembly part of the Plant was completely gutted last fall, with all new equipment purchased that was compatible with both 2019+ C7 assembly and 2020+ ME assembly. What if the transition time from the 2019 C7’s end production, until assembly of the 2020 MEs starts, is a lot less than the 6-8 weeks earlier envisioned to move/change equipment and train staff, were reduced to say just 4 weeks?
2) What if, secondarily, as a result of the new job training procedures implemented last fall (during the 13 week Plant shut down), and the new equipment installed then, results in a faster ME ramp up process than the many-months-long C7 time period between the first customer C7 being built, i.e., whereas the first C7 was delivered to a customer on September. 19, 2013 (with that C7 ramp up taking about 4 months), but what if the ramp up for the C8 could be a month or maybe even two months shorter.
With progressively declining C7 sales, GM‘s now-nine-month-old estimate of next March being the end of 2019 production, could well have been since moved up one, two or even three months. Additionally this thread has two scenarios for a shorter “ME building ramp up process,” One or both of these factors could alone or together move first ME deliveries to perhaps even the beginning of next summer.
So while this thread gets us no closer to knowing the actual time when 2020 ME’s could start to be delivered, hopefully it frames some options and presents food for thought as to what might be happening when, and what could move up 2020 ME production from the now-projected end of next summer to maybe as early as the beginning of next month — IF everything listed above were turn out perfectly?
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