2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray reportedly delayed as UAW-GM strike carries on
There are supposedly still C7-generation Corvette orders to build.
The strike could put the launch of this highly anticipated car behind schedule.
It might take a little while longer for the first 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays to reach customers, due to a little hiccup known as the latest UAW-GM strike.
The Detroit Free Press today cited two sources close to GM production plans that said the UAW strike, now in its 22nd day, has left some C7-generation Corvette orders outstanding. The Bowling Green, Kentucky, production plant was also supposedly slated to shut down this week for retooling ahead of a production start date for the mid-engine Corvette Stingray .
A Chevy representative said in a statement, "The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray production begins in late 2019 and convertible production follows in late first-quarter 2020. It's too early to speculate on potential production timing impacts on any of our vehicles due to the UAW work stoppage."
It's unclear when the official final day of production for the C7 Corvette is, or was supposed to be. Dealers were able to submit orders for 2019 Corvette models through July 18 as long as the dealer had allocation available. Otherwise, books closed on June 25. Right now, the two sources said it's impossible to prep for 2020 Corvette Stingray production since there are still 2019 Corvettes that need building. After that, the plant will still need to go idle for a period of retooling.
One dealership told the Detroit Free Press that C8-generation Corvette production was scheduled to start in December, though Chevy did not confirm this.
As of now, it doesn't appear there's any end in sight to the UAW strike. Over the weekend, the UAW provided an update on negotiations and said GM had failed to respond to the latest UAW proposal. Instead, it reverted to its previously rejected offer. Terry Dittes, head of the UAW's GM department, said talks had taken a "turn for the worse" after the latest exchange. Numerous big-ticket items supposedly remain on the bargaining table such as job security, health care and profit sharing.
