Akerson, Juechter Say RHD Corvette Stingray Is On The Table, Tim Lee Denies It
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Of all the Corvette news and content we’ve provided over the past four days, this one is easily the most confusing. And nobody is really sure what to make of it.
During the 2014 Stingray’s highly publicized reveal, Australia’s Daily Telegraph newspaper inquired GM CEO Dan Akerson if this latest example of the Corvette would finally grace Australian shores in a right-hand-drive configuration. Simply, Akerson stated “yes,” and “soon.” To solidify Akerson’s remarks, Corvette lead engineer Tadge Juechter stated that he and his team have been hoping to finally make the Corvette a true global car, but it would take a few years before the vehicle would reach the land of Oz — perhaps by 2015 or 2016.
Then, seemingly out of left field, comes Tim Lee — GM president of international operations. Chances are he knows a thing or two about the company’s future global products, and he proceeds to squash all previous affirmations without hesitation.
“I have no idea what [Akerson] said but we have no plan to put a right-hand-drive under that bonnet. The Corvette is a Chevrolet, it’s not a Holden, it never will be, next question.” He added that there isn’t even engineering put forth into the project yet, much less plans to even launch a right-hand-drive Corvette.
Lee finished with: “this is a non-story from my point of view. You can write what you want to write, I really don’t give a [expletive]. But it is not in the mainstream plan.”
Ouch. It’s rather odd that three high-ranking GM officials couldn’t all have a clear and uniform answer. Another case of one hand not following the other, it seems. But if we were to listen to anyone, we would believe Juechter, as he spearheads the Corvette’s development.
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Akerson was wrong, he cannot remember everything he hears in meetings.
Reread what Tadge said. He said he and his team have been hoping to make a global vette, not that they are working on it. In fact he said it would take 2-3 years, about how long it would take to retool for a new IP and some other parts.
In the world of the Corvette, 2-3 years is “soon”.
Lee had better be careful. Sharp mouthed bigwigs at GM have been known to mysteriously resign or be relocated. I don’t see why he was being so aggressive with his answers. I think a right hand drive Corvette would be a brilliant idea and would open up new markets. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and all the other cars that GM lists as competitors to the Corvette are available in right hand drive. My first car was a left-hooker but I for one would NEVER buy another left hand drive vehicle in a right hand drive country. It looks tacky and has safety implications when overtaking. If GM wants the Corvette to be a truly global car they need to stop with this arrogance.
Arrogance??? I think it is a fiscal decision.
No, it is arrogance brought about by simply ignoring RHD consumers.
By making the C7 more appealing to RHD consumers, it makes it more appealing to more and more of them,
But if you want to peg it at costs, it takes money to make money, and I think it’s a cost well worth spending if it raises the global appeal of the C7….and one less thing to nit pick about.
Has Tim Lee always been so brash, or is he trying to muster up his inner Bob Lutz?
Auto shows are pretty hectic, and everyone’s nerves are usually shot by 10:00 AM on the first day.
I made this said comment about GM making almost all of its models including the Corvette, available in right-hand-drive (RHD). This would increase market potential for all of GM’s upcoming vehicles.
Hence, RHD vehicles would surely increase GM’s sales Globally, while improving the brand credibility for each GM nameplate.
How would they introduce it in Australia? The corvette is a Chevy and would never be a Holden, which means they have to introduce most of Chevy’s line up there if they were to sell it, and if they did wouldn’t it overlap would existing Holdens and just become one big mess?
The Stingray is more of a Corvette than it is a Chevy, if that makes sense.
They would just sell it as a Chevy vette at Holden stores. I think you can already get them there? I know there are vettes there already. They are in the NCRS and they many were sold new there.
Thirty four percent of the population require a RHD vehicle is that a market any company can afford to ignore.
If the pricing was comparable with the prices in the USA I for one suggest Chevrolet could do very well indeed.