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Final C7 Corvette Rolls Off Old Assembly Line In Bowling Green

Big changes are coming to the Corvette’s Bowling Green assembly plant. While orders for a 2018 C7 Corvette go on hiatus, the final C7 Corvette rolled off the “old” assembly line, according to Corvette Blogger.

What is now referred to as the “old” assembly line dates back to 1997 and the C5 generation Corvette. Much of the processes and equipment have been in place for the past 20 years, in which three generations of the iconic sports car have built. The Bowling Green facility will shut down next month for three months as the assembly line is retooled.

The retooling will include the plant’s brand-new paint shop. In the process, the assembly line will be routed closer to the facility as well.

Of course, those are the “official” reasons as to why the plant will be offline for so long. Much speculation surrounds the C8 Corvette, which is rumored and widely expected to move to a mid-engine layout. The assembly line changes will also allow for flexible assembly methods, another indicator to more significant changes afoot for the Corvette lineup.

When the GM Bowling Green plant line is back up and running, it will actually slow down. The old line had a pace for 18 cars an hour; the new line will allow for 12 cars per hour. It will give workers that much more time to ensure that quality and proper processes are achieved.

The final Corvette to leave the old line was a 2018 C7 Corvette Stingray in Torch Red. Its owner or order is unknown, but let it be known the car is actually a significant piece of the nameplate’s history.

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Former GM Authority staff writer.

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