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Simultaneous Corvette C8 And C7 Production Never Even Considered

Now that the all-new 2020 Corvette C8 has officially made its big debut, all those rumors we’ve collected over the past years are finally being put to the test. One of of the rumors, like the one that Chevrolet would offer the Corvette C8 in a right-hand drive version, turned out to be true, while others, like the one about a surprise debut for the C8 at the 2019 North American International Auto Show, not so much. And now, we know that GM never intended to produce the all-new C8 alongside the outgoing Corvette C7.

During the July 18th debut of the 2020 Corvette in Tustin, California, we asked GM President, Mark Reuss, if GM ever considered simultaneous production of the C8 and C7. Reuss responded by saying, “That wasn’t something that we planned. This [mid-engine Corvette C8] was always the replacement.”

2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupe Z51 Performance Package with Carbon Flash Badges and Carbon Flash Accents Exterior Torch Red in Studio 010 front end - roof panel on

This is particularly noteworthy as it demonstrates that GM had always intended the new mid-engine 2020 Corvette to completely replace the outgoing Corvette C7, rather than create a separate sub-family of Corvette models, as was rumored in the months leading up to the C8’s reveal.

While we’re still on the fence as to whether or not the new 2020 Corvette will be as much of a commercial success as the C7 when it  comes to sales over the long haul, Chevy seems committed to offering its most famous sports car nameplate exclusively with a mid-engine configuration going forward, making the C7 last-ever front-engined Corvette ever produced.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupe Exterior Torch Red rear engine cover

For many, the hype of the new 2020 Corvette C8 will stay strong well after the first examples start rolling into dealers, and memories of the C7 won’t be twinged with a sense of longing for “the way things used to be.” We certainly hope that’s the case for the majority, and that the tidal wave of support for the C8 we’re seeing since the car’s debut can translate to actual sales figures.

Subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette C7 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. At first it sounded plausible. But as time went on it made less sense.

    Today now that we see the C8 it makes no sense as we will see a ton of C8 orders and we still have 3 months of C7s sitting on the dealer lots discounted.

    Every bit of production will be needed for th3 C8 for a good while.

    If you want a C7 now is the time to buy and there will be a good supply of used one available at dropping prices for a good while. If you wanted one you will get a great deal in the next 10 years on them.

    Reply
  2. It always made sense to me to kill the old and build the newer car. There simply isn’t any room inside Bowling Green for 2 separate production lines for two completely different cars that are both aimed at the same market.

    Reply
    1. I agree with Grawdaddy. I believe GM considered building both, but Bowling Green isn’t big enough. The C7 is a great car, but C8 will outsell it.

      Reply
  3. Would they consider building a few Camaros for those who want them? When the Lansing Craft Center closed they lost the niche-build ability and a slew of dedicated artisans. My late-fiancée’s favorite vehicle was her 1990 Buick Reatta built at the Craft Center.

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    1. Yeah they can use the gen 7 Corvette platform for the gen 7 Camaro. Like when they built the gen 6 Corvette, and used the gen 5 platform for the Cadillac XLR.

      Reply
  4. This is not a good play. There is plenty of life left in the C7, it just needed some updates here and there that would have allowed it to have gone steady another 10 years. The mid-engine car should have been a Cadillac with a $25,000 higher price tag than the C8.

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  5. I for one do not see a problem keeping the C7 when the C8 comes out. C7 has brought awesome cars. However, a C7 with a sticker price higher than $60k is obviously going to be problematic. However, if they bring the price below, say $50k, that can result problematic as well…

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    1. Correcting myself: Now I see many problems by keeping the C7 for pretty obvious reasons…

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  6. Since the C8 is relatively cheap and not much more expensive than the C7 I think it is impractical to build 2 cars in the same price bracket. If the c8 cost like 100k it would make sense.

    But I would love for them to build a baby corvette! I would 100% buy one of those. Something cheap and fuel efficient that is fun to drive without breaking the bank. Especially if they end up killing off the camaro it would be great to have a cheap sports car in the 25-40k range. Something like a pontiac solstice with a turbo 4 and the C7 design language.

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  7. Now that it being reported that the 2020 production may already be nearly reserved there is no room to build the C7 that would take production room.

    Chevy is a value leader car maker that makes a sports car not a sports car company. There is little need for two 2 seat cars. They need to solve the Malibu issues and figure out how to sell more of them.

    A small sports car like the solstice would sell at first but then sales would drop as they did with the Pontiac as they are a limited customer base. Even the Miata sells in the teens in a good year and Fiat has to be used to leverage more production at that price point.

    Reply
  8. GM should continue the upper tier C7 models (ZO6 and ZR1) until C8 replacements arrive, much like Porsche does with their staggered releases of 911 generations. The C7 ZR1 should have 2 more years before being axed, even if the traditional platform will then be gone forever.

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  9. GM has a tendency to screw up models on a major changeover!!!! They ” forget” to consult their customers who BUY their products!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. They priced the ZR-1 out of it’s market!!!!!! Same for the Camaro!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    1. It’s not overpriced. It’s just out of reach.

      Reply
  11. That’s not what Tadge said, recent interview said they’d thought about it, put them side by side and thought, we can’t sell this FR, it’s done.

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  12. C8 is nice. But I’m not buying a brand new Corvette till 2021, and much prefer the c7. Is the American traditional long hood, muscle sports cars that are the signature of America coolness. I’m not interested in European cars looks, and the c8 now looks more like a China cheap knockoff, version of a poor man rich car Ferrari. Hoping GM will retain the c7 production through 2021, until I can get my hand on a c7 brand new.

    Reply
  13. What you or anyone else want is irrelevant. The C7 is ceasing production, and won’t be available new in 2020 and beyond.

    Reply

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