GM Strike Will Not Impact 2020 Corvette C8 Production Schedule
9
Sponsored Links
Last week, we posted a response to rumors that the latest GM strike was causing production delays for the 2020 Corvette C8, arguing that it was highly unlikely. Now, we have further evidence to support the argument that the new mid-engine sports car will indeed arrive on schedule.
In an interview with United Auto Workers Local 2164 Bargaining Chairman Jason Watson, Bowling Green Daily News reports that plans to ramp up production of the 2020 Corvette are moving ahead as intended, with hundreds of new workers added to the GM Bowling Green Plant workforce via transfers from other GM plants.
“They’re transferring here, and some are on the picket line. The plant’s plan of having two shifts hasn’t changed. Things are still going forward,” Watson said.
Back in April, GM announced it was adding a second shift and 400 jobs to the Bowling Green Assembly Plant to help support production of the 2020 Corvette. The Bowling Green facility has exclusively produced the Corvette since 1981.
Further confirmation comes from Bowling Green Assembly Plant Director Kai Spande, who acknowledged that prep for 2020 Corvette production was continuing despite the GM strike.
“We hope that matters will be settled as soon as possible. We cannot speculate on the length of the strike but can confirm that we continue to do valuable work to support a successful launch of the 2020 Corvette Stingray,” Spande said.
What’s more, we’re still several months away from the the official production launch of the new mid-engine Vette in December, and although progress in contract negotiations between the UAW and GM are reportedly slow-going, that’s plenty of time to hash out an agreement.
As we reported previously, the GM strike doesn’t affect existing tooling for the 2020 Corvette at the Bowling Green plant, which is already nearly complete. GM halted Chevrolet Corvette C7 production more than a year ago to perform a number of assembly upgrades, while tooling for the C8 was underway as soon as the last C7 rolled off the line.
GM is now simply waiting for suppliers, addressing production line items and optimizing the build process. Even a few weeks of downtime won’t result in a significant delay, or any delay at all for that matter.
That said, in the unlikely scenario the GM strike does impact 2020 Corvette production, it’ll be minimal, as GM will simply buy overtime from workers as soon as the strike ends.
We’ll keep our eyes open in case anything changes, but in the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more GM-related UAW news, mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news and 24/7 GM news coverage.
Source: Bowling Green Daily News
Sponsored Links
How in the hell can GM pull this off without delays ? Sorry for anyone who has put a deposit down for a car that might be assembled by less skilled monkeys !
The article explains exactly what you are trying to be cheeky about. The strike doesn’t delay production if production doesn’t start for another 2 months and all of the tooling has been nearly completed. I’ve never seen a monkey on an assembly line either.
Yet !!!
If you listened to the Chevrolet team at the introduction of the 2020 C8 Corvette, they ‘said’ that the cars in the presentation came off the same assembly line as the 2020 C8 Corvettes and unless there’s a major change to the design of the C8, the Bowling Green assembly facility has stockpile of parts sitting as they prepare for the official greenlight to begin production.
“… unless there’s a major change to the design of the C8… ”
I guess you could say there were a few.
Everyone raves about how great the 2020 Chevrolet C8 Corvette is.. it makes you wonder whether people will love the C7 Corvette more in a few years.
new car. new design. new layout. new electrical system. new cooling system. huge dealer mark ups. assembled by disgruntled employees.
good luck to year one buyers.
Remarkably, most dealers I’ve read about are charging MSRP.
They also said the first years production was sold out.