It may sound like a cliché, but GM literally can not build enough units of the 2021 Chevy Corvette to meet demand. As of this writing, around 11,000 orders for the high-performance sports car need to be fulfilled, GM Authority has learned from sources close to the situation.
There are two complementary ways of dealing with this. One is to build the Chevy Corvette C8 in the greatest numbers possible. However, maintaining adequate supply levels has been problematic ever since the mid-engine Corvette made its debut for the 2020 model year.
The first setback occurred when the start of production was pushed back from December of 2019 to February of 2020 due to the 2019 UAW labor strike. Then, an industry-wide two-month factory shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation further. Since then, there have been yet more shutdowns in 2020 and 2021 due to parts shortages, most recently from March 1st to March 7th. And all the while, hopeful customers keep asking dealers to place orders.
To that end, General Motors has stopped accepting orders for the 2021 Corvette last month.
“Due to an overwhelming demand for the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Chevrolet has decided to stop taking sold orders on March 25th, 2021,” the automaker said in a prepared statement.
Every Chevy Corvette is built at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky. Currently, the maximum production rate for the vehicle is 186 units per day. It will take around 60 working days, or two working months, to build 11,000 units, if we optimistically assume that there will be no further shutdowns or production interruptions.
And all of this is simply to accommodate customers who are already waiting for their cars, not those who would like an order to be placed one day. And that’s not even to mention customers who wish to simply visit a dealer and buy an inventory unit, which is currently almost impossible. Perhaps it’s a nice problem for GM to have, but that doesn’t make it any less of a problem.
The 2021 Chevy Corvette is available as the Stingray model, itself available in Coupe (with a manually-removable top) and hard-top Convertible form. Each Stingray is, in turn, available in three trim levels called 1LT, 2LT and 3LT. All versions have are powered by the naturally aspirated 6.2L LT2 V8 engine which produces 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque in standard form, or 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque with the optional Performance Exhaust.
The 2022 Corvette range will be broadly similar, as it will continue to include the Stingray Coupe and Stingray Convertible. However, the lineup will grow to include the track-focused C8 Z06 and the E-Ray, the first gasoline-electric hybrid model in Corvette history. Chevy dealers will begin taking orders for the 2022 Corvette Stingray in July, while orders for the Z06 and E-Ray will likely open towards the end of the calendar year.
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Comments
I ordered in late September 2020. My order went to 3400 status this week. I should take delivery in about 4 weeks or so. 2LT convertible, shadow gray. I am seriously thinking of selling it.
I ordered mine in October 2020. I gave him my deposit and was told that my place in line was number 7 for the 2021 model. Called back 4 months later and was told I am 29 because 22 of the 2020 orders did not get filled. Called back today and found out that I was number 35 but he had great news, I am now number 24. Strange part is that I have yet to get an order number. I called the concierge and they thought that was strange as well. Not sure if I am getting my leg pulled or what. The dealer claims to receive the highest allocation of this very large city I live in but he as only received four C8’s this year and surpisingly all of them have been orphaned cars that were eventually sold at market. Can anyone shed some light on this? Is it normal to not get an order number after 9 months?
Take the profit and order another one from a dealer who has a high allocation.
And still wait another 8 months or more.
Budlar,
That is what I am thinking of doing. I had my original order with a mid volume dealer. They were going to get 100 this year. However I was 190th on their list. I immediately got my deposit back and went with one of the top dealers. A couple of friends have their orders with my original dealer and they ordered 8 months before me. They still do not know when they will get theirs.
Many people asking exorbitant prices over sticker. I would be willing to make a small profit and move on.
The anxiety will drive you nuts. Every time I see one or stand next to one at a car show, it’s a “gotta-have” one. Sure, for me it needs to be a convertible 3LT because if the interior options therefore it list around $83k. Add sales tax and it’s north of $90k. Then wait about a year? Well it’s double the cost of my 2019 1SS Camaro Convertible with nearly the same engine, LT1, 455HP. What to do, what to do? If you didn’t have to wait so long I probably pull the trigger.
Buy the Camaro, are you nuts. Same deal steel body. Your paying for status and there are better cars buddy.
I already own the Camaro. flickr (dot) com/photos/135926957@N03/albums/72157714872701606
No Comparison between the two. Anyone that say’s there is doesn’t own either one! My neighbor owns the ss also, A great car, but, not a Corvette! Never will be!
GeorgeS, I ordered a HTC 3LT in August 2020, delivered January 2021, $87510 + tax & license = $95k.
Worth every dollar too.
Hi, did you order your C8 from a large dealership, I ordered mine from a small town dealer in Sept. 2020, and still no production date.
ordered same time, small dealer ,stuck at level 3000
3000! Lucky you, I would be happy at 3000. I’m still at 1100. GM didn’t even except it yet. The way it’s going, I might not even get a C8.
I have seen more Hurracans in the Houston area than the new Corvettes. Maybe the Corvette is being the better choice of exotics lol
The total allocation process sucks in small dealer areas of the country!
you can order from any dealer that has a high allocation and they can arrange a courtesy delivery to dealer close to you.
GOOD LUCK SLICK
Don’t actually know a thing about ordering Corvettes, do you, “a”?
Tell me in what industry big customers don’t get better terms, one way or another? Think Best Buy doesn’t get better terms than ‘Pop’s appliances’?
The retail auto industry. The Federal Robinson-Patman act (as well as most state laws) prohibit pricing discrimination by Auto manufacturers or “tiered pricing”. So the biggest volume dealer and the smallest volume dealer pay the same price for the same vehicle. What the dealer sells it for is up to them. But I guarantee you they own them for the same price.
I placed my order back in Oct. of 2020. How do I find out where I am in the line of orders? I would like to be sure that my order was received.
The dealer should tell you, although I got information earlier by contacting the Corvette Museum.
I started in Aug 2020. and mine is scheduled to be built next week.
Tip: I did pay +$2,000 over MSRP, but it was worth it, as less people are willing to do it, but you get the car.
Call the Concierge Line @ 1-866-424-3892 they will ask for your name and order number then they can tell you the current status of your order.
The highest volume dealer in the country charges 1,000 just to get on their list. I paid the 1,000 and got on the list in December but have not made it to order status.
This whole process is crazy. I actually ordered one in late December from a dealer with 2 allocation left. They now tell me I will not get a 2021 but a 2022 sometime late 2021. Crazy but I will not pay the premium for a used one.
I will order from the highest volume dealer if I ever hear from them.
Maybe you’ll see it by 2023 with a nice price increase on top of dealers ridiculous mark up. Why is anyone paying over sticker?? Talk to your insurance company after you leave the dealership see what you get.
I’m afraid I have C8 taste on a C4 budget. Oh well, definitely a first world problem. Congratulations to all you lucky C8 owners!
I’m sorry C8 LOVERS; I’d rather find a C7 that fits my interests & shovel out the green. Because i’d rather have the engine in front than behind me!
The C8 will be in front of you also!
11,000 as of what date? Does this include April allocations, or just February and March? I think it’s probably just 2 months worth.
And 60 working days is NOT 2 working months. BGA doesn’t run 7 days a week. 60 working days takes us out to July 5th (with one day off for Memorial Day). And if this doesn’t include April orders, add another month or more before all the ’21s are finished.
There isn’t any April orders, Mar 25th was the last day to order a 2021. If that blog was correct.
Hearing another 5k GM will be adding on to their 2022’s, honestly don’t blame them when you have dealers marking them up why shouldn’t GM be making the profit. Luckily waiting for mind to go to 3400, not after though dealing with multiple dealers charging $5k to get on one list or $1k on another (no chance you’ll get selected on that $1k list) why even offer it out and another on wanting $10k over MSRP. These are the dealers that get the least allocations also since GM frowns on them and knows who they are. If your still looking to get on a list , well now for 2022, don’t think u need to pay over list, do your homework and ask what the dealers allocations have been in the past, like anything else there are reputable dealers and not no reputable dealers. Good luck
Dealers should charge a $20,000 cash deposit. It would get rid of the people who are wishing and can’t afford them, and stop clogging the system up.
Agree. AND it would stop the many people who are getting on 2 or 3 lists.
They need to do away with the allocation system and when you go to a dealer large or small and place an order with your deposit that’s the date GM should accept it and start filling the orders. And should be made that way and built according to when you ordered it.
Anita that’s how I thought it worked when I ordered my C8 in Sept. from a small dealership that had an allocation of 3. I think I’m screwed. Jim
Hang in there don’t loose hope! Placed my order in June my dealer told me they got the allocations and my order will go forward on Thursday, I will know hopefully tomorrow if GM accepts it, it’s been at 1100 a sold order since last June, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Good for the you, good luck on you order!
In my opinion, Dealers with the best ratio of his Allotments to his waiting list is the way to go.
Some dealers had ridiculous waiting lists (some keep that a secret), and others had almost no allocations.
A dealer with 1,000 allocations is of no value it if there are 2000 already in line.
I paid $2K over MSRP with a 8 month wait, because it was worth it to me, with fewer buyers to actually get the car.
They said there are two(2) complimentary ways of dealing with the 11,000 car shortage. ONE was build them in the greatest numbers possible. What is the second way ?????????????????
Stop accepting orders.
I ordered my c8 Sept no follow up on car
How many allocations dose your dealer have?
I tink fivtin or sixtin
I got onto two lists. One was a local dealer and the other was one of the top corvette dealers. Both charging MSRP and both giving me dates estimates. In January the local dealer told me probably December. In early February the national dealer told me April. Of course I could not wait, so I paid 7500 over msrp and bought a 1LT rapid blue with upgraded rims and performance exhaust. I couldn’t be more happy driving the Vette today while waiting for the order to hit. Today I was told my order is being accepted by GM and yes we will order it. Why? Because we know exactly what we want now and we can sell our car for more than we purchased it for and make up the difference in the new Vette.
New Vette will be a convertible 2LT with mag ride, lift system, performance exhaust and some color options here and there. Will be my wife and my dream car.
Why did we not wait? I learned as a cancer survivor that you have to live life as it comes to you. Every day matters to me. While I’m in good health now (amen), its a lifelong dream to own a car like this. It’s an incredible car. It truly is. Have a great week and good luck to everyone trying to get one of these amazing vehicles!
My order was accepted by GM, is now at a 2000 status was told to check back in a couple of weeks for further update. Don’t know how long it takes after it gets the 2000 status but I’m happy that it’s finally moving along. I’ve wanted a corvette for a long time, this is my dream car and finally becoming a reality.
Congratulations, a 2000 order is in “placed” Status, Which means your dealer received the allocation and prioritized your order as the one he wants built that week.In the weekly cycle this happens on a Tuesday and on the Wednesday it will go to 2500, and on the Thursday it will be at 3000. Then it’s up to the factory to schedule it for production. So a 2000 status order means you should actually get a vehicle.
Thank you so much, I’ve been waiting so long for this one. This will be my third Corvette Convertible,I had a C2, C3, and now a C8. If you can, I would surely appreciate being kept up to date, on the progress of my car. Again, Thank you so much, Yours Truly, Gary
Thanks, Bob for Nothing, I was told you ran out of Zeus Brown Paint??????? As well as orange.
You tell me this now? Class real Class!!
AS long as it’s not the one that was ordered!!!
I texted the Museum since it’s a museum delivery and they gave me a TPW of June 28, that’s seems like a long wait from the time it was excepted to a 2000 status. But I don’t control it, so I just wait. I know it’s going to be worth it.
We just got a message from our dealer in Canada, that they have run out of paint for the Zeus Brown and Orange Cars also?
A car that was ordered last year?
What kind of B.S. is that, especially after receiving a letter from Bob Lutz stating the order was at 2000,
I should cancel the Damn order!!!! I just might!
A very Upset Chevrolet Person at this moment!
I knew they were stopping those colors, but I thought not for another month. I ordered the Shadow grey last summer, and mine was just built last week, but they will be stopping that color also in July I think. These cars are becoming so hard to get, I would change the color if I had to. They do have a new orange, a coffee color, and a light grey to replace these 3 colors, though I don’t know how much different they are. Still, it sucks after waiting so long for what you wanted.
So does anyone know what it means that dealers got their May and June allocations. What allocations are these now? I thought they shut the order books at the end of March and no more were being accepted. Now hearing they are shutting the plant this week once again and the 2022’s are set production to begin September 6th. I wish they would stop throwing out dates and just produce these cars
I think these are allocations for sold orders placed months before. My dealer didn’t get his allocations for my Sept 2020 order yet!
An allocation is just an offer from the factory to a dealer, to order a car for someone already waiting. Plant closures and problems (even stopping a color) can make this void at any time.
After months of painful waiting, my car will finally be at the dealers next week.
Mine was to be built this week but they tell me plant is shut down again? Anyone have any info on that??
I ordered on 8/2020. Was called 3/2021 that I’m at status 3000. Emailed concierge Friday and got a response I’m still at 3000. Will this be built this year or am I looking at a 2022? Thanks in advance.
I ordered my C8 In Sept and my dealer was just told May 13th that it will not get built this year because of the parts shortage, and the start up of the 2022 in July. Dose anyone known if I have to start from the beginning and order it, and wait for an allocation all over again. I called and was told I was at 1100 still!
I’m in the same boat, ordered mine in February, got lucky with the dealer and they matched my order with an allocation and went to 3000 on March 23rd, still waiting for that 3400 milestone. Apparently the factory checked my order twice so been told should be soon, they build them batches, color , style, etc so it’s where your order falls to them making that style a customer orders. I’ve spoke to the corvette Conceirge desk a number of times and slowly extracted a little more new bits of information each time. Just fingers crossed no more plant shutdowns so hopefully we get a car before this model year is up.
I would order from a dealer that receives larger allocations . Your dealer should be able to give you an idea of where you fall in line based on the allocations they receive, if they do not I would find another dealer. If your at 1100, that means the dealer has not matched up your order with an allocation yet. Once they match your order with their allocation received from GM , your status will change to 3000 and your on your way getting a car.
If you actually want a car, you must consider the Dealer allocations number to the people in line. Many dealers avoid talking about this because they really don’t care and just want you in line waiting. For myself, paying $2K over MSRP got me higher on the list due to most not wanting to pay the extra cost, but then again, I will pick it up this week.
You can hold to MSRP at a dealership with a thousand in line, but don’t expect a car for 2 or 3 years.
I think it’s BS the way GM fills orders according to size of dealership. When you place an order with a dealer that should be the order it is made. My order was matched with the allocation it was at 2000 on 4/19, it’s now at a 3000 status , the concierges don’t have a TPW, but I got info by the NCM my TPW was 6/28. I’m doing the Museum delivery. At this point it looks like I should get mine, it just seems to take forever.
I’m glad for you that your getting your car, my dealer was told by GM that they will not get anymore allocation’s for 2021. I am next in line at my dealership for a car, so I don’t no what happens now. Do I have to reorder, or just wait in line? Nobody is able to advise me.
Wow, 4/19? That is terrible ! It seems to me that 2000 status really means nothing, until it goes to 3000. I do agree, it does not seem fair with the allocations, but from GM’s view, they don’t want 100 cars going to a tiny dealership with no room and one overbooked certified C8 mechanic either. In any case, you sure deserve to get your order rushed through from here !
I’m at status 3000 with no TPW. I just keep getting told to follow up in 4 weeks which puts me in to June, with no actual answer. It’s almost 12 months already. Pretty pathetic. I’m hoping it’s worth the wait.
The article says there are still 11,000 “orders.” What constitutes an “order?” Is my 1100 status order which has an order number, but is also identified with “Preliminary Order Detail,” considered to be an order? If not, what status constitutes an order?
I talked with my dealer today, who talked with his factory rep last week and was told with my 1100 status will have to reorder for 2022
And get in line just like 2021 and wait for his allocations to come back around next summer. Nice hey, after waiting 8 months, that’s it!! I can’t understand why they give Brazil, Australia, and the UK cars before completing the American orders. Did their tax dollars bail them out of bankruptcy after 08?
Hey Jim, I wish you hadn’t brought up the bail out – that’s a sore spot with me. I had been buying GM and went looking for a ’09 truck to replace my S15. The dealer showed me a fancy schmansy Silverado for a crazy low price. I realized they were using the bailout (my money) to undersell their comp. That hacked me off. That, coupled with GM changing On Star, making my four year old Park Ave On Star obsolete, was too much. So, I got a Lariat (Ford didn’t take any bailout), then a Mustang, and then a Continental. GM made their decisions, and I made mine. I’m guessing selling overseas commands a bigger margin, or they’re just keeping their foot in the door of those markets. Guess we’ll see how it plays out.
I have one deposit (Dec ’20) at a local dealer in VA who usually gets 6 allocations/year. They’re noncommunicative about status. So last month, I placed a second order with MacMulkin Chevy in NH who seems more dialed in. We’ll see.
If the plant stayed operational, they would be producing close to 50,000 units annually based on their daily output of 186 cars. 50,000 is very high compared to historical Corvette production numbers. If they didn’t have Covid, a strike, and now part shortages, I think most of the customers would be getting their cars in a reasonable time period. But some detailed transparency from GM would be nice. I asked the Corvette concierge how many people were at status 1100, but he said there’s no way to tell. No way to tell? It’s in their stinking computer system.
Finally moved to 3300. No TPW yet. I’m expecting end of July but who knows.
Finally picked it up July 8th. It’s beautiful. We’ll worth the wait and second job. 11 months and 2 weeks wait.
I placed an order for a black convertible c8 with the lt3 package and red morello interior, front lift system, and z51 package. This is a first brand new car i ordered in my life, and i am now 65 yr old., in october 2018 when i first find out about the hard top convertible, and the rear engine position. All my life, i wanted an exotic car but the cost and the maintenance upkeep keep on becoming un realistic!.
I got delivery in august 2021 just before my 65 fifth bday. I never felt such excitement driving a car in my life. Congratulations to chevrolet for this well finished, supper comfortable exotic looking car. I love this car! It was well worth the wait !
Frank
Ordered my accelerate yellow C8 in September 2021 just got my allocation. They say delivery will me. February 2022.