Chevy dealers appear to be having trouble keeping Chevy Corvette units on the lot due to ongoing high demand, with Vettes having just 23 days supply in inventory through September 2023.
Chevy Corvette supply is far below the 60 days supply generally considered optimal by the automotive sector, and was the lowest of all GM models across all four major brands – Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac, Cox Automotive reports.
While having just slightly more than three weeks’ worth of the nameplate on hand represents a very tight supply, the situation has been similar ever since the Chevy Corvette C8 arrived with the 2020 model year. Historically, inventory has been even more limited at times, such as when supply of the C8 Stingray was running at 5 days in August 2022.
So far, the year’s biggest obstacle to higher Vette production levels has come from supplier constraints, with a possible carbon fiber component shortage leaving hundreds of 2023 Corvette Z06 cars sitting unfinished in a lot outside the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky as the brand hits a series of production potholes.
So far, the ongoing UAW strike has not affected production of the Bow Tie sports car. A strike by Canadian labor union at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant earlier this month briefly jeopardized production of the vehicle’s eight-speed dual clutch transmission, but the walkout was resolved in only 13 hours.
While the UAW strike hasn’t impacted Corvette supply yet, several of GM’s most popular and profitable brands have been significantly affected. These include the Chevy Suburban, the Chevy Tahoe, and the Cadillac Escalade, all with less than 30 days supply remaining and production effectively halted. That supply could dry out quickly as workers at the GM Arlington plant in Texas are now on strike.
Meanwhile, the Bow Tie’s high volume cash cow, the Chevy Silverado, still has 90 days supply remaining through September, more than triple the supply of the Vette.
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Comments
I feel lucky to have mine, In the garage.
The UAW in its aggressive goal to secure a record union contract…is going to set back the 3 big mfr’s in this country…force more off shore foreign suppliers, increase mfg’ing in Mexico, in order to make a decent profit, pay its employees a generous wage package. Yes CEO’S salary and bonus’ are absolutely outrageous for what she (Berrara) does,… standing behind a podium and making speeches to the stockholders.
Hasn’t Corvette inventory always been low, even back in the C7 and C6 years?
Not really, C7s were often on lots or an order would take a few days , often.
I ordered a 2014 c7 ..and in March 2014 they started offering GMS! Which I received after a long battle! dealer did not want to give it to me..had to go to central office and was refunded my over payment including the PRICE INCREASE at that time!
Definitely not. The C6 and 2 C7’s I’ve purchased over the decades have been on the lot with significant discounts (>10%) I checked the dealer I bought the last one from today and they had 1 C8 in stock. The last C7 I bought I selected from 5 they had. And I am doubtful they have the 1 really. It may be sold and just not picked up yet.
It took me almost 2 years to get my C8 Stingray HTC. It was the only one on the car carrier for the month in Washington State. Covid and the Kentucky tornado didn’t help.
I rooted for Mary Barra when she became CEO. She said at the time, “No more crappy cars”. It seems that the products during her tenure have had more major mechanical maladies than ever.
I rooted for Mary Barra when she became CEO. She said at the time, “No more crappy cars”. It seems that the products during her tenure have had more major mechanical maladies than ever.
Not to mention numerous constraints..even on planned new vehicles..you would think that this issue would be dealt with by a competent purchasing agent within…at the very least securing the components in hand before announcing it’s NEW availability. Looks like the law of supply and demand…and just in time delivery is is not in sync!
I am sick and tired of the constraint excuses. It has been three years since Covid, supply chain issues. I don’t know who is in charge of getting all the components but they need to be held accountable or replaced. It’s evident GM has no strategic or operational plans in place.