Rumors have swirled for years about Corvette becoming a brand separate from Chevrolet and could expand beyond the flagship sports car. As recently as 2022, we reported that such a brand could include an electric sedan and crossover in addition to an electric successor to the C8. However, according to GM’s top brass, it sounds like any vehicle bearing this iconic name will be part of the Chevrolet brand for the foreseeable future.
In a recent video on the ‘Jay Leno’s Garage’ YouTube channel, GM President Mark Reuss confirmed that there is no intention to spin off Corvette into its own brand. “We’d never take [Corvette] out of Chevrolet because the core of Chevrolet is offering people more than they thought for the money and doing it with fantastic design and performance,” Reuss told Leno while admiring a C8 ZR1. “That’s what Corvette is.”
Indeed, the Chevy sports car has represented one of the best values in premium sports cars for over 70 years. The current C8 generation continues that legacy, with pricing well below its rivals delivering similar performance from luxury brands like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. Of note, the rivals to America’s sports car have been dropping like flies with the Chevy holding a dominant market share in premium sports cars. The Jaguar F-Type, Audi R8, and Nissan GT-R have all been discontinued within the last year.
Reuss’ comments echo what recently retired Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter said in an interview last month. “I mean, Corvette’s at the heart of Chevrolet,” Juechter told CNBC. “It’s a pure business play. If you’ve got this brand equity, you can just keep it at home or you can choose to try to monetize it and put it outside.” He added that GM typically hasn’t done the latter and instead “[embraces] our important franchises, and [Corvette] is a really important franchise.”
The Vette will remain in the Chevy portfolio, but a 2019 analysis by Morgan Stanley said a standalone brand could eventually have a cash value of as much as $7 to $12 billion. The same analysis estimated that the Corvette brand under the Chevy umbrella at the time had a value of about $2 billion.
Would you rather see the Corvette name spun off into its own brand of performance luxury vehicles, or should it remain under the Chevy banner? Let us know in the comments.
At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
Sales decreased 5.6 percent to 16,670 units during the first ten months of 2024.
Specifically critical minerals supply chain development.
Scheduled for a Spring 2025 launch.
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Well, I personally think that’s a good news / bad news scenario. The good news has already been covered above. The bad news is the dealership experience when getting a C8 serviced (at least in Northern Florida). While I believe the service should be top notch no matter what you pay for a vehicle, the Chevrolet service experience cannot compare to that of even GM’s Cadillac brand. And when you pay $90k for a vehicle you kinda expect the dealer to be fully knowledgeable of it’s workings and have adequate staff to execute repairs (rather than dropping the car off and waiting a week for the Corvette “specialist” to be available. Spinning it off to it’s own brand would presumably fix that.
One would have to assume “Corvette Specialists” are going to magically appear. I hate to break it to you, young people no longer aspire to be automotive technicians or any other kind of repair technician. Keeping any kind of technician is major problem for anyone in any service business. The USA desperately needs a strong vocational training program and a workforce with a strong work ethic. I’m in the business and the best technicians are retiring or moving to hourly paying professions. Flat rate technicians with $100,000 plus invested in tools are a dying breed. I have a family member retiring out soon. It would cost. $70,000 to replace his tool boxes and $150,000 minimum to replace his tools in today’s dollars. He’s been at the top of his game for the last 20 plus years and has done extremely well. However, he didn’t make it in a dealership. He made it as an independent. Dealerships send him the problems, they can’t figure out. That’s what happens with the very best. They go into business for themselves. 90% of the technicians today can’t do diagnostic work, they can only swap out parts. Computers can do some diagnostic work but they are far from the gold standard.
Oh, so true. Been there done that many years ago. We need mechanics to repair vehicles again. Technicians look at a computer 🖥 and just replace the part it says is bad. Mechanics diagnose the problem and fix it. Engineers are designing cars that are so complex it's nearly impossible to fix. Even
back in the 60's and 70's some problems were difficult to solve. Oh the stories I could tell, but that's for another time.
I'd like to see them bring back Oldsmobile and drop Buick. But built Oldsmobile only in North America.
Sounds like “Bring-a-Trailer” is where you’re dreams will come true….
And how soon we all forget. Not too many years ago, they took a Corvette convertible, substituted a Northstar V-8 and slapped on some Cadillac badges.
Oh how true it is. I was all in for the Cadillac with it being a Corvette underneath until I discovered that it had a Cadillac engine, that ended my interest and desire to have one.
I have had several Cadillacs, from a 1981 through to 1998 and all having serious engine failures starting with the
4-6-8 then the new Northstar and later with head gasket failures of the later engines. It has however cured me of any desire to own a Cadillac unless it has a Chevrolet engine. Long live the 6 liter series of Chevrolet engines.
Yeah, well, believe it or not, there are worse engines.... Like the 3 cylinder 1,000 cc pieces of junk for the FORD FIESTA, ESCORT, etc.
They work great (they must have since all the BIG EXPERTS gave the thing over 160 awards a few years ago), until the IN OIL TIMING BELT (that just L-O-V-E oil, haha) delaminates at 45,000 miles. If you catch it before hand, its a $3,000 changeout, but people usually don't catch it in time, and that is why FORD is replacing some of the engines - good for another 45,000 miles no doubt.
Makes me wonder about those 3 cylinder 1,200 and 1,300 cc very similar Korean engines used in several Chevys and Buicks currently. Initial oil change at 7,500 miles makes me wonder how long the Turbo charger is going to last, spinning at 30,000 rpm or whatever ridiculous speed those things work at.
Since the powertrain warranty on GMs is 60,000 miles, the belt and turbo must last at least that long. The owner's manual says to change the belt once every 150,000 miles. Sure... Haha,.
Hi O...mer !
I currently drive 3 GM full electrics, so you might say I'm biased, but this is an unfortunate advantage that the Electric cars aren't supposed to have.... The powertrains are much more reliable than some of the junk the BIG 3 foist on the unsuspecting public (maybe I should include Daimler Sprinter Vans which basically explode at 80,000 miles).
I wonder if there are at least a few ELECTRIC sales from people who have seen this difference and don't want to be caught with Ram's lack of oil when idling problem, Chevy V-8 lifter trouble, or Ford's delaminating Timing Belt trouble.
Of course, later on, even if you are lucky with the engine, there's that fantastic automatic transmission behind it that keeps the transmission shops in business. Or even better, a CVT !!!
GM/chevy tried to brand the corvette on its own , and wasnt very well recieved , and a spin off now is pointless !!! since pontiac , saturn , oldmobile , saab , holden are all gone !!
Leave it alone! Corvette should always be a Chevy!