With constrained production, these cars are instant modern collectibles.
General Motors has a lot of orders to fulfill for the 2020 C8 Corvette and the Corvette Assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky is finally getting back to production. Originally, the factory was idled and employees furloughed back on March 20, a move that GM painted as lasting for only two weeks. Here we are a little over two months later with few C8 Corvettes made, guaranteeing the 2020 model year is an instant collectible due to small production numbers.
The so-called “COVID Corvettes” are about to increase in number, but don’t expect anything dramatic. This week only 550 of the 1,200 workers for the Corvette Assembly plant have returned to the production line.
Those workers are having to wear protective equipment like masks and deal with revised procedures designed to maximize sanitary conditions on the assembly line. However, all those changes will slow the production process down significantly.
On top of that, reports claim at least 230 C8 current builds were set aside unfinished when the factory was idled. Each car was wrapped tightly in plastic to avoid dust and other debris, so that must be removed, the Corvettes moved to their appropriate places in the production line, and the assembly process finished for each one. Some are speculating this could take several weeks.
Thanks to many suppliers for Corvette Assembly having closed as well, there aren’t enough parts to bring on the rest of the assembly line workers. Those who are going to work have been selected by seniority. They must answer a series of questions about coronavirus symptoms before entering the factory floor. In addition, each worker’s temperature is taken.
GM hasn’t provided any official word on how many 2020 Chevrolet Corvettes will be made. Unofficial estimates peg it at a small fraction of the normal production levels, meaning many who ordered a C8 will have to wait until 2021 to get one. The lucky few who do get a 2020 model are sitting on a rare COVID Corvette that’s a part of history at this point.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24, 2020 – For more than 60 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has been a place for “firsts.” Today, in yet another first, the speedway has become the first professional sports venue in the country to serve the community as a remote testing site during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
In partnership with the speedway, Atrium Health has created a Coronavirus Testing Center at zMAX Dragway, part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex. The remote testing site provides a convenient location for residents of northern Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties to have their tests performed when ordered by their physician. Atrium Health has several additional sites throughout the Charlotte region, each in locations designed to provide a secure, private environment for patients to be tested.
Testing for COVID-19 is conducted without patients having to get out of their cars, which reduces the possibility of infecting other patients and healthcare workers. Healthcare providers will make appointments and direct patients to designated testing centers where medical professionals will approach the patients at their cars. These tests involve obtaining swabbed samples, which are then tested at Atrium Health’s in-house lab, and patients are typically notified of the results in approximately 24 hours. Atrium Health can test approximately 1,000 samples each day and is one of the only health systems in the nation to have this capability.
“Having these types of remote locations, away from a hospital or other care locations, yet convenient for people in need of testing, is essential to helping contain the spread of the coronavirus,” said Jim Hunter, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Atrium Health. “It’s important to note that patients still need to meet the established criteria for testing by a healthcare provider, which will keep other patients and healthcare workers safe, as well as protect our testing supplies. We deeply appreciate this partnership opportunity with Charlotte Motor Speedway to make a significant impact on the health of our community.”
“At Charlotte Motor Speedway, we work for the fans, salute our military and serve our community,” said Greg Walter, Charlotte Motor Speedway executive vice president and general manager. “During these unprecedented times, we want to support our neighbors and the region with what we can do to keep people healthy. Atrium Health has been a longtime partner of ours and we’re happy to work with them to provide a well-known, accessible and safe place to host this remote testing site for as long as there is a need.”
Atrium Health continues to work to keep the communities it serves safe and informed. The latest information including prevention tips, frequently asked questions and care options are found at www.AtriumHealth.org/Coronavirus:
• COVID-19 Risk Assessment: Answer a few quick questions using a new automated and interactive digital COVID-19 assessment tool to get immediate recommendations on next steps in care.
• Atrium Health Line (704-468-8888): Talk live with an Atrium Health healthcare professional to answer questions, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
• Symptom Checker Chart: Is it COVID-19, the flu, a cold, or seasonal allergies? Click here to help distinguish between typical symptoms of each.
• Virtual Visits: Secure, face-to-face video chat with a trusted healthcare provider from the comfort of home for a reduced cost of $25.
• eVisits: Care through a secure message for minor illnesses like flu or cold for a reduced cost of $10.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is an integrated network not-for- profit healthcare system with over 70,000 teammates at nearly 40 hospitals and more than 900 care locations. With locations throughout the Carolinas as well as Georgia, Atrium Health is a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine. It provides top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care to patients, as well as specialized musculoskeletal programs and organ transplants. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in seven different specialties, it has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize, and the only healthcare system to receive the 2020 CMS Health Equity Award. Its flagship hospital, Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center, is the region’s only Level I trauma center and is consistently rated among the nation’s best. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all. Last year alone, Atrium Health provided more than $2.07 billion in free an uncompensated care and other community benefits.
About Charlotte Motor Speedway
Celebrating its 60th anniversary season, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard in motorsports entertainment for fans of all ages. Known as America’s Home for Racing, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the heart of NASCAR country. Visitors can attend one-of-a-kind race spectacles including the NASCAR All-Star Race, Coca-Cola 600 and Bank of America ROVALTM 400; take behind-the-scenes speedway and race shop tours; explore the NASCAR Hall of Fame and drive an 800-horsepower stock car. The 1,000 plus acre speedway complex also includes state-of-the-art facilities zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Through every event and every decade, Charlotte Motor Speedway puts FANS FIRST with a never-ending commitment to enhance the fan experience. That tradition continues with unmatched value through affordable tickets, unparalleled pre-race entertainment and opportunities for fans to see their favorite drivers. For all the latest news and information, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or download the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
GM notified Chevrolet dealers that 2020 Corvette production will resume May 26th and run through October. The start of regular production of the 2021 model year will begin on November 2nd.
The Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant will start off running only one shift in order to insure the safety of its workers and give its parts suppliers the chance to ramp up production at their own facilities
Last month GM stated that all 2020 Corvette orders that are currently in the system and at a 3000 or higher status, would be built. Two weeks after the start of regular production on May 36th, a cross-functional team will meet to develop an officially revised plan for 2020 vs 2021 allocation and build schedule.
This is great news since many customers who have placed orders for a 2020 Corvette, have been left in limbo wondering what would happen to their order.
2020 Corvette Convertible Production
Production of the 2020 Corvette convertible was expected to begin the first week of April, but that was before the factory shut down in late March. It was originally assumed that Chevrolet would push all 2020 Corvette convertible orders to the 2021 model year, however that won’t be the case. Customers will be happy to know that 2020 Corvette convertible production has been pushed back to July 20th.
As of right now, there are NO current constraints and all colors and option combinations are available.
By Spectrum News Staff North Carolina PUBLISHED 1:00 AM ET May. 20, 2020
On this week’s edition of Tying It Together with Tim Boyum, Tim and Ben give us a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR became the first major sport to return to action during coronavirus as the Coca-Cola 600 returns to North Carolina Memorial Day weekend.
We talk with Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter, and NASCAR driver Chris Buescher gives us an honest look at the challenges racers will face when they return.
It’s a $6 billion business that employs more than 25,000 people in North Carolina, so a lot is riding on the success for NASCAR and the state. They must get it right, or it could delay live sports for some time.
Some of the basics from GM’s Covid-19 playbook. GENERAL MOTORS
In football, a team’s playbook is guarded with nearly manic effort by everyone in the organization, and woe be to any coach or player who loses one — much less the Benedict Arnold who for some reason might give a copy to the opposition.
But in today’s U.S. auto industry, playbooks are like the gospel: They’re meant to be given away and shared as widely as possible, with the more readers, the better.
That’s because the playbooks in question these days are the detailed, voluminous guides to how auto manufacturers are re-opening their plants with Covid-19 health and safety protocols. And in that regard, General Motors CEO Mary Barra and Jim Glynn, the company’s vice president of worker safety, are hoping their jointly authored, 48-page guide, “Returning to the Workplace with Confidence: Covid-19 Employee Guide,” reaches every corner of the industry.
It’s free to all, but that’s not the reason GM’s playbook seems destined to become a best-seller. Every company in the vast, deep network of the U.S. and global automotive supply chain is eager to rejoin the working economy again, but to do so their leaders must not only be careful in restarting but also take great pains to avoid any early misstep. Expertise like that provided by GM’s guidebook — and by those also produced by other companies, such as Tier One supplier Lear — can be invaluable not only to automotive manufacturers but also to thousands of other factory operators across the country.
“We knew we had to get this right ourselves and clearly articulate our requirements and what to do at every site,” Glynn told me. “Then we had to think about our supply base to help make them equally successful; we’ve had several seminars for a total of literally hundreds of suppliers wondering what we were doing to prepare for restart.” GM also, he said, has “shared our ideas with other companies and with competitors and with industry councils so we can learn from them as well and incorporate all the best practices into our documents.”
General Motors is re-starting its U.S. factories this week, so the company is taking every step leaders can think of to ensure that managers enact and follow the protocols, that employees and the United Auto Workers are comfortable with their requirements, and that everyone embrace the guides as a significant enabler for the company and the industry to restore production, sales, profits and renewed prosperity as quickly as possible.
To that end, Barra even directed a “care package” be sent to every GM employee last week that included a flyer with the highlights of the playbook, a letter signed by her, and five face masks that were manufactured at a company facility in Warren, Michigan. Her personal touch was reinforced by the fact that the package contained not just a single medical-grade mask but enough for a typical family.
Barra “wanted to make sure early on in this pandemic that every people leader in GM understood the protocol intimately,” Glynn explained. “And she recognized right away that, whether someone works in a plant or in a lab or in our technical center [in Michigan], or at an office in the Renaissance Center” headquarters of GM in downtown Detroit, “they are going to have some apprehensions about the virus and whether they’ll be safe. That was her focus.”
So the playbook is “meant to very comprehensively, and in as much detail as we could, provide help so that our people leaders can be as knowledgeable about our protocols as any medical or safety professional,” Glynn said. “Because they’re who people are going to turn to.”
GM’s protocols themselves demonstrate two advantages over much of the other information out there. One is an attribute enjoyed by some other OEMs and major suppliers: They’ve already learned and applied health and safety lessons from the restarting of their Asian plants a few weeks ago. Another edge is enjoyed by only GM and Ford, which is the fact that each of them reopened a U.S. plant a few weeks ago to shift quickly to production of pandemic-fighting medical equipment.
“Some of the ‘whats’ applied pretty well for the couple hundred people entering the site” at GM’s Kokomo, Indiana, electronics plant, which it refitted to produce ventilators, Glynn said. “But it gets more difficult when you’ve got 1,000 people coming into a [different] plant for a shift. So we are scaling up our approach so that, instead of just one entrance, we are duplicating our [screening] efforts at two or three entrances to the plant.”
The needs for new protocols, redesign of many plant-floor processes, and an overall abundance of caution can be counted on to slash productivity that most auto plants enjoyed pre-Covid 19. Yet at first, that shouldn’t be an issue because auto sales, and the entire manufacturing supply chain, will take a while to creak back to life.
And Glynn said that he expects factory productivity to rise rapidly anyway, after an initial orientation period. Even something as simple as donning a mask can pose a complication to an auto worker who wears glasses – or, as many do, safety glasses – by fogging them, for example.
“But we’ve learned tips and tricks to prevent that from happening,” he said. “We’re doing all of these things to protect people and help them be comfortable in the workplace. Once they understand that, productivity takes care of itself pretty quickly.
“Everywhere we’ve put this into place,” such as plants in Asia, Glynn said, “people get on it it and get back to normal productivity. They like the routine; they have a sense of accomplishment; and it feels comfortable for them to be back at work.”
The 2020 Chevy Corvette C8 debuted almost a year ago to tremendous fanfare. Production ramped up in early February after a delay, and many customers now have the new car in their driveways. Chevrolet moved the engine from the front to the back for the first time after decades of false starts, teases, and rumors. It’s too early to tell if customers warm to the new layout, and far too early to speculate about the C9, but what if Chevy flipped the design again, moving the engine back to the front – what would it look like? New renderings from Pedro Ruperto Mallosto on Behance.net provide a glimpse.
While the Corvette’s return to a front-engine layout for the next generation is unlikely, it doesn’t make imagining the possibilities any less exciting. The renderings show yet another evolution of the car’s angular design that the automaker introduced with the C7. Here, it’s much more refined than that, and looks much more like the classic Corvette millions have known for over half a century. The greenhouse is iconic, especially as it tapers in the bumper, reminiscent of the C6.
Imagining the next generation of a new model isn’t easy. We don’t know when the C9 will arrive. Chevy has a ton of C8 variants to deliver first, and by the time we reach the next-gen Corvette, the automotive landscape could be radically different. General Motors has said it’s all-in on fully electric vehicles, and that includes the Corvette. A next-gen, front-engine Corvette sounds exciting, but what would an all-electric Corvette look like if the design never had to accommodate a gasoline engine?
The mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray aims to deliver an exotic car experience on a budget, but it’s missing one key element: doors.
Oh, the $59,995 coupe has two, but they’re just regular old doors that swing out like the ones on most cars, not the cool “scissors-style” doors originally made famous by Lamborghini.
Well, owners will soon be able to remedy that oversight thanks to Eikon Motorsports, a company that specializes in ‘Lambo Doors’ conversions on a wide variety of vehicles ranging from the Dodge Challenger and Cadillac Escalade to the … the Lamborghini Huracan, which doesn’t have them either.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., outfit is offering a kit for the C8 that attaches to the same bolts as the factory doors and is reversible, in case you tire of making a grand entrance whenever you get out of the car. Pre-orders are currently available for $2,999, or $4,300 installed with lifetime warranty.
You may end up getting the kit before your car, however, as the start of Corvette production was delayed several weeks due to last fall’s UAW strike and has since been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Only 2,700 2020 model year Corvettes have been produced so far, according to Motor Authority, and the automaker may not be able to satisfy its current order list before the end of the calendar year.
Now that the bubble of anticipation surrounding the mid-engine Corvette has burst, excitement is building for the even-mightier Z06 model. With an exotic flat-plane-crank V-8 engine, the 2022 Chevy Corvette Z06 will sound unlike any Vette that’s come before. It’ll also look meaner than the mainstream C8 thanks to flared fenders, larger air scoops, and aerodynamic addendum that actively adjusts to maximize high-speed downforce and cornering traction. Along with its exclusive powertrain and enhanced appearance, the super Chevy will inherit all the best features and technology from the regular model. Although we still don’t have all the juicy details about the new Z06, here’s what we know so far.
What’s New for 2022?
The first mid-engine Corvette Z06 is expected to go on sale in early 2021 as a 2022 model. As is tradition, it’s a more hardcore, track-focused version of the standard Vette, complete with bolder styling cues and serious performance attributes.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Z06: $85,000 (est.)
It should make sense that, since Chevy hasn’t officially revealed the new Corvette Z06, we can only speculate on how much it’ll cost. Its front-engine predecessor started at about $25,000 more than the base model, so we think it’s safe to add that number to the starting price of the 2020 Corvette, which starts at $59,995. That means the 2022 Z06 should open at around $85,000 when it eventually goes on sale.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The upcoming Corvette Z06 will receive a special engine that should make it sound similar to the supercars it’s trying to dethrone. The naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 features a flat-plane crank, which means it should rev to between 8500 and 9000 rpm. This engine is expected to make over 600 horsepower, and it’s Ferrari-like howl is all but guaranteed to send shivers down the spine of bystanders. The unconventional V-8 will hook up to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Considering that the 495-hp 2020 Corvette Z51 we tested rocketed from zero to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and completed the standing quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds at 122 mph, the Z06 will be even quicker in a straight line. A set of wider, stickier tires and more powerful brakes will help it corner harder and stop shorter than the regular Vette, too. Chevy will also strengthen the structure and recalibrate the suspension tune on the Z06 to help make sure its performance advantages are most obvious at the racetrack. A host of active aerodynamics that automatically adjust to optimize downforce will join the party for this new generation. We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on one to evaluate how its myriad improvements compare with the outgoing Corvette Z06.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Neither Chevy nor the EPA have indicated how efficient—or inefficient—the 2022 Corvette Z06 will be in the city and on the highway. Since the company’s flat-plane-crank V-8 is currently only found in the Corvette C8.R race car, we don’t have any government ratings for comparison. Once the Z06’s fuel-economy figures are released, and we have the opportunity to test one on our 75-mph highway route, we can evaluate its real-world mpg.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Bow Tie brand went above and beyond to ensure that the mid-engine Corvette’s interior could not be called boring. While the design certainly transcends what’s found on every other Chevy model, the square steering wheel and wall of climate-control buttons on the center console are unusual elements, to say the least. Still, the cabin layout caters to the driver, and the list of standard and optional features is extensive. This includes a 12.0-inch fully digital gauge cluster, a head-up display, heated and ventilated seats, and wireless charging. All of this and more will continue inside the new Z06. We expect its track-worthiness to be made apparent through additional carbon-fiber and microsuede interior accents as well as a set of even more aggressively bolstered seats. The Corvette’s capacious rear trunk should continue to provide a spot for drivers to carry two sets of golf clubs.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Cooked into the Corvette’s multilayered dashboard is an 8.0-inch touchscreen that supports Chevy’s Infotainment 3 Plus system. While we’ve only had minimal exposure to this specific setup, we found it to be mostly intuitive and responsive. We’re confident the Z06 will share the same interface and features, which include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Likewise, two separate Bose stereos are expected to be offered: a standard 10-speaker system and an optional 14-speaker setup. The new Z06 will continue to offer the Performance Data Recorder, which allows you to record video of everything from your track exploits to relaxed country-road cruises. And if you dare leave your Z06 with a valet, there’s a setting that keeps track of any nefarious activities the car-parker might try.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The 2022 Corvette Z06 hasn’t been crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While the regular C8 Corvette only has a handful a driver-assistance technology, such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, we expect those features to be available on the Z06.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Chevy provides all of its models with a middle-of-the-road limited and powertrain warranty. While the company offers more complimentary maintenance than automakers who skip the free service altogether, it’s one of the shortest such plans in the industry.
Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit
(CNN)General Motors and Ford laid out plans for restarting their US factories while,at the same time, attempting to protect workers from the coronavirus.
Both companies detailed how they would thoroughly clean facilities and allot extra time between work shifts to do so. The automakers said they will also screen employees with questionnaires before they leave for work and temperature checks as they enter a plant or other facilities.
Employees who have recently been exposed to someone with the coronavirusor exhibit a high temperature or other Covid-19-related symptoms will be sent to local clinics for testing before they are allowed to return to work.
While in factories, employees will workat least six feet apartfrom one anotherwhenever possible,thecompanies said. Employee workstations will be separated by clear plastic panels. Workers will also wear surgical-style face masks and clear plastic face shields whenever they’re required to work close to one another.
These practices are based on the experiences the companies have had at their factories in China and, in GM’s case, Korea. Ford executives said 90% of the employees at their plants in China, which started reopening in mid-February, have now returned to work. Ford also recently reopened a plant in Thailand that it operates with Mazda.
“Absolutely I would feel comfortable sending my family to work at Ford,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer, when asked how confident he felt in the steps the company was taking.
A Ford of Europe employee wearing protective equipment similar to that US employees will be required to wear.
Both Ford (F) and GM (GM) have also been operating a few plants in the US inorder to makepersonal protective equipment and ventilators for healthcare workers. Ford has also been manufacturing face masks for its own workers around the world. Both companies also have some warehouses operating to distribute parts for repairs. Workers at those US plants have also been trying out the safety protocols and equipment that will go into wider usein the USas factories reopen.
Employees at Ford’s currently operating US plants will be sharing their experiences with other employees. Among other things, they will describe what it’s like working with masks and face shields on and the best ways to wear and use them, said Kiersten Robinson, Ford’s chief human resources officer.
Both companies will also make changes to how “common areas,” such as dining areas, are used in order to keep employees apart from one another.
GM expects to restart operations in mid-May, according to an executive familiar with the plans. A Ford executive declined to provide a specific timeframe for restarting the company’s factories, but said decisions for each factory will depend on local conditions and requirements. The company said it is closely monitoring conditions in areas where it has factories.
The United Auto Workers Union, which represents assembly line workers at Ford, GM and Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), is asking for more coronavirus testing of employees.
“Our position is that we employ as much testing as is possible at the current time and commit to full testing as soon as it is available,”UAW president Rory Gamble said in a statement.
With the latest news from the UAW and the State of Kentucky regarding the coronavirus shutdown, it looks like we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And for Corvette fans, that means the resumption of the 2020 Corvette production could be here as early as May 18th.
The Big 3 domestic automakers have been negotiating with the United Auto Workers on when manufacturing can restart at the various facilities across North America. There’s a lot of moving parts to get manufacturing up and running as it’s not just the factory that needs to restart, but all the vendors and suppliers also need to be back to work as well. With the states having their own individual shelter in place orders, that could be dicey for the next month or so.
Michigan’s stay at home order for non-essential workers was extended through May 15th. Yesterday, Kentucky’s Governor Beshear issued guidance for when various businesses could reopen and set May 11th as the date for when manufacturing and automotive dealerships can resume operations. Reopening plans for the state of New York where the C8 Corvette’s LT2 V8 engines are assembled at the Tonawanda Powertrain facility are also still in the works. The good news there is that upstate New York wasn’t as hard hit as New York City and indications are that New York’s reopening plan could be rolled out regionally with manufacturing slated as one of the first sectors to be reopened.
A recent memo from GM to workers indicated that restarting the plants would take some time and that a team of salaried workers and managers would come in early as paid volunteers to prepare operations before the restart occurs. There may also be some discussions about plant workers going through retraining exercises to get back up to speed as the plant has been closed for over a month.
When workers return to manufacturing at the Corvette Assembly Plant, there will be new protocols set up to keep everyone as safe as possible. GM has said that the safety protocols for workers will include:
Health and temperature screening
Heavy workplace cleaning
Social distancing strategies
Following top medical and scientific data including guidance from the CDC
When it comes to recalling workers, UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said, “UAW President Rory Gamble has said the single focus should be on the health and safety of members and the litmus test should be whether your own family member would be safe going into that plant.”
The Corvette Assembly Plant shut down at the end of March 20th with approximately 2700 new Corvettes assembled to date. The production of the 2020 model year is expected to run through the end of August.
