Talking With Brent Dewar, Chevrolet General Manager on the C6
07-13-2004, 04:24 PM
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St. Jude Donor '06
Talking With Brent Dewar, Chevrolet General Manager on the C6
The following is an edited transcript of a recent interview with the General Manager of Chevrolet, Brent Dewar.
CL: Can you talk a little about your fascination with Corvette as a youth.
BD: Well, it’s funny. I grew up in a nice middle-class family and nobody was from the car business. My dad perceived cars as a means of driving from point A to point B. And I remember watching Wide World of Sports and I remember seeing a split-window Corvette on the TV, and it’s just like it was yesterday. It was blue with a white stripe -- it was racing somewhere -- and I knew at that moment I had to have a Corvette. I remember running upstairs and telling my father what I saw on TV and he had no idea what I was talking about. "This great car, dad, we’ve got to get a Corvette." He said sure. Well, not only did he not get me the Corvette, he also promised when I was younger he was going to get me a pony. I didn’t get the pony, and I didn’t get the Corvette from my dad. But it’s the passion it sparked in me. I don’t recall any cars before that moment and I do recall cars after that moment. That moment on TV about the line and style of that split-window Corvette was just beautiful for me.
That led me to pay attention to cars, go to the local drag strips and hang out with friends who had cars. And I always dreamed that one day I would have a Corvette. I never dreamed that I would work for Chevrolet or General Motors or any of those things.
When I was in college, I bought and sold used cars as a means to go through college, never thinking that there was a job out there where you could actually work in the car business. Well, it led to not only working at Chevrolet but getting to be the General Manager of Chevrolet to bring the sixth-generation Corvette to market. What a concept -- I mean do you love this country or what?
CL: Do you feel that the presence, evolution and heritage of Corvette over the years have served to elevate the Chevy brand image?
BD: Chevrolet is a very proud brand. People understand what that bowtie means. Corvette has always been an integral part of Chevrolet and we like to say that there’s a little bit of Corvette in every Chevrolet we make. So it is without question the halo of the entire Chevrolet lineup -- and has been since the beginning, some 50 years ago when Corvette debuted. It’s that passion that really developed and led to a lot of our Super Sport models over the years. At times we might have lost our way -- maybe during different economic times like the ‘70s and early ‘80s -- but we’ve really gone back to what that means.
Corvette is an iconic brand. It is a true American sports car -- an American performance car -- and it helps elevate that brand not only here in the United States but around the world.
CL: The expectations are very high with this new vehicle. What makes this the next generation of Corvette in your eyes?
BD: One thing about Corvette is that since its inception 50 years ago, we defined what it would mean in terms of an American sports car. And over the years we’ve refined that. The fifth-generation -- the one that’s currently on the market -- was a dramatic step forward, a quantum leap from the fourth generation vehicle. With the sixth generation we set a higher standard -- a higher expectation for ourselves and Corvette consumers, both loyalists and people who are in the segment looking at vehicles. We decided that the challenge with this vehicle was much more difficult for Dave (Hill) and the entire Corvette team. How do you take this great car and just make it a lot better? Sometimes it’s easier to make the quantum leap than the precision leap.
What we’ve done with the sixth generation Corvette is to take everything that we love about the fifth generation and make it better -- and to really take it beyond its current definition. It has a lot more refinement, a lot more precision, a lot more passion, a lot more power, a lot more performance, and when you sum it up, it's just a lot more Corvette. Those in the Corvette world will understand and feel it immediately, like I did from the first moment that I saw it. I work for this company because of Corvette. From a young lad, that’s what put Chevrolet and General Motors on the map for me at the age of nine. And so from my passion -- from dragging me across the globe to be a part of this division -- I see it immediately in the vehicle. For those that aren’t as close to Corvette, yet are in the sports car world, this truly is the refinement that they’re really looking forward to beyond what the fourth and fifth generations were.
I’m very proud of the Corvette team. It’s a daunting task to take an icon and make it a lot better.
CL: What excites you about the sixth-generation Corvette?
BD: I look at it differently -- I’m a consumer. Engineers and designers see things differently, and I see it from a consumer's standpoint. I love to drive the car, I love how it feels and how it looks. So, what I see in this generation is refinement. When I approach the car from the rear -- the rear quarter view of it -- the lines are just spectacular. To me it's art. It’s just amazing. From a visual perception to tactile, I mean it’s just beautiful. Then when you get inside, the refinement is a dramatic leap forward.
Ultimately, what got me excited from the first moment is the acceleration and the feel of the ride and handling that is truly remarkable with Corvette. That really is the hallmark of what Chevrolet’s all about. You can pay a lot more for another sports car but you don’t need to with Corvette. You not only get world-class driving dynamics, you get the most incredible value, which is why Corvette is part of Chevrolet. It is the cornerstone. It’s that value proposition that makes Chevrolet such a great iconic American brand. You don’t need to pay more. You can have great excitement whether that’s in our entry-level cars, our trucks or the Corvette.
CL: When you've driven the 2005 Corvette, what is the one key differentiating factor that you noticed compared to the previous generation?
BD: Well, I love the existing car so it's hard to take it above that. What I noticed was just the absolute command feeling you have while sitting in the cockpit, both from the straightaway acceleration to the nimbleness of the ride and handling. It feels lighter and more agile. That's probably the biggest thing I noticed the first time I got behind the wheel and I think the Corvette consumer will feel that right away as well. And you’ll feel that power and the right balance of power and performance. My immediate reaction was "Yee ha!" It’s a lot of fun.
CL: We've consistently heard the terms power, passion and precision as hallmarks of greatness and the heart and soul of the new 2005 Corvette. And we know that the goal is to carry this passion over into the consumer base. Is that an easy task?
BD: Yes and no. Passion has always been part of the Corvette. But it has to be more than just the passion. And I think that’s where the precision comes in. I think you see that in the learning over time and the growing and nurturing of the Corvette brand. It’s easy for Dealers and consumers to sign up for the passion because you feel that in the vehicle. And I think what’s really different about this is we’re so committed to the task of making this vehicle the very best.
It’s the precision of the engineering and design that go into the vehicles. If you talk to Dave Hill about his commitment and passion, or if you’re talking to the Tadge (Juechter, assistant chief engineer) about the precision and the engineering -- from the balsa wood and the floor pan to the next generation small-block V8 -- it’s just amazing. But it’s the precision that goes with it, the attention to detail that’s paramount. I think that’s what you’ll see in the sixth generation and I think the Dealers will see that immediately.
CL: Which new features on the 2005 Corvette do you find particularly appealing?
BD: The Navigation System. In today’s lifestyle I still love all of the visceral aspects of the Corvette, but I really like the toys. I guess I’m at that age now where I like the toys. I like my XM radio and my Navigation System. I can be the performance racer during the week, but I can listen to my XM radio as well in my new Corvette, something you couldn’t do before. And I think that kind of balance of left brain, right brain, ying and yang, emotion and logic, is what you see on this Corvette generation.
CL: How important is the racing program to Corvette and to Chevrolet overall? What role does it play?
BD: You know the old adage of race on Sunday, sell on Monday. The racing elements that we take on the road and race against top world-class competitors are tied very closely to the quality, endurance and durability that go right into the cars that you can buy right out of the factory. Consumers in this segment understand that attention to detail and quality. There’s the marketing effort which is just the pure exhilaration of fun, which is that nine-year-old kid watching it on TV. If a split-window Corvette had not been running on Wide World of Sports when I was nine, heck, I wouldn’t even know what’s going on.
So is there an association? Absolutely. Does it play a big role? You bet. Is there a marketing benefit to putting it all together? Sure. And just like anything in business -- like in life -- we’re not racing just to go around in circles. We’re racing to win because it makes us better. When you go up against really strong competitors and they raise the bar, then you’ve got to go after the bar and raise it again.
CL: Can you talk a little about your fascination with Corvette as a youth.
BD: Well, it’s funny. I grew up in a nice middle-class family and nobody was from the car business. My dad perceived cars as a means of driving from point A to point B. And I remember watching Wide World of Sports and I remember seeing a split-window Corvette on the TV, and it’s just like it was yesterday. It was blue with a white stripe -- it was racing somewhere -- and I knew at that moment I had to have a Corvette. I remember running upstairs and telling my father what I saw on TV and he had no idea what I was talking about. "This great car, dad, we’ve got to get a Corvette." He said sure. Well, not only did he not get me the Corvette, he also promised when I was younger he was going to get me a pony. I didn’t get the pony, and I didn’t get the Corvette from my dad. But it’s the passion it sparked in me. I don’t recall any cars before that moment and I do recall cars after that moment. That moment on TV about the line and style of that split-window Corvette was just beautiful for me.
That led me to pay attention to cars, go to the local drag strips and hang out with friends who had cars. And I always dreamed that one day I would have a Corvette. I never dreamed that I would work for Chevrolet or General Motors or any of those things.
When I was in college, I bought and sold used cars as a means to go through college, never thinking that there was a job out there where you could actually work in the car business. Well, it led to not only working at Chevrolet but getting to be the General Manager of Chevrolet to bring the sixth-generation Corvette to market. What a concept -- I mean do you love this country or what?
CL: Do you feel that the presence, evolution and heritage of Corvette over the years have served to elevate the Chevy brand image?
BD: Chevrolet is a very proud brand. People understand what that bowtie means. Corvette has always been an integral part of Chevrolet and we like to say that there’s a little bit of Corvette in every Chevrolet we make. So it is without question the halo of the entire Chevrolet lineup -- and has been since the beginning, some 50 years ago when Corvette debuted. It’s that passion that really developed and led to a lot of our Super Sport models over the years. At times we might have lost our way -- maybe during different economic times like the ‘70s and early ‘80s -- but we’ve really gone back to what that means.
Corvette is an iconic brand. It is a true American sports car -- an American performance car -- and it helps elevate that brand not only here in the United States but around the world.
CL: The expectations are very high with this new vehicle. What makes this the next generation of Corvette in your eyes?
BD: One thing about Corvette is that since its inception 50 years ago, we defined what it would mean in terms of an American sports car. And over the years we’ve refined that. The fifth-generation -- the one that’s currently on the market -- was a dramatic step forward, a quantum leap from the fourth generation vehicle. With the sixth generation we set a higher standard -- a higher expectation for ourselves and Corvette consumers, both loyalists and people who are in the segment looking at vehicles. We decided that the challenge with this vehicle was much more difficult for Dave (Hill) and the entire Corvette team. How do you take this great car and just make it a lot better? Sometimes it’s easier to make the quantum leap than the precision leap.
What we’ve done with the sixth generation Corvette is to take everything that we love about the fifth generation and make it better -- and to really take it beyond its current definition. It has a lot more refinement, a lot more precision, a lot more passion, a lot more power, a lot more performance, and when you sum it up, it's just a lot more Corvette. Those in the Corvette world will understand and feel it immediately, like I did from the first moment that I saw it. I work for this company because of Corvette. From a young lad, that’s what put Chevrolet and General Motors on the map for me at the age of nine. And so from my passion -- from dragging me across the globe to be a part of this division -- I see it immediately in the vehicle. For those that aren’t as close to Corvette, yet are in the sports car world, this truly is the refinement that they’re really looking forward to beyond what the fourth and fifth generations were.
I’m very proud of the Corvette team. It’s a daunting task to take an icon and make it a lot better.
CL: What excites you about the sixth-generation Corvette?
BD: I look at it differently -- I’m a consumer. Engineers and designers see things differently, and I see it from a consumer's standpoint. I love to drive the car, I love how it feels and how it looks. So, what I see in this generation is refinement. When I approach the car from the rear -- the rear quarter view of it -- the lines are just spectacular. To me it's art. It’s just amazing. From a visual perception to tactile, I mean it’s just beautiful. Then when you get inside, the refinement is a dramatic leap forward.
Ultimately, what got me excited from the first moment is the acceleration and the feel of the ride and handling that is truly remarkable with Corvette. That really is the hallmark of what Chevrolet’s all about. You can pay a lot more for another sports car but you don’t need to with Corvette. You not only get world-class driving dynamics, you get the most incredible value, which is why Corvette is part of Chevrolet. It is the cornerstone. It’s that value proposition that makes Chevrolet such a great iconic American brand. You don’t need to pay more. You can have great excitement whether that’s in our entry-level cars, our trucks or the Corvette.
CL: When you've driven the 2005 Corvette, what is the one key differentiating factor that you noticed compared to the previous generation?
BD: Well, I love the existing car so it's hard to take it above that. What I noticed was just the absolute command feeling you have while sitting in the cockpit, both from the straightaway acceleration to the nimbleness of the ride and handling. It feels lighter and more agile. That's probably the biggest thing I noticed the first time I got behind the wheel and I think the Corvette consumer will feel that right away as well. And you’ll feel that power and the right balance of power and performance. My immediate reaction was "Yee ha!" It’s a lot of fun.
CL: We've consistently heard the terms power, passion and precision as hallmarks of greatness and the heart and soul of the new 2005 Corvette. And we know that the goal is to carry this passion over into the consumer base. Is that an easy task?
BD: Yes and no. Passion has always been part of the Corvette. But it has to be more than just the passion. And I think that’s where the precision comes in. I think you see that in the learning over time and the growing and nurturing of the Corvette brand. It’s easy for Dealers and consumers to sign up for the passion because you feel that in the vehicle. And I think what’s really different about this is we’re so committed to the task of making this vehicle the very best.
It’s the precision of the engineering and design that go into the vehicles. If you talk to Dave Hill about his commitment and passion, or if you’re talking to the Tadge (Juechter, assistant chief engineer) about the precision and the engineering -- from the balsa wood and the floor pan to the next generation small-block V8 -- it’s just amazing. But it’s the precision that goes with it, the attention to detail that’s paramount. I think that’s what you’ll see in the sixth generation and I think the Dealers will see that immediately.
CL: Which new features on the 2005 Corvette do you find particularly appealing?
BD: The Navigation System. In today’s lifestyle I still love all of the visceral aspects of the Corvette, but I really like the toys. I guess I’m at that age now where I like the toys. I like my XM radio and my Navigation System. I can be the performance racer during the week, but I can listen to my XM radio as well in my new Corvette, something you couldn’t do before. And I think that kind of balance of left brain, right brain, ying and yang, emotion and logic, is what you see on this Corvette generation.
CL: How important is the racing program to Corvette and to Chevrolet overall? What role does it play?
BD: You know the old adage of race on Sunday, sell on Monday. The racing elements that we take on the road and race against top world-class competitors are tied very closely to the quality, endurance and durability that go right into the cars that you can buy right out of the factory. Consumers in this segment understand that attention to detail and quality. There’s the marketing effort which is just the pure exhilaration of fun, which is that nine-year-old kid watching it on TV. If a split-window Corvette had not been running on Wide World of Sports when I was nine, heck, I wouldn’t even know what’s going on.
So is there an association? Absolutely. Does it play a big role? You bet. Is there a marketing benefit to putting it all together? Sure. And just like anything in business -- like in life -- we’re not racing just to go around in circles. We’re racing to win because it makes us better. When you go up against really strong competitors and they raise the bar, then you’ve got to go after the bar and raise it again.
