Jeff V.

Judging from previous cars and trucks, they'd normally be ready for production ~8-10 months after we start seeing winter testing vehicles. With this being their first high end mid-engine car, and a new assembly line, I could see them stretching out development much longer.

If they start doing pilot production builds at Bowling Green late this year, that'd explain the plant closure. They continue development on the car through this summer, start pilot builds at BG in the fall, announce in Jan 2019 and have it ready for sale in Q2 of 2019.

Then we start seeing testing photos of a front engine C8 in late 2019 or early 2020

tbrenny33

jimmyb

There's no doubt in my mind that the reveal is January 2019.

It makes no sense to show a car that is not going to be produced for 18 months. The Ford GT reveal is a totally different deal. It is a VERY limited car. Everyone learned a great lesson from Honda with the NSX reveal....FOUR years before they actually started making it. ALL the hype was LONG gone, and while this is certainly not the sole reason for the NSX's sales failure, it sure didn't help. But, the Seinfeld/Leno NSX commercial was GREAT!

Jeff V.

I don't have a lot of evidence to back up that opinion, but yes, I believe there will be two cars. The BG expansion doesn't make sense for building fewer cars. They did not double the size of the plant for a simple paint shop. They also didn't double it to build fewer, more expensive cars.

Also, I've been reading the and several times the GM staff make points about the specific look of the Corvette, and how that's driven their engine and packaging choices over the years.

A mid-engined car, now matter how it's styled, does not look like a Corvette. The "look" of the Corvette is very important to GM, and the market. They're not just going to throw away 65 years of heritage and slap the name on something fundamentally different.

I really think they'll keep a front engine car with a sub-brand like Stingray and maybe Grand Sport, and the new car will be an extension of the Corvette brand. But that's where you'll find your future Z06 and ZR1 type apex predators.

It'd make a really nice 3 model progression when teamed up with the Camaro too.

25k Camaro >>> 55k Corvette Stingray >>> 85k+ Corvette Zora

Maybe I'm completely wrong. But I think it makes a certain amount of logical sense. Volume sales of the Camaro and Stingray would help support the business case for a low volume ME Zora.

favrefan2k4

A Detroit Rep came to look at the bumper paint issue that was going around on my GS this last fall. He was doing a tour through dealerships to see all of the different paint issues in person. Naturally, since I knew he reported directly to Detroit, I asked him about the mid-engine. He gave me the "I know some things" smile but wouldn't divulge details. He did say "I'll leave you with this. 2018 will be very exciting for GM fans, especially April, and that 2020 will be very exciting for GM car buyers". Since that conversation with him, I fully believe there will be something major released with the mid-engine. I believe it will be the ME itself out in all of it's glory. The 2020 reference has all but been confirmed with reports of the ME being available then for delivery... Call it a hunch

Jeff V.

The New York Auto Show is in April. (3/30 - 4/8)

Cadillac is based in New York.

Hmm.

gurneyeagle

Wasn't the Gen 5 Camaro "debut" three years before actual sales commenced?

JerriVette

I'm sure it's the the truck reveal...although nothing says autoshow like a rear mid engine exotic CONCEPT car from a sister division that's screams futuristic and never going to see production in its showcar concept form.....(hint Cadillac)

Jeff V.

It was technically a concept car, although it obviously had production intent. But it wasn't actually approved until August 2006 after the overwhelming positive response to the concept. This was also right before the bankruptcy mess, so that added some delay. It was originally supposed to start production in 08 as an 09 car.

Innovate

I think they should go ahead and reveal the ME now and open orders next year lol.

cam30era

FWIW: Suppliers have already started submitting PPAPs for the ME (fact). (First shot parts off production tools were happening in last October (fact)). Based on previous generation timelines, this means that pilot production builds might start in early Spring (guess). BG may start "Sale-able Block 1" cars before end of Q2 (guess). Don't get too excited by that moniker though. These cars aren't for sale. It just means pilot production cars built with production parts.

roadbike56

So let me understand this. The first C7 ZR1 has not yet been delivered to the dealers but several folks here think Corvette will announce the ME within a few weeks thereby causing many ZR1 customers to put the brakes on that pricey purchase.
Not going to happen.

elegant

Thank you, and why the BGA is not only closed to Buyers Tours for all of 2018 and at least some small amount of 2019, but also no Photo Albums during this same time period (the album one can buy documenting your car’s build pictures taken only by NCM approved staff), is also not allowed through this entire year.

For those who will counter that the “build your own engine option” within the Powertrain Build Center located inside of BGA is continuing throughout 2018, there is a complete separate entrance/exit to the PBC through the Admin building, and the large windows which we have sometimes seen completely covered over which separate the PBC from being able to see into the Plant’s assembly area (over vice-versa), are again blacked out.

dmaxx3500

car will be shown at the 2018 Chicago auto show in feb

tbrenny33

favrefan2k4

This is a very good point. However, the ZR1 was very delayed in it's release. Early 2018 may have been the original ME plan before the ZR1 delays. But... does that mean they push back the biggest Corvette reveal of all time if it is truly ready to be revealed? I can see it going both ways but roadbike56 does make a great point here.

Another thought is what if the ME comes out as a "base" model like every other new corvette generation and the ZR1 is faster than this version? The C6 ZR1 market was still strong when the base C7 was revealed. A stretch, but a thought...

Jeff V.

Are you basing this on anything, or is it just a wild guess?

If it goes that route, I'd hope they take the Z06 back to the stripped down track focused version like the C5Z and C6Z. Something closer to the Camaro Z28 rather than the bloated GT car they turned the C7Z into. They can keep the the everything and the kitchen sink approach for the ME car.

tbrenny33

4U2ENV

as a GM retiree, the ME will not be revealed till the Dubai show just like they did with the ZR1, then follow suit with every show after that, will start selling in the spring of 2019 as a 2020 model. I even heard the ZR1 will not be at the Detroit show, it's all about the Truck.

jimmyb

You really think that GM is going to introduce the most highly anticipated sports car, possibly in history, in Dubai?
I'll do a wager on that one right now.