Sam Krahn 
We’ve been hearing rumors this will happen for months, and now it’s official folks: Chevy won’t be able to build every 2020 Corvette Stingray on order. Because of various production delays, some customers will have their build slot bumped to 2021. At this point, if you haven’t yet ordered a C8 Corvette but want to, you’re going to be waiting a long time.
“We are not going to build all of the 2020 orders,” GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly confirmed in a statement to the Detroit Free Press.
This unfortunate outcome is the result of the turmoil filled launch of the 2020 Corvette Stingray. First, last fall’s UAW strike pushed back the start of production significantly, and limited how many vehicles Chevy could build in 2020. Right at the start of the Coronavirus pandemic and the associated shutdowns, we first heard the rumors that Chevy may not fulfill all 2020 orders.
The two month long shutdown only cemented this, but it wasn’t as bad as we feared. Before the virus really took hold of America, 2020 Corvette Stingray production was capped at seven months before transitioning to the 2021 model. We worried the three month shut down would cut that to four months of production, which would force even more people with a 2020 car on order to wait. Luckily, GM extended production by two months into the end of October, and the 2021 model will start a few weeks later.
Kelly told the Detroit Free Press GM and dealers would work with customers that have a delayed 2020 order to get in line for a 2021 model. And better yet, the 2021 model will hold the same base price as the 2020 model. In the past, Corvettes have shocked with a low starting price at launch, but then hiked the price for the second model year.
The 2020 Corvette Stingray hasn’t had the easiest life. Hopefully the rest of 2020 production moves smoothly, and the move to 2021 stabilizes and speeds production so GM can please customers eagerly awaiting their sports car.
