C8 Corvette Launch Delayed Due to UAW Strike

Bad news. Fallout from GM’s labor dispute means we won’t see C8 Corvettes until early next year.

We’ve all been waiting a long time to get our hands on the C8 Corvette, but it looks like we’re going to have to wait a bit longer. According to Roadshow, the Chevrolet has delayed the C8’s launch until February 2020.

While the initial plan was to produce the car late this year, the well-publicized UAW strike threw a monkey wrench into the works. This comes as disappointing news to folks who were among the first to order the all-new sports car.

However, the strike came at a particularly inopportune time for GM. Final orders for the outgoing C7 were still being fulfilled, with the older front-engine model still rolling down the Bowling Green assembly line.

With plant employees now back at work, those orders still need to be finished up next week. After that, the plant will enter a month-long period of retooling and training.

Originally, that transition was planned to coincide during UAW labor negotiations. Once UAW began striking, leaving the Bowling Green plant without workers for over a month, the plan changed.

The final front-engine C7 Corvette will be a black Z06. It was auctioned off for charity at Barrett-Jackson earlier this year for a whopping $2.7 million. At that price, we wonder if the car’s soon-to-be owner is getting impatient.

The mid-engine C8 Corvette is a massive departure from traditional Corvettes, and, as a result, the plant’s re-tooling efforts will likely be much more involved than ever before. Additionally, employees can expect comprehensive training on new processes and techniques. In short, the strike could not possibly have come at a worse time.

Even though production will begin in February, it may be much longer before people possessing those pre-orders will see their cars. A GM spokesperson contacted by Roadshow did not seem particularly optimistic about cars being delivered in March.

Photos: Roadshow

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