New Corvette Powertrains Proudly Wear Vintage Tonawanda Badge

C8 Corvettes feature badge celebrating the legacy of its Buffalo-based engine plant.

Since 1941, the Tonawanda Engine Plant in Buffalo, NY has been producing some of Chevy’s most impressive powertrains. It was where Chevy built the original small-block V8 about 60 years ago. It is also the facility that is exclusively creating the 2020 Corvette’s new LT2 V8. Basically, it is a Chevy institution. Now, the plant is receiving a special honor in the form of a badge on every 2020 Corvette that reads “Built by Chevrolet Tonawanda the number 1 team.”

The vintage style of the badge might seem familiar. In fact, it is a reproduction of the placards that General Motors used in the 1960s.

Workers at the plant are not only thrilled by the recognition, but find the badge inspires them to Corvette greatness.

“We are embracing the challenge to have a product we can feel strong enough to have our name on it,” UAW Local 774 president JR Baker told WBEN. “The members of Local 774 take pride in the work they do, and to go down in history with that is exciting,” he adds.

Credit for the badge goes to none other than General Motors President Mark Reuss. Ruess’ passion for the Corvette and its history drove the decision.

Ruess uses classic Tonawanda pride stickers for own personal engines. According to Automotive News, shortly before Corvette announced that the Tonawanda facility would be home to 2020 C8 in July, Ruess tasked the design team to recreate the badge. Like, right now.

Corvette’s design team met the challenge, and drafted the old-school design in about an hour.

“Mark was so insistent that we show off the American ingenuity and the pride that we have in this engine,” said Mike Kociba, assistant chief engineer for small block engines. “He wants to call back to the heritage of Tonawanda from the ’60s.”

We love the design. It nicely gives a respectful nod to the Corvette’s past as it races towards the future–powered by 495 horses.

“We’re very proud of our heritage,” said Kociba. “A lot of American pride goes into small blocks in general and of course with the Corvette, the LT2 engine, we’re going to continue that heritage.”

Photos: General Motors

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