GM Closes 2020 Corvette Order Banks Over Extreme Demand!

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Corvette orders for 2021 will start early, but if you haven’t ordered a 2020, you missed your chance.

If you didn’t order a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette, you are going to have to wait for the 2021 model year. On March 18, General Motors announced that the order banks for the 2020 model year were closing, effective immediately. This information comes from an email from the automaker to dealers which was leaked and shared to Corvette Forum by “VetteGuy453.” The company is behind schedule on 2020 orders due to extreme demand for the uber-popular car.

The good news is that the same email to dealers announced that orders for 2021 models will open 30 days earlier than expected. The first orders for a 2021 Corvette Stingray will be accepted on Thursday, May 21, 2020. Orders for the 2021 model year were originally planned to start in June.

2020 Corvette Orders

The message from General Motors to its dealer network began with the information on the 2020 Corvette order banks.

“Due to an overwhelming response to the all-new 2020 Corvette and to avoid false customer expectations, it will be necessary to suspend the ability to create a sold order (SRE) beginning March 18, 2020. This does not prevent you from processing existing sold orders (SRE) within allocation, nor creating and processing a normal stock order (TRE).”

The company then explained the reason for closing the order banks earlier than expected.

“Regretfully, launch timing was delayed by the six-week work stoppage that reduced the 2020 Model Year production schedule. Therefore, it is possible some of your 2020 orders, sold or stock may not be produced as planned.”

In other words, the assembly plant is behind schedule. The company isn’t sure if they will be able to build all of the 2020 Corvette Stingrays that have already been ordered. With that in mind, the company obviously doesn’t want to take more orders for the 2020 model year. While GM is pointing at the six-week work stoppage as the key issue, we imagine that the most recent work stoppage due to the national health emergency is complicating the matter. It was also announced on March 18 that all of the assembly plants from Ford, General Motors and FCA will stop production through at least the end of March.

2021 Orders Starting in May

The good news is that the order banks for the 2021 Corvette Stingray will open 30 days earlier than expected. Dealers can begin turning in 2021 model year orders on May 21, 2020. Production for 2021 was originally slated to begin on September 1, 2020. There has been no work on whether the company will still aim for that date. With the recently-announced production stoppage, the company may adjust the start of production for 2021 for all models. This is particularly likely with a vehicle like the Corvette, which has its own production facility.

The decision to end 2020 production will allow General Motors to have a better chance at completing the orders that have already been received. Those who don’t want to custom order a car can still buy a 2020 Stingray from dealership stock. Those who insist on specific features can order their 2021 in late-May. The first units ordered should arrive in the fall.

Photos for Corvette Forum by Patrick Rall

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