I’m on all the notable Corvette forums and social media pages all day every day, and I’ve done the legwork for you. Here are some compelling stories from the Corvette community, with concise straight-to-the-point summaries for your busy lifestyle.
1) Why Is E-Ray Production Being Delayed?
On October 17th, GM Authority reported that E-Ray production would begin Monday, October 23rd. Then, on October 27th the Corvette Blogger reported we were looking at “an early December start” for E-Ray production to begin, with no explanation for the delay, other than this:
“Chevy had originally told dealers that the E-Ray would start on October 23rd, but after the first order cycle for the car, the earliest TPW for E-Ray buyers we saw was December 4th. Shane from the NCM’s R8C Program told one buyer that the December date could be a placeholder and that there is potentially a chance that E-Rays could start earlier, but again it’s a wait-and-see issue.”
Now, just two days ago GM Authority published a follow-up article, indicating that “the new tentative date for the start of regular production (SORP) for the Corvette E-Ray is set for Monday, November 27th, 2023.” But again, no reasons for the delay were given. I have seen nothing concrete on the multiple C8 Facebook pages I belong to, and the two most popular Corvette forums haven’t provided any solid reasons. There is a lengthy discussion on the MidEngineCorvetteForum where members with E-Rays on order indicate their December TPWs (Target Production Week) are now being pushed to January.
Is this related to the UAW strike? Is there yet another parts supply issue? As soon as CorvSport puts the puzzle pieces together, we’ll give you a timely update in the weekly news recap.
In the meantime, here are the 2024 Corvette Production numbers (courtesy of our go-to Facebook source, Roger Kiel).
2) Why Are Hundreds of Completed 2024 C8s Being Shipped To Michigan?
As CorvSport previously reported, in late October stories started circulating around the net that a handful of completed 2024 C8s were being shipped to Michigan for what was speculated as a “structural” issue. MidEngineCorvetteForum “RedC8Z06” reported in this thread discussion that he reached out to “some people who might know”, and this was the response he received:
“We have units going to MI for updates that couldn’t be done at the plant before they will ship to their final destination, so after it is updated it will ship to the NCM. No projection on how long it will be.”
Fast forward three weeks, and as the handful turns into hundreds, folks are still baffled and the concern level has escalated for owners. And to make matters worse, some of these owners have already paid for their cars since they were planning an R8C delivery with the National Corvette Museum, and it’s policy to pay well before actual delivery. There are numerous theories floating around social media and the forums, but at the time of publication, no concrete answers have been provided.
These pictures were directly snapped by a soon-to-be Corvette owner, who lives near this storage facility in Pontiac, Michigan. The owner, who is patiently waiting for final delivery, was able to track his 2024 C8 to the lot. If you look closely, you’ll see what appears to be on-site security (sitting in that white SUV).
Photo Credits to Craig Hodas, from this lengthy discussion at the MidEngineCorvetteForum
I hope you have found this short but concise recap informative. We have the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 161,000 followers (42,000 since January!). Come join other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello, Douglas B.
