A recent blog post from Digital Trends cited an interview with the chief designer of the Corvette and states that if sales dont improve in the C7, this could be the last Corvette ever. Consider that simple statement for just a moment. Last Corvette Ever.
OK, so, we’re not going to be alarmists about this for a couple of reasons, one there is no single car in American automotive history that is as beloved as the Corvette. Nothing else had has as long a run or has adjusted to the times as well as the Corvette. Yes, not every iteration during a given generation was flawless, but as a microcosm of American ingenuity and innovation, the Corvette has set the standard for over 60 years. It keeps coming back year after year, design tweaks, new features, testing and setting the standard of what automotive muscle and style can do.
So, while we can respect the comments from Tadge Juechter, the Chief Engineer of the Corvette on spec and say we don’t think he’s just blowing smoke, we find it difficult to believe that GM, Corvette owners, new and previous purchasers of these muscle cars would simply go quietly into that good night. Sorry, for waxing poetically there, but let’s consider a few things about the likelihood of this happening.
Generational Continuity
From the C2 to modern-day C7s, the Corvette has one thing many other cars cannot attest to, generational support. The test of time has been fought and won with the Corvette. When you say the word Corvette, it conjures up all sorts of images, for those who never owned one, perhaps envy. For those who lost a race to one, spite. For those who have sat in the driver’s seat, mashed that accelerator down to the ground and heard that throaty response, love. So, wherever you are on the spectrum, you have memories of the Corvette.
For many Corvette enthusiasts, owning a Corvette is not a one-time deal. The love affair with this car is not something many of us feel for a single model year or class. You may own a ’63 split window, a ’67 L88 ragtop, or maybe an ’09 ZR1. Pick your poison with the Corvette because you can find classics in every class and not many vehicle lines in domestic or foreign markets can claim the same.
Committed Audience of Supporters
To be sure, companies like ours wouldn’t be around if this vehicle platform didn’t have the kind of support that justified a company like ours being in business. Market demand drives the need for parts and supplies companies to support the Corvette platform. Restoration projects, regardless of year or class engender a certain interest and pride in owners. Rarely, can you instantly find a cadre of fellow enthusiasts who so love a line they’d sit right down with you and start hashing out their own memories and get excited about yours.
There’s a special bond people have with this line, and despite Juechter’s concerns about the possibility of it ending, we choose to take the optimistic viewpoint that as long as there is American muscle, the Corvette will be here to define what that looks like.
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