Corvette Plant

[Dick W.]

Quoted from today's Wall Street Journal



By SHARON TERLEP

DETROIT—General Motors Co. plans to spend around $100 million to upgrade its Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Ky., people familiar with the situation said, the latest sign that auto maker's penny-pinching days are behind it.

GM North America chief Mark Reuss is expected to announce the investment on Wednesday at the factory. The improvements would be done in time for the next line of Corvettes, not expected until around 2013.

The Corvette's future was never in question. But GM, as it headed into bankruptcy couple of years ago, halted spending on several vehicles programs. In the last year, the company has disclosed plans to invest several billion dollars in its North American factories and rehire thousands of workers.

The auto maker has been regaining sales steam this year; Corvette sales, meanwhile, are up 15% through April from a year ago.

In addition to the factory improvement, the car itself is getting some upgrades. Changes to the 2012 models, which go on sale later this year, include a racing-style spoiler, an upgraded stereo system, and new options that include new racing tires and a carbon-fiber hood. Many of the enhancements are for the high-performance models, but some apply to entry-model Corvettes.

[Tom H.]

Re: Corvette Plant

Quoted from today's Wall Street Journal




In addition to the factory improvement, the car itself is getting some upgrades. Changes to the 2012 models, which go on sale later this year, include a racing-style spoiler, an upgraded stereo system, and new options that include new racing tires and a carbon-fiber hood. Many of the enhancements are for the high-performance models, but some apply to entry-model Corvettes.

None of these new features would require a 100 million dollar upgrade. Perhaps another car is to be built in the Corvette plant too ?? We will see tomorrow.

[Paul H.]

Re: Corvette Plant

It isn't cheap to re-tool for a new model. This money is likely earmarked for the 7th Generation Corvette. I would rather see the Assembly Plant remain a dedicated Corvette facility. To me, it diluted and detracted from the Corvette to have the XLR built there.

It is good news based on where things were just a short time ago.

[Tom H.]

Re: Corvette Plant

It is good news based on where things were just a short time ago.

That is for sure.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Corvette Plant

i understand that the state came thru with some tax breaks also to keep them there

[Patrick T.]

Re: Corvette Plant

I heard at a NCRS Judging Meet over the weekend that the biggest engine for a Corvette in 2013 will be a six cylinder with a twin turbo.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Corvette Plant

I heard at a NCRS Judging Meet over the weekend that the biggest engine for a Corvette in 2013 will be a six cylinder with a twin turbo.

ford got it working pretty good in their pickups. lots of torque and good MPG

[Valeria H.]

Re: Corvette Plant

ford got it working pretty good in their pickups. lots of torque and good MPG

You are not telling me what the HP would be for this car?
Fess up!
Valeria

[Tom H.]

Re: Corvette Plant

You are not telling me what the HP would be for this car?
Fess up!
Valeria

The Ford Eco Boost turbo V6 is 365 HP.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Corvette Plant

Times are a changing boys & girls, those eco boost engines, even the new diesel F350 are showing phenomenal mileage increases. When could you imagine pushing that massive truck down the road and get 20 mpg? It does, my buddy that has several for a landscaping business bought his first 2010 and was raving about it, just yesterday.

On the buzz box side of these mini power plants - that is what they are power plants, they don't look like a normal engine, now sound the same. The electric power plants they will have in a little over a year look even more different I am surprised they do as good as they do, durability is demonstrated to 150k, if you change the oil. Are they as good as the Ford engines that go 300k and still running w/o any internal rebuilding? Time will tell. Key is, they put these on the crown jewels of the company, the best selling truck in the world so you have to figure they had the customer requirements down pretty good.

In the end all that matters is HP and torque, GM engineers should know to respect what the Corvette has and is expected to have and improve on that.

If they do not - ciao - they lost the market - OK they've done that a couple time too.

Plant retooling? Anybody sneezes in an assembly plant and a million goes out the window, this is modest modification. If you were scraping the floor starting fresh (except for body & paint) you'd blow closer to a billion easy.

Isn't the new one more like 2014 2015???

[Terry M.]

Re: Corvette Plant

The current Corvettes are no slouches when it comes to MPG. Real world (not off the computer) highway miles are solidly in the upper 20s. I got 27 to 29 mpg from the Z06 for 2 and 1/2 days on the return trip from the 2009 National Convention in California. My travel partner, with the LS3, got 30 to 31 mpg. That allowed almost 400 miles between fuel stops and covered ground at a rapid pace. Not too shabby for 505 hp.There is no doubt the Corvette of the future will have to do better, but the Powertrain Engineers have already given us a fine automobile.

[Ray G.]

Re: Corvette Plant

The current Corvettes are no slouches when it comes to MPG. Real world (not off the computer) highway miles are solidly in the upper 20s. I got 27 to 29 mpg from the Z06 for 2 and 1/2 days on the return trip from the 2009 National Convention in California. My travel partner, with the LS3, got 30 to 31 mpg. That allowed almost 400 miles between fuel stops and covered ground at a rapid pace. Not too shabby for 505 hp.There is no doubt the Corvette of the future will have to do better, but the Powertrain Engineers have already given us a fine automobile.

Hello Terry;
Excellent point.
Do you know how the Corvette fits into the CAFE standards ? Is the future of the Corvette affected by heritage, and overall cost/profit ratio ?
Always enjoy your posts.
Ray

[Gary B.]

Re: Corvette Plant

This past weekend at the NCM the GM people talked about gear ratios for better mileage, a bit about horsepower, etc.. But nothing about smaller engines.

I have heard elsewhere that the BG Plant could be building Camaros.

[Terry M.]

Re: Corvette Plant

Hello Terry;
Excellent point.
Do you know how the Corvette fits into the CAFE standards ? Is the future of the Corvette affected by heritage, and overall cost/profit ratio ?
Always enjoy your posts.
Ray

Sorry Ray, I don't have any authoritative answers to your questions. Anything I offered would be either the obvious, or speculation.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Corvette Plant

as long as there are V-8s in pickups there will be V-8s in corvettes BUT when trucks stop using them so will corvettes. look for direct injection and variable valve timing in the new V-8s as GM has stated they are investing a lot of $$$ in their engine plants. they are saying now that some caddys will be getting 4 cylinder engines so V-6 corvettes may be on the way. i would guess the C-7 will have a choice of different types engines available for different models of a corvette