2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

[Michael J.]

R8C Museum Delivery option."

[Jaime G.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

Thanks for the information. Too bad production numbers are so low. Maybe GM needs to look at
upgrading the quality of the car to improve sales and compete with other brands.

[Joe L.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

I got this from the NCM letter, very surprising so few Corvettes total, the lowest in many years, especially low for Z06 and ZR1s:


"The General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant has released their production figures for the 2012 Model Year Corvette. A total of 11,647 Corvettes were produced: 24.4% were base coupes, 5.3% were base convertibles, 43.4% were Grand Sport Coupes, 19.5% were Grand Sport Convertibles, 4.1% were Z06s and 3.5% were ZR1s.
Of the ten colors offered in 2012, Torch Red knocked black from the top spot with 19.5% or 2,266 cars. Carbon Flash Metallic (this year’s only ‘black’) was in close second with 18.9% or 2,201 cars. The order of popularity for the remaining colors was: Blade Silver, Arctic White, Crystal Red Metallic, Cyber Gray, Supersonic Blue, Velocity Yellow, Carlisle Blue and Inferno Orange.
The addition of navigation to the 3LT package proved to be successful as 47.3% or 5,510 of the cars built had this option.
The Centennial Edition Package was quite popular with 18.9% of the cars having this feature, while 8.9% of the Grand Sports had the Heritage Package.
Only six buyers opted for the Customer Selectable VIN, while 12 completed the Corvette Engine Build Experience. The National Corvette Museum was fortunate to welcome 181 Corvettes as part of the R8C Museum Delivery option."

Michael------


At that kind of sales volume Corvettes might not be around much longer.

[Michael J.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

This is the lowest production year since 1997, which was a short one I understand, but prior to that 1961 was the only one lower than 2012. I think people are just saving their pennies for the C7, with all the hype, spy pics, and the like they are just waiting. Hope it is worth waiting for, or you may be right.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

is GM leasing corvettes these days as my dealer told me that close to 40% of his corvette sale were leases

[Joe L.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

is GM leasing corvettes these days as my dealer told me that close to 40% of his corvette sale were leases

clem------


I'm sure they are leasing Corvettes. However, that would not alter the build numbers.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

clem------


I'm sure they are leasing Corvettes. However, that would not alter the build numbers.

i remember for a 36 month lease the payment was $500 a month cheaper than a 36 month finance payment plan. i bet a lot of people who leased them back then do not qualify today

[Tom H.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

is GM leasing corvettes these days as my dealer told me that close to 40% of his corvette sale were leases

I sold a pretty big batch of those 2012's myself. Don't remember doing a lease in 2012. The program isn't that great. The typical Corvette buyer for me is 55 to 72 years old. Has cash to buy or is smart enough to take advantage of the 5 year o% financing. The lease just doesn't really come into play. Just my thoughts.

[Steve B.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

If they would produce a lower priced version, they would sell like crazy. Instead they keep trying to appeal to the Porsche, Ferrari guys. This trend has been going on since the early 80s and is not working IMHO.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

If they would produce a lower priced version, they would sell like crazy. Instead they keep trying to appeal to the Porsche, Ferrari guys. This trend has been going on since the early 80s and is not working IMHO.

i think GM has committed to buy these parts like used on the ZO-6 and when the ZO-6 sales went in the dumper they are now using them on the more expensive grand sport. remember back in 2000 they came out with the fixed roof coupe which did not sell so they took the fixed roof coupe and installed a higher HP engine and called it the more expensive Z-06

[Joe L.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

. The typical Corvette buyer for me is 55 to 72 years old.

Tom------

I think this states the problem in a nutshell. The younger generations just don't have an affinity for Corvettes or similar cars. Even if they have the money or can qualify to finance the car, they buy something else. Corvettes just aren't "trendy" and are not seen as "green".

[Patrick H.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

Tom------

I think this states the problem in a nutshell. The younger generations just don't have an affinity for Corvettes or similar cars. Even if they have the money or can qualify to finance the car, they buy something else. Corvettes just aren't "trendy" and are not seen as "green".

What is interesting is that little kids (patients) love to see my Corvette (08), and I just had a 26 year old patient looking to buy one.
I think that the recent high resale value of early C6s doesn't help anyone get into a Corvette at all, but there isn't much we can do about that.
There are also a lot of very, very good cars with sporty appeal in the $25-35k price range that weren't present previously and it's a lot easier to convince your wife to let you get a sporty smaller car than a more expensive 2 person car.

My 2008 Corvette gets the best mileage of the 7 cars we curently own - though the 1997 Honda might do better if the odometer worked.

[George C.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

Zora must be turning in his grave.
I don't want to rant but................ three months ago when GM was sending out $3000.00 former customers special incentives and other incentives to "select" customers you'd think that I and alot of other former and current Corvette owners would find sometihing to get us into the Chevrolet Dealer and give us that push to buy a new Corvette. Nothing. I called Chevrolet and told them I wanted that $3000.00. That and my GM employee discount would have made me gladly buy a new Grand Sport. Chevrolet didn't even tell me sorry, just you aren't a target or select customer. 40 years of owning Corvettes and NOTHING. Remember too I sold these cars back in the 70's.
Very Disappointing in seeing such low sales numbers. GM is dumb, very Dumb.
Like the Doc said his kid patients pop seeing his Corvette ALL red blooded boys POP when they see a Corvette. The Car is NOT affordable anymore to the masses. All the young boys and girls (early 20's)who are friends with my kids pop, and their eyes light up when I take my Corvette out. I saw a little boy in a Uplander Van stretch his neck as his mom passed me on my left in a 35 zone. GM has just priced them out of reach.
Oh yeah the C7 will not be cheap. How many guys 55+ and up can keep buying these Cars ?? GM has a terrible greed problem. They rather sell less units and more profit. They should be doing the opposite. More units LESS profit. Get the Corvette back on the road like when I was young. I don't want a Porsche, Ferrari Corvette. Makes me sick. Save the Wave, I'm going out for a ride with the roof off.

[Wes S.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

Isn't this a short production year, they're making 2013 now. Should account for low numbers.

[Joe C.]

Re: 2012 Corvette Production Numbers Released

Originally Posted by Tom Hendricks (23758)
The typical Corvette buyer for me is 55 to 72 years old.

Tom------

I think this states the problem in a nutshell. The younger generations just don't have an affinity for Corvettes or similar cars. Even if they have the money or can qualify to finance the car, they buy something else. Corvettes just aren't "trendy" and are not seen as "green".

Joe's assessment is a sad but true fact and the frustrating thing about it is that almost all Corvette fans are in denial about it.

Those that cite instances where kids or young people show interest in their Corvette must remember that those kids and young people are the exception, not the rule. The wholesale numbers like those stated by Tom Hendricks tell the full story.

Those that say that young people can't afford to buy a Corvette have to be reminded that thousands of these young people drive very expensive foreign cars, but not Corvettes.

Those that complain that Corvettes have become "too expensive" have a valid point. Fact is, that in 1963 the average new car price was $3233. The MSRP of a new Corvette was $4037 for a base coupe, so a base Corvette was priced 25% more than the average MSRP of all domestic cars sold in 1963. For 2012 the average price of a new car is now around $28,000 while the MSRP of a new Corvette is $49,525 for a base coupe, so a base Corvette is now priced 77% more than the average car sold in America today. This has nothing to do with the fact that so many young people drive expensive foreign cars and avoid Corvettes. Like Joe said: Corvettes are no longer trendy or desirable. To take it further: Corvettes are viewed as "old man's cars" by the younger generations, and are to be avoided.