Hey everyone, There has been a lot of news surrounding the Corvette and related topics in the past week or so. This update has a lot of info, so let’s get into it.
Z06 Ordering
Unfortunately, the first bit of news I have is quite disappointing. Chevrolet has decided to suspend ordering of the Z06 for the remainder of the calendar year. This means we will not place any more Z06 orders to the factory until at least January. We were able to order 6 in last month’s order cycle. There has been very little information about the reason; all we have been told is it is due to a supply chain issue unique to the Z06. Because of this, I will not be making order appointments to finalize Z06 builds for a few months, however, the order form will remain open for submissions, so please continue to utilize it.
Z06 Retention Policy
Z06 news continues with the adjustment of GM’s Vehicle Retention Policy. There was a strong response to the new retention policy announced by GM which stated that a customer must keep their Z06 for 12 months before selling it or the factory warranty would be voided for all future owners, with a possibility for exceptions. In addition, the original buyer will be disqualified from ordering a new GM vehicle in the future. GM announced last week that the Retention policy will be reduced from 12 months to 6, adding that there will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy, however.
Stingray Chevrolet’s Retention Policy
Stingray Chevrolet remains one of the few dealers in the nation committed to selling the Z06 at MSRP. We also have taken action to address and discourage the sale-for-resale, more commonly referred to as flipping, of new Corvettes by canceling deposits of those who have sold their Stingray within six months of purchasing it from us. This practice will expand as we incorporate a new agreement signed by all Z06 buyers at the time of ordering that will enforce a strict penalty for violating the terms laid out in the agreement. More information on the agreement will be provided later this year.
Price Change
GM has announced that beginning September 1st, 2022, all orders placed will come standard with 3 years of Remote Access included, reflected in a $300 increase in the base MSRP of all Stingrays and Z06s. The Remote Access Plan gives you simplified remote control of your properly equipped vehicle and unlocks a variety of great features in your myChevrolet mobile app. More information about that program can be found here.
Edge Red Paint
Back in July, there was a report of a fire and explosion at the factory that produces the paint for the Edge Red painted brake calipers. This has caused a supply shortage for the Corvette, and it has just been announced that the Edge Red brake calipers are NO LONGER AVAILABLE to order for the Stingray or the Z06. The order forms on this site have been updated accordingly. If you had Edge Red brake calipers selected on your build, I strongly encourage you to resubmit a new order form. Edge Red was the standard caliper color on the 70th anniversary edition, so an adjustment has been made in the GM order guide to make BRIGHT RED painted brake calipers the included option for that package. Hopefully, the constraint will be lifted on the anniversary edition as a result.
Order Cycle Timing
Beginning September 15th, the time allotted within the monthly order cycle will be reduced. While GM frames this change as an “enhancement,” it does restrict my process of confirming orders before placing them to the factory for production. From now on, I will be using the latest order form submitted as your final build. This means if you use the order form to submit mock builds (which is fine), then you must make sure to submit your desired build as the last form you submit because that is the one I will be entering into the system for production. We will also be reaching out to set final build appointments outside the normal order-cycle time frames so we can have orders that are “good to go” already in the queue when the order cycle begins. Constraints will still play a big role in the orders we can place each month, so I also request that you write in any options that are ‘non-negotiable’ in the comments section of the order form as well as items you would be open to changing should there be constraints preventing your order from getting placed . I will try to have a place where current constraints are listed so you can have an idea of what has limited availability. I am also working actively on a new page for the website that has more detailed information on all of the options so stay tuned.
Plant Tours
Believe it or not, there is some good news too! The Corvette Plant in Bowling Green has announced that they will reopen the factory for plant tours starting this winter! The factory had been closed to the public for the last few years due in large to the amount of confidential development that had been in progress. Other factors, such as the pandemic, also played a role. This is exciting news and will hopefully pave the way for the Engine Build experience for the Z06 in the future. This is where you can see your engine get built and even participate in its assembly! Honestly, I do not know if Chevy is planning to make that program available for the Z06 or not, but it would certainly be an awesome experience!