As if the microchip shortage wasn’t enough and didn’t cause plenty of production gaps for most manufacturers, prospective Corvette C8 owners are now facing a different hiccup as well. Because of the recent tornado that hit the continental US, the Bowling Green plant, where the C8 is made, had to pause its production once again, following a fire started by the strong winds.
Last week, several tornadoes wreaked havoc on six states, killing more than 90 people and causing tremendous damage. A tornado struck the Corvette facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Saturday morning, causing a fire that destroyed the building’s roof as well as one of the employee entrances, reports Automotive News. Thankfully, all of the workers were unharmed, but the facility was severely damaged.
General Motors said it will need at least a week to get the facility back up and running in optimal conditions after the incident. There are around 1,200 hourly workers and 180 salaried workers who will take a forced break. It’s not great news for the Corvette though, which saw sales increase by 95.8% to 24,748 units in the first nine months of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
Those numbers apply only for the United States; Canada received 1,887 units over the same time period, along with 120 automobiles being delivered in Mexico. To refresh your memory, the C8 is the first Corvette to be built in a right-hand-drive configuration from the factory, opening up new market options for Chevrolet.
Chevy has made a few minor changes to the 2022 model year in order to keep demand strong and stable, while also introducing the much-anticipated 2023 Corvette Z06 as the new range topper. The high-revving sports vehicle has a long wait ahead of it, not just because production won’t begin until next summer, but also because many customers have already signed up for one without knowing the asking price. According to the newest information, it will cost little around $90,000, although that remains to be confirmed.
