Has the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette Been Delayed Six Months for Electrical Problems?

By
Keith Cornett
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12
5064

Has the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette Been Delayed Six Months for Electrical Problems?

Photo Credits: Walter Esquivel / Sloppy Mechanics


RING RING! That’s the sound of 1983 calling…

The C4 Corvette was supposed to celebrate the Corvette’s 30th Anniversary with its introduction in 1983 but was famously delayed due to production issues and was instead launched as the 1984 Corvette. Now it appears that engineers working on the new C8 Corvettes are also encountering delays as they are up against the clock to begin production sometime next year.

Rumors that the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette is suffering from electrical issues as reported by GM Authority appear to be true and have been on-going for some time according to someone we spoke with today. What’s not been confirmed is exactly how long the development delay with last, with estimates apparently ranging from two to six months.

Here’s what GM Authority said about the electrical issues:

According to sources familiar with the matter speaking to GM Authority on the basis of anonymity, engineers have uncovered a major electrical issue with the future Corvette during the development process. From what we gather, the vehicle’s electrical system can’t carry the load necessary to support the necessary components.

To address the issue, engineers will need to re-engineer the vehicle’s electrical system. Naturally, changes made to the sports car will also need to be coordinated with suppliers involved in providing GM with the electrical components, as well as any associated equipment. The undertaking will delay the mid-engine Corvette project by six months.

GM Authority also says that the electrical issue is the reason why the C8 Corvette will be a no-show at the 2019 NAIAS in Detroit.

Our first hint that something may be up with the C8 Corvettes came back in June when one of the prototypes was spotted being jumped by a Silverado at a gas station in Florida. The prototype would eventually be towed back to its facility.

After that, the C8s would disappear from public view only to show up a couple times in Colorado before being captured nearly naked during a week of testing at the Nurburgring in mid-September. In early October, this video from TFLcar showing the C8s in a parking lot was the last documented public sighting that we’re aware of.

Reports of the Mid-Engine Corvette Delayed for Electrical Problems

Many commentators we’ve read on various websites are taking shots at the Corvette team for not being able to figure out the cars electrical needs while in the design phase. I personally don’t think that’s the case and figure it’s more likely a rogue or faulty component that’s taxing the system. Others are worried that this will just add to the bad news that’s been coming out of GM following recent announcements to close factories as the company shifts more to trucks and crossover production while investing heavily in electric technologies.

The silver lining to the story is that at least they have found the problem during development instead of from customers demanding warranty of the C8’s electrical system. Good lord what a mess that would have been! We assume that Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter and his team are throwing their considerable resources into this issue and hope that the delay is not as long as has been stated.

We’re not exactly sure what the engineering delay means for the C8’s production schedule or the C7’s production for that matter. The C7 Corvette is expected to wrap up production sometime next summer as the plant would be prepped for building C8 Corvettes. If the delay is six months, will Chevy extend the C7’s production schedule? Will the delay change GMs launch plans for the C8 this spring? Again we have no way of answering those questions right now. But should anything come up, we’ll let you know!


Source:
GM Authority
Photo Credits: Walter Esquivel / Sloppy Mechanics

Related:
[SPIED] More C8 Mid-Engine Corvettes Testing in Colorado
[PIC] ACS Composite Offers a New Render of the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette

 



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12 COMMENTS

  1. Is this a case of the bean counters nickel and dimeing on equipment and suppliers or incompetent Engineers? There are many super cars without these issues. If you are going to bench mark you got to include more than acceleration and handling.

  3. There’s an incredible team working on the next generation Corvette. Whatever issues they are dealing with during testing, they will get worked out as quickly as possible. I find it laughable that some in various social media are knocking the Corvette team because a problem was found during the testing phase. Don’t forget, Corvette is the longest running car nameplate in America and is the tip of the spear for Chevrolet technology. The Corvette team isn’t going to let us down. Stay tuned!

  6. Hey-who said it was for sure launching at NAIAS? No one that I have read or heard about.
    As well why do you think that they spend all of this time testing and going through long term development?
    It needs to be right from the launch- and I am sure that is exactly what they are going to do.

  7. Jeremy, according to the story, the Corvette “is suffering from electrical issues as reported by GM Authority appear to be true and have been on-going for some time”. So it cannot be an easy issue to fix evidently. What I also find interesting is that they tried to jump the car while it was in Florida but could not – hmm – what could be the problem if the car could not be jump started?

  8. Jeremy Welborn
    It’s not the Corvett team that worry me its the GM Management. Brings back memory of the C4 where the had to lie a secretly commit fund to development due to Managements reluctance to commit fund for Corvette development. This Management seemto be even more strict in allocating funds to anything other than Atonomous and electric development. They also don’t seem to mind spending money on existing products then cancelling them just when they seem to be getting it right. Hopefully someone up there realize the need to get the C8 right and provide the Engineers the nessary funds to do so.

  9. With all the technology now associated with any car, but especially the C8, it should come as no surprise they found a glitch. All those controllers for engine, transmission, traction mgmt., suspension, navigation, etc, etc, all integrated. That is the ‘what and why’ of driving development vehicles on the road in real life situations is all about.
    My opinion, Road America and Nurburgring sightings were all about the C8.R/Pratt&Miller development.
    The engine sounds from those videos truly imply a 5.5L twin turbo as announced by the IMSA Radio guys this past racing season.
    Relax, they’ll get it worked out.

  10. This car, until it starts production, is a prototype. These things are bound to happen. Besides, if there were to be problems, I’d much rather them take place now, so they can be fixed, instead of investing my hard earned money into a new C8 and have to deal with recalls and warranty work. So, GS11, lets not jump to conclusions and give these chaps a chance to fix it!

  11. The older people with money who still care are few. I say just build an amusement park like the fellows school and rent the Vettes out. Burn them up on track days. Return them for rebuilding.
    Repeat.

  12. Regardless of what people think they know or do not, the following holds true. Global B electronics architecture is a very amazing system and it has had growing pains in other motor vehicle manufacturer lines and this is why preproduction testing is so critical and why we have seen vehicles in Colorado, Florida and overseas. Multiple conditions and usages, my advise is: Be patient and short cuts are not part of Corvette engineering.

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