GM Disappoints Thousands of Corvette Enthusiasts By Not Having the 2020 Corvettes at Corvette Funfest

By
Keith Cornett
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44
64388

GM Disappoints Thousands of Corvette Enthusiasts By Not Having the C8s at Corvette Funfest


They came from all over the world to see the new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette during Corvette Funfest at Mid America Motorworks.

Enthusiasts from Switzerland, Australia, Germany, and Canada represented some of the foreign Corvette enthusiasts while American Corvette owners drove from as far as Virginia, California, and parts in between hoping to catch a glimpse and maybe even test the seats of the all-new Corvette Stingray.

Unfortunately, those enthusiasts would go home disappointed.

Mid America Motorworks Mike Yager made the announcement during Saturday morning’s opening festivities that Chevrolet had nixed sending any 2020 Corvettes to the show.

Their reason is even more baffling.

No, it wasn’t the strike nor was it the fact that there are only six official show cars.

According to Mike, GM now views Mid America Motorworks as a competitor to their own Corvette parts and accessories business despite the fact that the thousands of enthusiasts who attended the 26th annual Corvette Funfest are all potential buyers of the next-generation Corvette.

We know that organizations and events have been requesting the new Corvettes to come to their shows and we get it that with only six official show cars, the Corvette Team needs to make strategic decisions on where to show them. But the reasoning that Mid America Motorworks is a now competitor instead of a partner appears to ignore the history that the Corvette team has with Mid America Motorworks and the Corvette Enthusiasts who attend the show every year. The GM Engineering tent at Corvette Funfest was as much a part of the tradition of the show as all the other activities offered. This year, it was was just an empty patch of grass.

There were 14 C8s at Carlisle and 10-11 C8s at the NCM 25th show. They couldn’t send one car to Corvette FunFest???

Some of the Corvette Team veterans at the show were aghast with the situation with one former Corvette team executive saying he would have driven his own car just for the opportunity to let people see it.

And even though Mid America and General Motors may compete on certain products, Mid America Motorworks is an official GM licensee that pays the automaker a royalty on every officially-licensed product they sell. So whose cutting into whose business?

Those of you long-time readers would be very hard-pressed to find a story where we criticized a decision by the Corvette Team, but this one seems petty and vindictive towards the Yagers and Mid America Motorworks in the face of all they had done for the Corvette hobby.


Related:
Chevrolet to Offer Two Public Reveals of the 2020 Corvette Stingray Convertible at the Kennedy Space Center
[PICS] The C8 Corvette Makes First Visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
[PICS] The National Corvette Museum’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

 



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44 COMMENTS

  2. G m can go to hell the ceo sends the new blazer to Mexico so she can make 22.5 million a year. I will never buy a gm again

  3. Keith,

    I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments about the silly and petty decision by GM. Everything you said is true. The royalty issue makes it even more baffling. And to ignore the request of Mike Yeager, a NCM Hall of , is just embarrassing to the Corvette brand. We should suggest that you write Harlan and/or Tadge and voice our concerns – I’ll start!. And you have to own a Corvette first to buy parts for it! And they just started to alienate potential new customers in their “launch” year. Sad state of affairs.

  4. The Corvette Show in Los Altos California today promised the C8 would be present.It was MIA followed by nonsense excuses.It’s no wonder GM has the issues it has.

  5. Shameful behavior by some pinheads at GM. This is what happens when a corporation looses touch with its customers. Yagers are owed a big public apology as well as everyone who attended.

    2017 GS convert, potential C8 customer

  6. GM dealers must pay to have the C-8 pre show brought to their dealership and maybe tjese people did not want to pay. I have heard it is $15K a day

  7. I agree, but this is typical corporate mentality. Someone failed to make a decision that would benefit the company longterm.

  8. Very, very shortsighted and petty on the part of GM.
    I wonder whose decision it was?
    It has been vendors like Mid-America and other who have promoted Corvette and made it that much more fun to drive and own.
    Will GM produce and stock all of the thousands of parts for older Corvettes for the folks that maintain and restore them?
    I think not.

  9. Perhaps their excuses are merely a ruse to cover up the real problem that being that the car is still not ready and won’t make into production in mid-December as has been reported. As complex as the car’s electronics are reported to be, it wouldn’t surprise me if the first production cars don’t hit the road until late spring.

    Montana Bob

  11. I WAS a potential customer. I’ve been ogling the new C8 for quite some time and was looking very forward to seeing it in person…I’m an impulse buyer of big ticket items, so this was a serious potential sale. We have been going to Funfest for 21 years and I was VERY disappointed in GM’s decision. I’ve owned a plethora of Corvettes and actually have three now with the most recent being a ’17 GS. Mid America is only 70 miles and I have faithfully purchased not only parts, but lifestyle products from Mid America for every one of my Corvettes. My wife and I know Yagers personally and you couldn’t find nicer or more dedicated people on the planet. I feel, quite deeply, that GM’s actions were not only a slap in the Yagers’ faces, but mine as well.

  13. Hey. You still don’t get it? We old guys (i.e. C1-C7 enthusiasts) are not the target market for the reinvented Corvette C8. Tadge & Co. even admitted it. No chrome wheel options (how 20th century), no manual transmission (only dinosaurs use the left foot) are a slight to the Corvette owners who financed the development of the C8, either through Corvette purchases or the $19B gift from we federal taxpayers. However, you can hang all kinds of expensive wings and spoilers on the C8. Maybe GM is rght and there are enough boy racers out there to make the C8 a success.

  14. Why hasn’t GM delivered these cars yet? It’s almost October. My guess there having issues with the car.
    Are they going taking it to a show that has Corvette people with more mechanical ability then the average looky lo and might be more inquisitive
    on there product that has few problems. Maybe.

  15. My wife and I just returned from MidAmerican’s Funfest this weekend. We were very disappointed that GM Corvette team and the C8’s was a no show. Heard a couple of different reasons why GM was not there. Story One was the Mike Yager story that GM now after 25 years of attending Funfest suddenly considers them competition and will not attending this year and withheld from the Corvette enthusiasts the chance to see the new C8 in the flesh. Story 2 is GM showed up on Wednesday and got into it with Yager and told him to go fly a kite and took off. Story 3 was GM wanted to Premier the C8 at the dealerships and wanted to drive all of wanting a look into a Chevy dealership to have a look. Not sure what the true story is, very disappointed in GM turning its back on some of the most loyal Corvette Enthusiasts on the planet!

  16. I’m still haven’t got over the cobalt steering wheel and radio in my c6 I paid 55000 thousand dollars for I be dam I buy a c8 that look like a Toyota

  19. The C8 was cancelled at Corvette Spectacular in Las Altos today and I thought it had something to do with the strike. All I can say is Wow!! Really!!
    Come on Chevrolet!!

  20. The “team” had also promised a C8 in California at the Corvette Spectacular in Los Altos but backed out at the last day before the show. I’m sure the Santa Clara Corvette Club was not a “competitor”. So really what’s up GM?

  21. I think the excuses are B.S. This is a radical car for GM & it’s having problems.

    Remember even the ’68 was delayed one year because of it’s issues……..

  22. What do you expect? It IS GM, after all. The unveiling was the worst fumble I’ve ever seen for a new car (or any product, for that matter), and now that the employees think they have a good thing going, they’re taking advantage and striking to get even higher pay, and more benefits than they deserve.

  23. I have owned a few Corvettes in my driving life, and have a C5 currently, but I am highly dissapointed that GM would disagree Mike Yager, and Fun Fest! I am 9 looking at purchasing a C8, or a Lexus LC500 in the very near future, GM just made my mind up for me! They obviously don’t need my business!! I won’t support a company that continues to make such bone head decisions!!

  24. I live a mile from the Fun Fest grounds, thought about stopping to see the new C8, but my kids who were going developed strept and I noticed a year in my 6.2s sidewall, so I limped home and stayed. I was wondering if GM bothered to have one there, not having it there tells me it’s not ready or they are looking for a new target audience. My guess is it has problems and was rushed to production and they don’t want to get grilled about it at an event full of enthusiasts. Major disappointment GM no showed either way, especially on Mike’s 70th. Sounded like a good Beatles trib show after.

  26. Another blunder on the part of GM. I saw what trouble they went through at Carlisle to show this great Corvette. Seems very small of them to do this to Mid-America. Wonder if it’s just another dumb mistake by GMs upper management, they’re the ones that couldn’t keep the company from going on strike too. Maybe a few upper management heads need to roll.

  27. Yes i am a dinosaur, have been purchasing G M cars for over 50 years most recent 19 Regal S B GS 19 vette GS. I have delt with those SOB over every kind of problem. They are the scum of the business world it only about profit the customer is just that to them $$$$”s I still buy their cars now because i live in a small town with a great G M dealer with good service and I get GM family discount if it where not for that they can go to hell! You younger people have been sucked in by all the hip on the C8! Watch in a few years they treat you like they do with with our C7 problems ( cracked wheels , oh driver error BULL SHIT)

  28. A few of us from our corvette club traveled to Funfest to see the C8 and yes we were disappointed that GM decided not to show the car. The possible excuse that they want to go to venues that attract a younger demographic is short sighted and wrong. The vast majority of potential buyers for the C8 will be those who are 50 and older. The price point on these cars are still at a range that will attract current corvette owners and those who are older with the financial resources to buy the car. The question is why would GM ignore thousands of current corvette owners who are at an event that provides them with an excellent marketing platform. The pathetic excuse that Mid America is a competitor to GM is absurd since this has been the case over the years without repercussions. It’s true, you can’t fix stupid and GM has demonstrated that their senior marketing and corporate team need an intervention.

  29. Greedy greedy management at GM. They are also locking the ECM making tuning all but impossible thus eliminating an entire industry of aftermarket parts. You shortsighted pin heads are f-ing up the best car you ever made before it even hits the showroom. Bravo.

  31. I just attended the Corvette Corral at the IMSA race at Laguna Seca. There was a 2020 Corvette on display but, it was roped off and you counldn’t get anywhere near it!! Couldn’t sit in it, open the doors or get any close looks at the interior, etc. Mind you, this was at the Corvette Corral where you needed a wrist band to get in and they guarded it like we were all a bunch of people they couldn’t trust to be around the car!! But, at least they had one there…..

  32. Does GM realize that mid America’s business is predicated on GM producing the car and that a lot of people buy this car so they can buy parts from places like mid America to modify and accessorize them. Its almost a symbiotic relationship, this is not logical at all.

  34. Sorry, I wouldn’t just take Yeagers word for it. I would guess there’s more to the story.

  36. The problem is that the MidAmerican’s Funfest knew the C8 was not going to be there at least by 9/11/19. When I sent them an email asking were the display was going to be. I went to Louisville Ky. on 9/19/19 to see their C8 and they let me sit in it. The Funfest at the least should have notified everyone that registered and put it on their web page when they were told it was not going to be there.

  37. I was at Funfest and was very disappointed to not get a closeup of the C8. After reading the reason on your blog, I’m wondering who at GM made the God awful decision to disappoint so many of the brand faithful. Clearly, the person or persons responsible need to find a new line of work, perhaps working for Ford. I hope you can shed more light on this slap in the face by GM. Thanks Keith for all you do for the Corvette faithful.

  39. No MT.
    No Funfest.
    What’s next?
    It will be interesting to see which other potential customers GM decides are not important as they confidently forge ahead in their quest to maximize sales.
    Maybe they will take some C8s to some of the tuner shows? In going for the younger demographic, they might realize that some of those cars actually do have (shudder) MTs.

  40. I own an 88 convertible, traditional red/black interior with a white exterior , very elegant, also known as the poor man’s Corvette. I won’t get any new vehicle that looks like a spaceship and need a rocketman lisence to learn how it operate it. Glutany runs amuck in any corporate company, doesn’t bother me, I’ll enjoy my 88 Vette for years to come… The C8 may be faster but mine is Cooler..!!

  42. I just attended the Corvette Spectacular in Los Altos California the largest show in Northern California and NO new 2020 Corvette?

    Were talking Silicone Valley the millionaire and billionaire capitol and Chevrolet wouldn’t provide a car ?

    I bet you could have sold 10-20 new Corvettes on site ?

    I own a restored 59 C1 Corvette and am a loyal Chevy customer I’m insulted and disappointed with the Corvette team really what were they thinking? Or were they ?

  43. I and my son drove 975 miles to see the new vette only to be disappointed. Feel badly for Mike–he didn’t deserve this. Hope GM sales for this car falls flat.

  44. I’m a union man and could see where the strike could cause a problem….This will come to pass….GM has brought new cars here for many years…that is good marketing for the brand….GM don’t burn bridges that help get CORVETTE where it is today….YES you did upset a lot of CORVETTE people

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