Well, that was quick! Rumors have been confirmed that production of the 2018 Corvette will cease early for the model year. The last date to order a 2018 Corvette is November 16, and the last week of production for the 2018 model year is the week of January 22. The 2019 model year will begin rolling off the line the week of January 29, 2018. Orders for the model start November 30. (whew we need a calendar for all those dates!)
Right now, planned volume for the 2018 Corvette is just shy of 9,700 units, making it one of the shortest model years.
No major changes are coming for 2019 as models, colors and options from 2018 will carry over (sans the Carbon 65 Edition). Less than 100 65th Anniversary Carbon Editions are remaining of the 650 cap for 2018. A new order guide for 2019 will be released on November 20.
Sebring Orange (G26) can now be ordered, and a small ramp up of the new hue begins the week of December 11 (in the new paint shop, we might add).
But what about the new paint shop? Production at Bowling Green Assembly starts back up November 6, and at that time the ‘basics’ (Black, Arctic White, Torch Red, Corvette Racing Yellow) will begin rolling through the state-of-the-art paint shop. Tintcoats will follow the basics at a later date (Admiral Blue, Blade Silver, Cyber Matrix Gray, Long Beach Red, Sebring Orange and Watkins Glen Gray.
As for the quality of the new paint – we’re told customers will not be disappointed. Some even tout the quality to be better than the crème de la crème Cadillac paint.
And as for a “C8” mid-engine Corvette, no official word has been received announcing the highly anticipated model. But it has been photographed quite a bit lately. Perhaps it’s GM’s way of teasing us just a little bit!
Next year’s Michelin NCM Bash will certainly be colorful when GM takes the stage to present on 2018 and 2019… and we know you’ll want to be there to ask questions and be in the know.
Corvette Dates Cheat Sheet
October 27 – 2018 Corvette unallocated sold orders cut off
November 6 – GM Plant Re-Starts 2018 Production in the new Paint Shop
November 16 – Final date to order a 2018 Corvette
November 20 – 2019 Corvette Order Guide Released
November 30 – 2019 Corvette Orders Picked-Up
December 11 – Sebring Orange Corvettes begin
January 22 (week of) – 2018 Corvette Production Ends
January 29 – 2019 Corvette Production Starts