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With all the anticipation for the C7 Corvette’s reveal now taken care of, enthusiasts are looking to the next big milestone – actually getting their hands on one of the new Stingrays. But according to Crain’s Detroit Business website, enthusiasts might not be able to get behind the wheel of the new Corvette as easily as they thought. That’s because, starting with the new C7 model, General Motors has put a sales-volume threshold in place which dealers must meet or exceed to carry the new showroom-stopper. What that means for consumers is unclear right now, but more than likely it means many Corvette enthusiasts will have to travel a bit further to purchase their new cars.
Image: Libertyville Chevrolet
Putting a sales-volume threshold on automotive dealerships in order to carry a certain product is not a new concept, but the 2014 model year will mark the first time that General Motors has implemented such a system on its Chevy dealerships. Consequently, this threshold threatens to affect mostly smaller dealerships and rural areas, as dealerships that didn’t sell at least four Corvettes in 2012 look to be excluded from receiving the C7 models in the future. This could mean that hundreds of Chevy dealerships will not receive the 2014 Corvette.
Dealerships were notified of the new sales requirement last January, and many are now facing the inability to use the new Corvette as a way to bring more business to their showrooms, let alone secure the new model for prospective buyers. While dealership owners like Jim Stutzman of Jim Stutzman Chevrolet-Cadillac in Winchester, Virginia told reporters that they understand the sales requirement, they are not looking forward to telling customers they must go elsewhere to by the new model.
