Last C6 Corvette Rolls off GM Bowling Green Assembly Plant Line

Today, Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 8:04 a.m., the last 2013 Corvette came off the line at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant. The celebration was short lived, as less than 30 minutes after the last car was built, workers began remodeling the plant to prepare for the launch of the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray.

A total of 215,100 sixth-generation "C6" Corvettes were made at Bowling Green since production began in 2005, the last of which was the exclusive 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition outfitted with the 60th Anniversary design package. This package boasts an Arctic White exterior and a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede-microfiber accents.

At the heart of the 427 Convertible is the 7.0-liter (427 ci) LS7 aluminum-block V8, which is handcrafted by skilled engine craftsmen at the GM Performance Build Center. For the LS7 destined for the last C6 produced, the engine was built by Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter.

The last C6 Corvette will join other historic General Motors vehicles at the GM Heritage Center in Warren, Mich.

“Leading up to the production of the last C6 has been all business,” said Bowling Green plant manager Dave Tatman. “We take our job seriously and consider it the privilege that it is. But you can’t do what we do and not get emotionally attached to the car.”

Even as the team celebrated building the last C6, Tatman said there has been a great deal of anticipation and excitement toward building the all-new Stingray.

“The last C6 rolls off the line at 8:04 a.m. and I’ll have people in here at 8:30 a.m. to start tearing down and putting in new tools,” Tatman said.

The task will require that 120 workers take just four weeks to turn the Bowling Green plant around, completing a job that usually takes months to accomplish. All employees are slated to return to work on March 25, where they will learn the entirely new process required to build the Stingray.

Bowling Green Assembly, which hosts up to 50,000 visitors a year, is currently closed to the public to facilitate the remodeling of the line. Tatman said he plans to reopen the plant to outside tours as soon as possible, knowing that everyone is excited to see this new generation of Corvette built.

“As I always say, we don’t build cars, we build dreams,” Tatman said.

View more images of this historic moment on our Picasa Web Album online here. 

Plans Cruising Forward for NCM Motorsports Park

National Corvette Museum making exciting progress with Motorsports Park Project

Driven by the success of its various expansions and upgrades over the years, the National Corvette Museum is now hard at work on a project that will complete the Museum experience: a Motorsports Park. Exciting progress has been made recently including the approval of the final track design as well as the beginning of the geotechnical engineering on the site.

The Park’s official groundbreaking event is scheduled for Friday, June 28, 2013, during the Museum’s Corvette 60th Anniversary Celebration.  The Grand Opening of the Motorsports Park is planned for Labor Day weekend 2014, in conjunction with the Museum’s 20th Anniversary and the 5th National Corvette Caravan.

Plans for the Park are moving forward successfully. The track designer, Steve Crawford and civil engineering firm, DDS Engineering, are currently preparing construction bid documents, with a goal of completing that process by May of 2013.

“Good things are happening with more exciting developments on the way, but as always, we can’t do it without the help of our supporters,” said Wendell Strode, NCM Executive Director.  “We are especially thankful for those who have joined the One Acre Club and want to encourage others who are capable of helping us to do so.” The One Acre Club is a program for individuals or groups to assist the NCM in funding the Motorsports Park.

The Museum is currently working toward a goal of raising $1 million by June 1.  While construction on the autocross/skid pad area will begin this summer, construction of the west track as part of the initial development will require additional funding.  “We are ready to move forward with the project, but at what level will be determined by support received from enthusiasts and sponsorships,” said Strode.  “The support thus far is great, but we still need help to make it happen.”

The Museum survives on the generosity of its supporters, and the Motorsports Park is no different.  Each acre purchased sends a powerful message to potential sponsors of how committed Corvette enthusiasts are to making this project happen.  The National Corvette Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation and is the largest car museum in the world dedicated to a single model.  The planned Motorsports Park will have over one mile of frontage on Interstate 65, the third most traveled north-south Interstate in the eastern United States.  For more information visit www.motorsportspark.org, 'Like' the Motorsports Park page on Facebook, or call 800-53-VETTE (83883).

Corvette Stingray Convertible to Debut at Geneva

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible will make its world debut on March 5 at the Geneva Motor Show.

"It's fitting to introduce the new Stingray convertible on the global stage at Geneva because Corvette is the face of Chevrolet the world over," said Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. "It is an icon that has long been recognized and admired even in countries where it's never officially been offered."

There are Corvette owner and enthusiast clubs in more than 100 countries, and 58 percent of the 1.1 million fans who “Like” Corvette's official Facebook page reside outside the United States.
The Corvette Stingray convertible will deliver the same balance of technology, design and performance introduced on the coupe in January in Detroit.

"Every Corvette is designed at the outset as an open car," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. "The new Stingray is no different, with the coupe and convertible designed to excel in any situation – be it your daily commute, a drive across the continent, or charging through twisting back roads."

Attendees at the Museum's NCM Bash April 25-27 will have the opportunity to see both the coupe and convertible 2014 Stingray up close, and hear from members of the Chevrolet team responsible for the new design.  "Our annual Bash event is a unique opportunity for Corvette and auto enthusiasts to attend seminars with presentations by the engineers and designers of the Corvette as to what's new and different with the car," said NCM Events Manager Roc Linkov.  "Tadge, Kirk Bennion, Harlan Charles, Craig Sass and many others lead a 'walk around' of the car where they talk about each feature and answer questions."

The Bash event is also a great opportunity for autographs from the Corvette elite, road tours, a seminar with members of the Corvette Racing team, car show and much more.  Registration is now open and the complete agenda is available online at: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/registration/bash/info.shtml.

Chevrolet will auction the first retail production model of the Corvette Stingray convertible at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach collector car auction to benefit the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Karmanos, based in southeast Michigan, is a unique, urban-based integrated center of research, patient care and education, dedicated to the prevention, early detection, treatment and eventual eradication of cancer.

The Barrett-Jackson will be held April 4-6 at the South Florida Fairgrounds in Palm Beach, Fla. Bids can be submitted in person at the auction or online at www.barrett-jackson.com.

In January, the first retail production model of the 2014 Corvette Stingray – with the Vehicle Identification Number ending in 0001 – sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale collector car auction for $1.05 million to Rick Hendrick, chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports. Proceeds from that sale benefitted the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

Super Bowl XLVII MVP Takes Home Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco is presented with a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Monday, February 4, 2013 for being named Super Bowl XLVII MVP in New Orleans, Louisiana. Flacco lead his team to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Chevrolet is the official sponsor of the Super Bowl XLVII MVP Award. (Photo by AJ Mast for Chevrolet)

Presented by local Chevrolet dealer who rebounded after Hurricane Katrina


The honor of awarding the Super Bowl XLVII MVP Award was given to Rick Flick of New Orleans’ Banner Chevrolet, who knows a thing or two about comebacks. Banner Chevrolet, a part of Flick’s family for 40 years, was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and was the first business to reopen in New Orleans East after the devastating 2005 storm. On behalf of Chevrolet, the official sponsor of the Super Bowl XLVII MVP Award, Flick presented quarterback Joe Flacco with a 2014 Corvette Stingray (manufactured at the world's only GM Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, KY) on Monday in recognition of his effort in leading the Baltimore Ravens’ to a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.

Adding yet another tie to Bowling Green, the Ravens are coached by John Harbaugh, who's father Jack was coach for the Western Kentucky University football team from 1989-2002.

“Banner Chevrolet and the entire city of New Orleans have been through so much since the storm, we felt this was a small gesture to bring the comeback story full circle,” said Alan Batey, GM vice president of U.S. Sales, Service and Marketing. “With the Super Bowl in his backyard, we couldn’t think of a better guy to have the honor of awarding the MVP with his Corvette Stingray.”

Banner Chevrolet was of the largest losses ever recorded for a dealership in the United States and recently completed a massive multimillion-dollar renovation with state-of-the-art technology. Banner is the only Chevrolet dealer in Orleans Parrish.

“We lost our entire inventory of 650 new Chevrolets and 120 pre-owned vehicles during Katrina,” Flick said. “I’m happy we are still a vital part of this community today and I can be here to represent the people of Chevrolet and its dealerships as we celebrate the Super Bowl MVP.”

The Super Bowl MVP receives the Pete Rozelle Trophy, a silver trophy made by Tiffany & Co., and the Corvette Stingray.

The 2014 Corvette Stingray is the most powerful standard model ever, with an estimated 450 horsepower (335 kW) and 450 lb.-ft. of torque (610 Nm). It is also the most capable standard model ever, able to accelerate from 0-60 in less than four seconds and achieve more than 1g in cornering grip. It is expected to be the most fuel-efficient Corvette, exceeding the EPA-estimated 26 mpg of the current model. 

All new Corvettes come with a complimentary trial membership to the National Corvette Museum.  Hey, Joe... why not plan a visit to the home of America's Sports Car during the off-season?