Next Corvette Might Get Global Influence
By Chris Weiss
The Corvette may be as American as baseball and gorging on apple pie until you’re drastically overweight, but the icon may get a little more international flair in the future. GM is currently considering designs for the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette and has been accepting design studies from a network of global studios. This represents the first time GM is seriously considering international designs for the Corvette.
The new global focus is an effort by GM to broaden the ‘Vette’s appeal in Europe and to boost it’s sales among young Americans that prefer the look of imports. So far, GM has 10 design studies from around the world under consideration. A decision is still pending.
GM hopes to trim the look of the Corvette and update the interior. The redesign is positioned to help slumping Corvette sales, which saw a 48 percent drop between 2008 and 2009, according to Automotive News.
Corvette traditionalists shouldn’t worry too much. According to Ed Welburn, GM’s vice president of global design,
who discussed the design strategy with Automotive News: “It can’t mutate into something that gets so far away from Corvette that it is no longer a Corvette.” [Automotive News via MotorAuthority]
