2021 Chevrolet Corvette Arriving Much Earlier Than Expected

Nov. 06, 2020 7:06 PM ET by Aaron Brzozowski Sports Cars / 13 Comments

Christmas is coming early this year.

Production of the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8 have been a tumultuous affair ever since 2019, when the United Auto Workers Union staged a nationwide strike and shut down GM facilities for some 40 days, delaying the start of production. The global pandemic didn't help things any.

Now, though, things are looking better than ever for C8 production, as Corvette Action Center reports that production has stabilized with two shifts churning out 186 cars per day on average, which is up from where it was just last month. As a result, the start of production of the 2021 model is being moved up significantly.

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Front View

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Forward View

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Rear View Driving

In a production update released to Chevrolet dealers on Thursday morning, GM said that 2021 Chevrolet Corvette production is now set to start December 8 - nearly a month earlier than it had been expected to begin. GM might still produce the 2020 and 2021 models side-by-side for a time as the company tries to hit its original 20,000-unit production target for the outgoing model year, but that production will only be to fill outstanding orders; last month, the company took down its configurator for the 2020 Corvette and put up one for the 2021 Corvette in its place.

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Open Top

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Rear View Driving

2020-2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Side View

The transition from 2020 to 2021 Corvette production ought to be a smooth one, given the fact that only minor changes have been introduced. Two new exterior colors have joined the palette, along with new stripe options; there's a new interior color scheme, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and magnetorheological dampers are now available as a standalone option.

What all of this means is that customers who have put in orders for 2021 Corvettes might just receive their cars a bit earlier than expected - in some cases, maybe even before Christmastime. That ought to have Corvette fans everywhere celebrating.