The National Corvette Museum plans to resume facility tours before year-end.
Fans of the Chevrolet Corvette have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks, with the National Corvette Museum (NCM) announcing factory tours will soon recommence. This comes after a five-year hiatus, with tours put on hold in 2017 due to upgrades and changes at the Bowling Green facility. This was extended with the advent of the pandemic.
Plant director for the factory and chairman of the museum, Kai Spande, expressed excitement over the reopening of the tour. "We have been waiting for this day for what feels like an eternity," he said. "It's a great point of pride for our workforce to be able to share what it takes to make America's sports car. We cannot wait to start welcoming Corvette customers, enthusiasts, and friends back for tours of our plant."
Members of the public can get their tickets on the museum's website from November 1. NCM members qualify for early access, with bookings opening on October 25. At this stage, there's no specific date on which tours are expected to commence, with the museum noting scheduling will take place "at the time of purchase."
If you're keen on seeing how America's iconic supercar slayer is built, the National Corvette Museum recommends visitors book in advance. Walking into the museum and hoping for a tour may not be possible, so it's best to plan for the future. Naturally, member tours will get priority.
Even if you're not a dyed-in-the-wool Corvette fan, the tour offers visitors a glimpse into one of America's most significant automotive factories.
GM's iconic sports car has been sailing down the Bowling Green manufacturing facility for nearly 42 years; the automaker moved production to Kentucky from the previous St. Louis plant. According to the museum, the Corvette is the "longest-running, continuously produced passenger car" in the world. Over the years, a staggering 1.75 million examples have been built.
Hopefully, the museum won't have to contend with any future issues. In 2014, the facility suffered a terrible setback when a sinkhole swallowed a total of eight classic Corvettes, causing an estimated $5 million worth of damage. Among the destroyed vehicles were a black 1962 C1, a 1992 One Millionth C4, and a 2009 1.5 Millionth C6. Some of these vehicles were later restored and put back on display.
The factory itself has suffered several setbacks in recent years. Despite immense demand for the mid-engined Corvette, GM has had to suspend production in recent weeks, due to supply chain issues. With the incredible Z06 finally heading to customers, these problems will only exacerbate lengthy waiting lists and exorbitant markups.
Last year, a tornado ripped through the Bowling Green facility and destroyed more than 120 brand new Corvette C8s. Reports indicate the natural disaster caused serious damage to the factory, with a fire destroying crucial parts of the assembly line. Thankfully, this is a thing of the past, and, as GM continues to forge past industry issues, Corvette production should stabilize in the coming months.
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