Corvette E-Ray Hybrid Fans Camped Overnight Outside Nashua Chevy Dealership To Get In Order Queue

Feb. 06, 2023 8:20 AM ET by Karl Furlong Sports Cars / 21 Comments

The Corvette already outsells its competitors and that looks set to continue.

A throng of fans braved the cold and camped overnight outside MacMulkin Chevrolet in Nashua in an effort to be among the first to get a place in the order queue for the new Corvette E-Ray. Revealed to much fanfare a couple of weeks ago, the new hybrid Corvette adds all-wheel drive and a powerful electric motor to the C8 Corvette recipe, making it even quicker than the Z06. Since Chevy launched the C8 a few years ago, its popularity has soared through the roof, and the long line in Nashua proves that enthusiasm for the sports car has not dimmed. According to WMUR, Tony Dillberg, sales manager at MacMulkin Chevrolet, said this is the first time he has seen customers camping overnight for a car after two decades in the business.

Gabe DeFeo/Facebook

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The dealership in Nashua was in line to be the first to greet fans of the new E-Ray, as it has the honor of being the number one Corvette dealership in the USA. There were even Corvette fans from other parts of the country in the line, including Tom Biondo from Staten Island, New York. "Everyone knows I love the Corvette and want the new one, so everyone's on board with me," he said. "We brought tents, we brought heaters, air mattresses, blankets, and we just toughed it out," continued Biondo, even as temperatures dipped into the teens.

Gabe DeFeo shared images and videos of the festive atmosphere last week as the fans stood in line, with around 100 of them in attendance. While MacMulkin did not actually take orders, the dealer did take $4,000 deposits which allowed it to assign customers a number for their position in what will likely be a lengthy order queue.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet

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It's going to be a bit of a wait for fans of the hybrid sports car, though, since the E-Ray is only expected to be available late in 2023 as a 2024 model. That's assuming that the numerous production delays that have afflicted the regular C8 don't follow through to the E-Ray as well.

With its 6.2-liter V8 and front-mounted electric motor, the E-Ray makes a combined 655 horsepower and will hit 60 mph in only 2.5 seconds. Up to 45 mph, it can be driven on electric power alone, which makes it not only the quickest production Corvette ever but also the quietest. Despite standard AWD, it'll also be able to do noisy burnouts with the best of them.

Despite a price tag that starts in six-figure territory, we expect the E-Ray to significantly boost Corvette sales volumes, widening the gap between it and its rivals even further.