Last week's reveal of the all-new 2020 C8 Corvette was a huge deal. No other major press releases from other automakers came out. It was a day literally silenced solely for one vehicle. And the world watched and listened with immense interest. Whether you're a fan of the mid-engine Corvette or not, it's a major leap forward for America's sports car and, in many ways, represents a whole new beginning. Why not further capitalize on the Corvette brand? General Motors wants the Corvette to appeal to a whole new generation of buyers, but the C8 alone may not be enough. What does this mean, exactly?

Autoweek has learned GM is seriously considering plans to leverage the Corvette brand for even bigger profits beyond the sports car. Yes, this means turning the Corvette into a brand that will eventually include a sedan and an SUV or crossover.

The latter vehicle has already been rumored, and former GM vice president of product Bob Lutz has gone on record he's all in favor of it, though he's retired and the decision is not his to make. Turns out GM was thinking the same. GM executives attending the C8's reveal, specifically GM president Mark Reuss and Jim Campbell, vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports, refused to comment about this supposed Corvette brand expansion. They also did not flat-out deny it. "I can't say anything one way or the other," Campbell said. "Probably not going to see that," Reuss. We've heard far more direct denials before and neither statements qualify as such.

Remember, the C8 is also the first Corvette built at the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory with right-hand drive, meaning America's sports car is going global. Why not further augment the Corvette brand with additional models? It makes good business sense. And let's also not forget the very real possibility of the C8's platform being further utilized for a new Cadillac sports car.

This is not without precedent, of course. Remember the C6-based XLR? Although it wasn't a smashing success, the XLR still sold fairly reasonably and Cadillac today has a new engine that requires additional use: the 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 Blackwing. If there were to be a Corvette sedan and SUV, expect neither to arrive before 2023.