[ZR1] ZR-1 In Trouble??
10-07-2008, 10:23 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
ZR-1 In Trouble??
FACTS
1. ZR1 production has come to a halt, despite orders to fill.
2. No known production issues that warrant a production stop.
3. ZR1 orders in the system that had build weeks just a few days ago are now showing nothing.
4. There is no official word from GM yet. Key word, 'official'. But, there is 'word' and we are hearing it.
5. GM "needs cash" (article)
INFO COMING IN
1. Rumors of production stop last week.
2. The ZR1 model itself may be on the chopping block, or has already been cancelled.
3. Major changes coming for Corvette production.
1. ZR1 production has come to a halt, despite orders to fill.
2. No known production issues that warrant a production stop.
3. ZR1 orders in the system that had build weeks just a few days ago are now showing nothing.
4. There is no official word from GM yet. Key word, 'official'. But, there is 'word' and we are hearing it.
5. GM "needs cash" (article)
INFO COMING IN
1. Rumors of production stop last week.
2. The ZR1 model itself may be on the chopping block, or has already been cancelled.
3. Major changes coming for Corvette production.
10-07-2008, 10:27 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
The factory is shut from October 6 for a week or two. Too much inventory. You can see on the Bowling Green websites that there are no factory tours though the 17th.
Last edited by allanlaw; 10-07-2008 at 10:31 PM.
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10-07-2008, 10:39 PM
#4
Team Owner
All of the development costs, production costs, certification costs etc have already been spent. If they have sold orders, there is not an economics reason to quit building them. Quite the contrary - they need to sell them now to amortize what they have already spent.
The likely reasons for halting production is likely one of a few reasons....
--- Parts suppliers not keeping up.
--- They have found technical/reliability issues that need to be fixed.
--- It's part of an overall plant slowdown
10-07-2008, 10:54 PM
#6
Racer
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I doubt that the "stoppage" is permanent - that would be a historic and unfortunate milestone in GM history!! But, what do I know....? If it were true, the handful of lucky bastages out there with ZR1's will be sitting on gold!! They won't have to wait 40 years for them to become "collectible." I'll be damned if I can think of one good reason for the car to quit after all of the design/tooling costs - but then again, the basic platform and chassis architecture were already there - courtesy the Z06. The blowers, brake components, body pieces are all sourced in relatively small batches - so it's not as though the stuff is sitting around Bowling Green in mountainous stacks!
We shall see! I posted before that I heard last week that GM's credit line was literally "maxed-out!!!!" So - it's easy to see the "halo" product, an expensive, low-volume car - could become the first casualty of war.
Not to mention that the Viper's future assured of it being relegated to the "ash heap of history," there is less pressure to take it on head-to-head. Am I off base here?
We shall see! I posted before that I heard last week that GM's credit line was literally "maxed-out!!!!" So - it's easy to see the "halo" product, an expensive, low-volume car - could become the first casualty of war.
Not to mention that the Viper's future assured of it being relegated to the "ash heap of history," there is less pressure to take it on head-to-head. Am I off base here?
Last edited by defender90; 10-07-2008 at 10:59 PM. Reason: addenda
10-07-2008, 11:08 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
I doubt that the "stoppage" is permanent - that would be a historic and unfortunate milestone in GM history!! But, what do I know....? If it were true, the handful of lucky bastages out there with ZR1's will be sitting on gold!! They won't have to wait 40 years for them to become "collectible." I'll be damned if I can think of one good reason for the car to quit after all of the design/tooling costs - but then again, the basic platform and chassis architecture were already there - courtesy the Z06. The blowers, brake components, body pieces are all sourced in relatively small batches - so it's not as though the stuff is sitting around Bowling Green in mountainous stacks!
We shall see! I posted before that I heard last week that GM's credit line was literally "maxed-out!!!!" So - it's easy to see the "halo" product, an expensive, low-volume car - could become the first casualty of war.
Not to mention that the Viper's future assured of it being relegated to the "ash heap of history," there is less pressure to take it on head-to-head. Am I off base here?
We shall see! I posted before that I heard last week that GM's credit line was literally "maxed-out!!!!" So - it's easy to see the "halo" product, an expensive, low-volume car - could become the first casualty of war.
Not to mention that the Viper's future assured of it being relegated to the "ash heap of history," there is less pressure to take it on head-to-head. Am I off base here?
10-07-2008, 11:15 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
well if they kill the zr1 - it will most likely be caused by dealer greed. giving a bad taste to people who might otherwise buy one. i am such a person. i would pay msrp which is still too much for a caddy pimped out z06 with a huffer added on.
10-07-2008, 11:26 PM
#9
Racer
Member Since: Jun 2003
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The future of GM is in no way tied to the success of the ZR1 or the corvette for that matter. GM is in serious trouble and needs to refocus itself on building a product line that it can make money with. This means building cost competitive cars that provide comparable gas mileage to its rivals. When the Ford Fiesta hits the US next year, GM better have a similar product or it is toast, IMO.
By the way, my dealer called today to schedule my order for my ZR1. To say the least, he was very surprised to find out my car may not be built.
By the way, my dealer called today to schedule my order for my ZR1. To say the least, he was very surprised to find out my car may not be built.
10-08-2008, 09:48 PM
#13
Racer
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Other than the panic article from the guys at EVS I have not seen single article written by any authority in the industry about this. Between Autoweek, Detroit Free Press, Motor Trend Etc Etc if this was true I think someone would have published something about it. I don't doubt that the EVS guys beleive this will happen, I just think either they know something no one else does or they are simply wrong. Since GM has shut the plant down for a few weeks and is planning on scaling back production numbers it makes sense to me that they would cancel pending build dates until production is re-forcasted.
10-08-2008, 09:53 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
Other than the panic article from the guys at EVS I have not seen single article written by any authority in the industry about this. Between Autoweek, Detroit Free Press, Motor Trend Etc Etc if this was true I think someone would have published something about it. I don't doubt that the EVS guys beleive this will happen, I just think either they know something no one else does or they are simply wrong. Since GM has shut the plant down for a few weeks and is planning on scaling back production numbers it makes sense to me that they would cancel pending build dates until production is re-forcasted.
Things will be O.K. with the Corvette, and the ZR1.
GM is indeed in trouble, but cuting the ZR1 or all Corvettes, would be like taking out the night light at home in order to lower your $1500.00 per month electric bill.
Even if GM disolved, many would seek to obtain the rights to such a successful marque like the Vette.
Marty
1FUNZR1
10-08-2008, 10:56 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
All of the development costs, production costs, certification costs etc have already been spent. If they have sold orders, there is not an economics reason to quit building them. Quite the contrary - they need to sell them now to amortize what they have already spent.
The likely reasons for halting production is likely one of a few reasons....
--- Parts suppliers not keeping up.
--- They have found technical/reliability issues that need to be fixed.
--- It's part of an overall plant slowdown
The likely reasons for halting production is likely one of a few reasons....
--- Parts suppliers not keeping up.
--- They have found technical/reliability issues that need to be fixed.
--- It's part of an overall plant slowdown
10-08-2008, 11:26 PM
#18
Pro
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