According to the Bowling Green Daily News, the Corvette Assembly Plant is scheduled to re-open November 6th.
Over the summer, the Corvette assembly line was completely dismantled and rebuilt in order to improve efficiency, flexibility and re-route the Corvette’s body panels through the new paint shop that is at the opposite side of the building from the old paint shop.
The new assembly line will rely heavily on automated guided carriers that will follow strips of magnetic tape attached to the floor of the assembly line. The tape can easily be pulled up and re-routed in order to quickly modify the assembly line route.
According to Lauren Langille, Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant Communications Representative, the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette’s body panels
“will be installed near the end of the build process in one location, as opposed to several locations throughout the process.”
Last week, we reported that November 16th would be the last day to place orders for a 2018 Corvette and that orders for 2019 Corvettes would begin November 30th.
Other than some electrical components and new Mobil 1 factory fill oil, no other changes will be made going from the 2018 to 2019 model years.
There’s been a lot of speculation about the upcoming ZR1 and mid-engine Corvettes having something to do with the 2018 model year being drastically cut short, however to date, GM has yet to confirm a reveal date for the ZR1 or even the existence of a mid-engine Corvette.
It’s our belief that the ZR1 will be unveiled as a 2019 model at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this coming January. Time will tell!
Related: [UPDATED] GM To Stop Taking Orders on 2018 Corvettes in November
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