The end of an era?
We can't deny that Chevrolet introducing a mid-engine Corvette is a huge shift for the nameplate. But it wasn't just about the move to put the engine behind the seats, breaking the decades-long tradition.
According to the automaker's marketing manager Tony Johnson, Chevy Corvette C8 buyers have become more diverse, have a higher household income, and are younger. Johnson bared these details in an interview with Muscle Cars and Trucks, which happened during the reveal of the 2022 Corvette IMSA GTLM Championship Edition.
Gallery: 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition
Johnson added that they have been able to expand to new markets with the C8, areas that previous Corvette generations hadn't touched. He believes that the mid-engine nature of the sports car and the premium interior positioned it as a real supercar and not just an exotic supercar, ultimately leading to what the Corvette's customer base is today.
In contrast, the Ford Mustang, the world's best-selling sports car for the second straight year and best-selling sports coupe for the sixth year in a row, has been attracting older buyers. This has been going on for at least 10 years now – and the Blue Oval is aware of it.
The 2022 Corvette C8:
Johnson's statements also support what GM revealed back in January. According to Steve Hill, General Motors' North America Vice President, the median household income of a mid-engine Corvette buyer is $76,000 higher than those who got the previous model.
With that said, it's safe to say that the Vette C8 is on a whole new level of sports car buyers in terms of wealth, even higher than what its usual customers are.
This shift is evidently working well for the automaker, with the C8 raking up sales numbers year by year. However, keeping up with the production is a different story at this point.
Source: Muscle Cars & Trucks
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